Men's Hockey | 10/27/2016 11:49:00 AM

Off the Hop:    Minnesota State (5-1-0 overall, 3-0-0 WCHA) returns home for a pair of Western Collegiate Hockey Association contests vs. Ferris State (0-6-1, 0-3-1 WCHA) this weekend. The Mavericks and the Bulldogs play in Mankato at Verizon Center (4,832) Friday (7:07 p.m. CST) and Saturday (7:07 p.m. CST).

About the Minnesota State-Ferris State Series:  The Mavericks lead the all-time series with the Bulldogs by a 14-5-2 margin and have gone 9-2-0 in the last 11 games vs. FSU.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  Ninth-rated Minnesota State stands 5-0-1 overall (3-1-0 WCHA) after gaining a league split at the University of Alaska (7-1 win and 4-2 loss) last weekend.  Mavericks enjoying outstanding offensive weekends vs. the Nanooks included sophomore defenseman Daniel Brickley (0-3--3 in Friday's win), senior defenseman Sean Flanagan (1-1--2 in the two games), sophomore forward Max Coatta (1-1--2), senior center Jordan Nelson (0-2--2, extended point-scoring streak to four games), freshman defenseman Ian Scheid (2-1--3), freshman forward Marc Michaelis (2-0--2) and freshman forward Nick Rivera (2-2--4, named WCHA Rookie of the Week), 

Ferris State Most Recently:  The Bulldogs are 0-6-1 on the  year after two games vs. WCHA-foe Northern Michigan last weekend.  NMU won the first game 2-2 and the second game goes in the books as a 2-2 tie, but Ferris State picked up a shootout victory in the game. Forward Craig Pelfrey has 1-7--8 and sits atop the FSU scoring charts, while WCHA preseason Player of the Year Gerald Mayhew has 2-1--3 after only playing in three games to date. Nebraska Omaha). Ferris State, which has absorbed five one-goal losses this year, is led by led by head coach Bob Daniels (Michigan State '82), who stands  417-430-96 as a college head coach and is in his 25th campaign as head coach with the Bulldogs.

On Tap: Following this weekend's series with Ferris State, the Mavericks continue WCHA action with a two-game road series at Lake Superior State Nov. 4-5