Bemidji, Minn.  ---  #2 Minnesota State closed out the regular season with a 3-0 win at Bemidji State Saturday evening in claiming the MacNaughton Cup as the 2014-15 Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season champions.

The WCHA regular season championship is the first for Minnesota State.

Junior forward Brett Knowles took advantage of a turnover in the BSU defensive zone before wiring a shot from the left dot over the right shoulder of Andrew Walsh at 8:53 of the opening period to make it a 1-0 Minnesota State lead. The goal is the sixth of the season for Knowles.

The two teams battled through a scoreless second period before the Mavericks put it away with a pair of late tallies in the final period Junior forward Bryce Gervais backhanded one under Walsh's right pad at 14.05 for his 24^th goal of the season and freshman forward Brad McClure sealed it with an empty net tally at the 18:00 minute mark for his ninth goal of the season.

Minnesota State, which went zero-for-six on the power play, outshot the Beavers by 26-18 margin in the contest as junior netminder Stephon Williams, who stopped all 18 shots he faced for his fourth shut-out of the year, saw his record for the year go to 21-5-3 with the victory.

The Mavericks totaled eight penalties for 16 minutes in the game.  Bemidji State had 10 penalties for 28 minutes.

Now 25-7-3 on the season (21-4-3 WCHA) with tonight's win, Minnesota State hosts Lake Superior State next weekend in a best-of-three first round WCHA play-off series.  The games between the Mavericks and the Lakers are scheduled for 7:07 Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary) at Verizon Wireless Center in downtown Mankato.




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