Men's Hockey | 12/13/2016 1:58:00 PM

Off the Hop:   #19 Minnesota State (10-6-2 overall, 7-5-2 WCHA) heads east for a couple of nonconference games at Princeton (5-7-1 overall, 3-6-1 ECAC). The Mavericks and the Tigers play at Hobey Baker Memorial Rink (2,092) Friday (6:00 p.m. CST) and Saturday (6:00 p.m. CST).

About the Minnesota State-Princeton Series:   In the all-time series with the Tigers, which dates back to the 2005-06 season, the Mavericks owns a 2-2-0 record.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  The Mavericks split a league road series at Ferris State last weekend, succumbing by a 3-0 margin to the Bulldogs Friday before rallying from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 3-2 victory Saturday evening.

About Princeton:  The Tigers own a 5-7-1 overall mark and are 3-6-1 in ECAC  games on the year after sweeping #13 Quinnipiac with 5-3 and 4-1 wins last weekend. Princeton, which enters the series with Minnesota State having gone 5-0-1 its last six games and has won its last three contests, is paced offensively by  a pair of sophomore forwards in Max Veronneau (6-12--18) and Ryan Kuffner (7-6--13). Senior goaltender Colton Phinney (4-7-1, 3.60, .889%) has started 12 of Princeton's 13 games this year.  

The Tigers are led head coach Ron Fogarty (Colgate '95) who stands 14-53-7 in behind the Princeton bench (this is his third year with the Tigers).  

Minnesota State On the Web:  Tickets, Releases, statistics, player and staff biographies, etc. on all of Minnesota State's 20 sports are available at the official website of MSU Athletics located at www.msumavericks.com

Minnesota State All-Time:  The Minnesota State men's hockey program, begun in 1969-70, completed its 47th year of competition last year.  The Mavericks are in their 21st year as members of NCAA Division I and in their 18th season as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.   The Mavericks are 846-628-149 (.567) all-time and stand 218-213-58 (.505) in regular-season games vs. WCHA opponents.

Sean Flanagan Notes: In first season serving as an alternate captain...Three-time letterwinner (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16) is a two-time WCHA All-Academic honoree and WCHA Scholar-Athlete honoree (at least 3.50 grade point average)...Has 1-4--5 on the year, owns 9-34--43 with 148 shots on goal, is +16 and has 112 blocked shots in 119 career games.

Carter Foguth Notes: In second season serving as team captain...Three-time letterwinner (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16) was a WCHA All-Academic honoree last year... At 125 games played stands as Minnesota State's active career games played leader...Has 38 blocked shots this year, which is tied for 18th in the nation...Has 254 blocked shots and is +24 in four seasons with the Mavericks.

Cole Huggins Notes: Three-year letterwinner (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16) is a two-time WCHA All-Academic pick...Owns school record for shut-outs with 11...Named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week (third time in career) after backstopping Mavericks to 3-1 an 4-0 wins over #17 Michigan Tech Oct. 7-8...Stands 7-3-0 with a .2.16 goals against average and a .906 save percentage for the year and is tied for fifth at Minnesota State for career wins with 45 victories.

Michael Huntebrinker Notes: Three-year letterwinner (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16) is in first year as an alternate captain...Two-time WCHA All-Academic honoree and WCHA Scholar-Athlete honoree (at least 3.50 grade point average)...Had three assists in Minnesota State's 7-3 win over Alaska Dec. 2...Assisted on a goal by Max Michaelis in last Saturday's 3-2 win at Ferris State and now has 0-6--6 in the last six games. The Chesterfield, Mo., native owns 2-11--13 this year and has 13-31--44 in 103 games played for his college career.

Jordan Nelson Notes: Three-year letterwinner (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16) is a two-time WCHA All-Academic honoree and WCHA Scholar-Athlete honoree (at least 3.50 grade point average)...Ranks second on the Mavericks with 155 face-off wins and leads the team in face-off percentage (.578). The Williston, N.D., native has 15 goals and 17 assists for 32 points in 118 career games played.

Zach Stepan Notes:  Three-time letterwinner (2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16) is a 2012 Nashville Predators draft pick (4th round, 112 overall)...Has 18-30--48 in 116 career games.

