Mankato, Minn.  --- #2 rated Minnesota State routed Lake Superior State 9-2 in the first game of a best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association first-round series played in Mankato Friday evening.

Senior forward Jean-Paul Lafontaine tallied a goal and three assists as the Mavericks put a season-high nine goals into the LSSU net in the game.

Senior forward Max Gaede got the Mavericks off and running at 9:22 of the first when he collected a rebound in front of Laker goaltender Gordon Defiel and put the puck into the net for his fifth goal of the season with Minnesota State on the power play. Stephen Perfetto responded for LSSU shortly thereafter with an unassisted tally at 10:14.  Junior forward Bryce Gervais, who ranks amongst the nation's leaders in goals, scored on a scramble in front of the net on a power play at 16:08 and the Mavericks entered the dressing room at the end of the first period owning a 2-1 lead.

Minnesota State erupted for four second period goals in taking a 6-2 lead.  Lake Superior tied it at 1:06 on a power play marker from Gus Correale, before the Mavericks tallied at 5:18 (Casey Nelson), 7:35 (Brett Knowles), 13:30 (Matt Leitner) and 17:23 (Leitner).  Both of Leitner's goals were power play goals.

Senior forward Chase Grant got in on the act at the 1:01 mark of the third period with his sixth goal of the year, then at 5:32, junior forward Dylan Margonari deflected a shot from the point from Sean Flanagan. Senior forward Jean-Paul Lafontaine punched in his sixth goal of the season at 12:42 to make it 9-2.

Minnesota State, which converted on six-of-ten chances on the power play, outshot the Lakers by a 59-18 margin in the contest. The last time the Mavericks scored at least nine goals in a game was Dec. 10, 2011 in a 9-1 home victory over Alabama-Huntsville.

 Junior netminder Stephon Williams, who made 16 stops, now stands 22-5-3 on the year. Besides the four-point night from Lafontaine,  Leitner had a three-point game on two goals and an assist.  Casey Nelson had a goal and two assists, while Gervais finished with a goal and an assist.

The Mavericks, 26-7-33 on the season, and the Lakers (8-27-2) play the second game of the series Saturday with a 7:07 p.m. face-off scheduled for Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the win.


 
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