Mankato, Minn.  --- #2 rated Minnesota State overcame Lake Superior State 4-2 in the second game of a best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association first-round series played in Mankato Saturday evening.

With the win the Mavericks eliminate the Lakers from postseason play and claim the series 2-0.

Junior forward Bryce Gervais stayed red hot when he took a rebound and put it past Gordon Defiel at the 3:21 mark of the opening stanza. The goal is his 25^th of the season and his 13^th in the last 14 games.

Sophomore forward Zach Stepan saucered a pass to junior center Dylan Margonari and the Greensburg, Pa., native went top shelf on the glove side in notching his 13^th goal of the year at 2:24 of the second to make it a 2-0 Minnesota State lead, but the Lakers pulled within one on a power play goal by Ryan Renz at 12:59.

At the :46 mark of the third period freshman forward Brad McClure tapped in a shot with the Mavericks on the power play to make it 3-1. He now has ten goals on the year in becoming the fourth Minnesota State player to reach double-digits in goals this season.  LSSU's Austin McKay tallied at 7:39 to close the gap once again, but Margonari got his second goal and the last goal of the game at 17:46 when he one-timed a shot off a rebound past Defiel to close out scoring in the Maverick victory.

Minnesota State, which converted on one-of-six chances on the power play, outshot the Lakers by a 35-22 margin in the contest.

Junior netminder Stephon Williams, who made 20 stops, now stands 23-5-3 on the year.

The Mavericks, 27-7-33 on the season, advance to the WCHA Final Five next weekend in St. Paul.