C.J. Franklin Notes: Two-year letterwinner is in first season as team captain...2014 Winnipeg Jets draftee (5th round, 129th overall)... Finished third on team in scoring and second in goals with 14-11--25 in sophomore season and saw action in all 41 games...Scored his third game-winning goal of the season (and the seventh GWG of his career) and added an assist in last Saturday's 3-2 win at Ferris State in raising his season totals to 6-9--15.  He leads the Mavericks with 176 face-off wins this year and with 29-39--68 in 96 career games, the Forest Lake, Minn., product stands as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader.

Zeb Knutson Notes: Two-year letterwinner (2014-15, 2015-16) finished sixth on school's point-scoring charts in 2015-16 with six goals and 11 assists for 17 points...Registered his fifth goal of the year in last Saturday's 3-2 win at Ferris State. Knutson, who ranks fourth on the Mavericks in goals and seventh in +/- at +4, has 5-6--11 on the year and owns 13-18--31 in 66 career games.

Clint Lewis Notes: Lettered as a freshman in 2015-16...Missed most of season due to injury (saw action in six games)...Stands tied for first on the Mavericks in plus/minus with a +8 on the year, has 19 blocked shots and 17 shots on goal for the year.

Brad McClure Notes: Two-time letterwinner (2014-15, 2015-16) is in first  year as an alternate captain...Posted 5-8--13 numbers while playing in all 41 games as a sophomore... Racked up three assists in 7-3 win over Alaska (Dec. 2), then cored his eighth goal of the season the next night and added an assist on C.J. Franklin's game-tying goal...Assisted on a goal by Max Michaelis in last Saturday's 3-2 win at Ferris State and now has 3-5--8 in the last six games...Leads Minnesota State with 70 shots on goal, ranks second on the Mavericks in points with 8-8--16 on the season. 

Aaron Nelson Notes: Two-year letterwinner was a WCHA All-Academic selection last year.

Daniel Brickley Notes: Lettered in first season with Mavericks (2015-16)....Named to 2015-16 WCHA All-Rookie Team...Collected 2-9--11 in 36 games played as a freshman...Assisted on C.J. Franklin's game-winning goal in last Saturday's 3-2 victory at Ferris State and stands tied for third on Minnesota State's scoring charts with 3-12--15 in ten games this year....Leads all WCHA defensemen in scoring despite missing a month of playing time due to an upper body injury.

Max Coatta Notes: Lettered in first season with Mavericks (2015-16)...Named to 2015-16 WCHA All-Rookie Team.....Tied for third in the WCHA in rookie scoring with 5-6--11 in 28 league games...Collected 5-8--13 in 36 games played as a freshman...Enters Ferris State series with 7-11--18 recorded his third goal of the year in last Saturday's 3-2 win at Ferris State. The Minnetonka, Minn., native owns 8-11--19 in 54 career games.

Steen Cooper Notes: Lettered in first season with Mavericks (2015-16)...Collected 1-0--1 in 10 games played as a freshman... Scored first career goal in 2-2 overtime tie in WCHA road game at Northern Michigan (Nov. 21)...Enters weekend with 1-0--1 in 14 career games.

Chandler Madry Notes: Lettered in first season at Minnesota State (2015-16)...Had 2-1--3 in nine games played in debut season with Mavericks...Registered first career goal in 2-0 home win over Alaska Anchorage (Nov. 27, 2015)...Also scored in a game at Michigan Tech (Jan. 16, 2016)... Scored his first career game-winning goal in 6-4 victory over St. Cloud State (Oct. 15, 2016), has 3-1--4 in 12 career games.

Jason Pawloski Notes:  Lettered in first season with Mavericks (2015-16)....8-2-5 won-loss record with .901 save percentage and 1.85 goals against average in first year of college hockey...Named WCHA Rookie of the Week after backstopping Mavericks to a two-game home league sweep over Alaska Anchorage with a 2-0-0 record, a 1.00 goals against average and a .947 save percentage (Nov. 27-28)...Got his first win of 2016-17 when he stopped 18 shots in Minnesota State's 2-1 win at Lake Superior State, Nov. 5...Owns an 11-4-7 career record with a 1.87 GAA and .911 sv%, stands 3-2-2 for the year with a 1.92 GAA and a .928 sv%.

Ryan Schwalbe Notes:  Lettered in first year with Minnesota State (2015-16)...Had 0-3--3 in 28 games in debut season with Mavericks while playing both forward and defense...Had 24 shots on goal and blocked eight shots...First career point came in 3-2 win at Ferris State (Nov. 7) when he assisted on a goal by Casey Nelson...Enters Princeton series with 0-3--3 in 46 career games played.

