Men's Hockey | 1/20/2016 1:11:00 PM

Minnesota State Owns 11-8-5 Overall Mark and Stands Atop WCHA Standings With 10-3-5 Record

On Tap:    20th-rated Minnesota State (11-8-5 overall, 10-3-5 WCHA) hosts Lake Superior State (9-13-4 overall, 6-6-4 WCHA) in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend in Mankato. MSU and LSSU play at Verizon Wireless Center (4,832) Friday (7:07 p.m.) and Saturday (7:07 p.m.) CST.

Minnesota State Most Recently: 20th-rated Minnesota State stands 11-8-5 overall, 10-3-5 WCHA after a 2-2 overtime tie and 3-1 loss at Michigan Tech last weekend. The Mavericks own a 6-2-5 mark in their last 13 games.  

About Lake Superior State:  The Lakers, who enter this weekend 9-13-4 overall and are 6-6-4 WCHA  with a after splitting a WCHA home series with Alaska Anchorage last weekend, have gone 6-4-1 in their last 11 games. LSSU is paced offensively by a pair of forwards in sophomore J.T. Henke (6-8--14) and freshman Mitch Hults (6-6--12), along with junior forward Gus Correale (5-6--1). Sophomore Gordon Defiel (6-8-3, 2.45 GAA, .924 save percentage) has 17 starts (out of 26 games) this year for the Lakers.
 
Damon Whitten (Michigan State '87) is in his second season as head coach of the Lake Superior State men's hockey program and owns a 17-41-6 mark as the Lakers' bench boss.

Mavericks vs. Lakers:  Minnesota State went 6-0-0 vs. the Lakers last season and are 8-0-0 in the all-time series between the two schools that dates back to the 2013-14 season. The Mavericks own a 4-0-0 mark vs. LSSU in games played in Mankato.

Pollster:  Minnesota State is 20th in this week's USCHO.com poll, marking the fifth  straight time the Mavericks have appeared in the poll.  This week's poll is located HERE.

Stats Stuff:  Minnesota State has outshot its opponents by a 798-526 margin through the team's 24 games this year. The Mavericks, who have outshot their opponents in 18 of their 24 games on the season, rank first in the nation for fewest shots on goal allowed per game (21.9) and rank third in shots on goal margin with a +11.3 SOGM mark.
 
Minnesota State has scored the first goal in eight of its 24 games this year and stands 4-0-4 in those games. Opponents have registered the game's first goal on 16 occasions and the Mavericks are 7-8-1 in those games.
 
The Mavericks have not allowed a power play goal in the last ten games and have held opponents to a 0-for-31 performance with the man advantage during that time. The last time Minnesota State allowed a power play goal was Nov. 21 vs. Northern Michigan.

Since the beginning of the 2012-13 season, Minnesota State has racked up 90 wins which ranks third in the nation over the course of that span.  Quinnipiac has totaled 96 victories and North Dakota 95 during this time.