Alec Vanko Notes: Lettered in freshman season (2015-16)...Registered 0-4--4 and was +3 in 12 games played in debut season with Minnesota State...Scored first career goal in 7-1 win at Alaska (Oct. 21, 2016)...Oregon, Wis., native has 2-1--3 in ten games played this year.

Michael Bigelbach Notes: Played two seasons with Omaha (USHL) where he served as an alternate captain for the Lancers in 2015-16...Had 2-10--12, along with 105 PIMS with Omaha in 2015-16...Toiled in the North American Hockey League in 2013-14, playing 44 games with Minot (4-10--14) and 18 games with Janesville (0-2--2)...Assisted on Jordan Nelson's game-winning goal in Minnesota State's 2-1 victory at Lake Superior State, Nov. 5...Has 0-2--2 and is +1 in seven games played on  the year.

Josh French Notes:  Spent two campaigns with Omaha (USHL) where he had 16-32--48 and served as an alternate captain for the Lancers in 2015-16...Led Omaha in points and assists and was named team MVP and Forward of the Year in 2015-16...Posted eight points on a goal and seven assists and was +10 with Omaha in 2014-15...Made debut for Minnesota State he played in season-opening games with Michigan Tech, Oct. 7 and has played in every game this year... Registered first career point with an assist on Charlie Gerard's goal vs. Bemidji State Nov. 11.

Charlie Gerard Notes:  Played with three different teams in the USHL in 2015-16 - Collected 10 goals and five assists for 15 points in 26 games with Madison, 3-5--8 in 18 GP with Fargo and 6-4--10 with Muskegon...Totalled 17-16--33 with Madison in 2014-15...Member of Ohio Blue Jackets U18 team in 2013-14 where he racked up 29 goals and 15 assists in 36 games played...Notched first career goal when his scored in a 1-1 home tie with Bemidji State (Nov. 11) and has 1-0--1 in ten  games played to date.

Edwin Hookenson Notes:  Spent three seasons with Nanaimo (BCHL) where he served as an alternate captain for the Clippers and earned team's Coaches Award in 2015-16...Had six goals and 17 assists for 23 points in 58 games in 2015-16...Registered 5-23--28 in 58 games and was named team's Most Improved Player in 2014-15 in helping lead Nanaimo to an Interior Division regular-season title and play-off series victories over Alberni Valley and Powell River and a place in the BCHL championship series....Made his college debut when he played in both games vs. the University of Alaska Dec. 0-2...Has three shots on goal and four blocked shots and is +1 in debut season with Mavericks.

Marc Michaelis Notes:  Two-year USHL vet spent a pair of seasons with Green Bay where he had 10-41--51 in 59 games in 2015-16... Named WCHA Rookie of the Week for his performance in the two games vs. Alaska Dec. 2-3..Racked up seven points on four goals and three assists as in series vs. Nanooks  fashioned his first career hat trick and assisted on another for his first four-point night...Assisted on a goal by Max Michaelis in last Saturday's 3-2 win at Ferris State and now has 3-5--8 in the last six games...Has recorded at least one point in 13 out of 18 games played in his debut season with the Mavericks, leads the WCHA in scoring and stands tied for second in the country in scoring amongst all rookies.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Team captain for Omaha (USHL) in 2015-16...Had 23-18--41 with 132 PIMs and +5 in 48 games with Lancers in 2015-16...Had 14-14--28 and was +12 in 58 games with Omaha in 2014-15 and collected 18-9--27 with Wenatchee (NAHL) in 2013-14...Scored twice and had two assists in earning WCHA Rookie of the Week honors for his play in Minnesota State's two games at Alaska Oct. 21-22)...Enters Princeton series with 3-3--6 in 18 games played.

Ian Scheid Notes:  Played the first five games of the 2015-16 season with Fargo (USHL) before being traded to Sioux City where he had 5 goals and 11 assists for 16 points in 47 games...Spent the 2014-15 campaign with Austin (NAHL) where he registered 12-23--35 in 55 games with the Bruins and was named NAHL All-Rookie First Team...Scored his first career game-winning goal in 4-2 victory over Ferris State (Oct. 28)...Has played every game for Minnesota State in debut season...Has 1-5--6 in the last seven games and with 4-8--12 on the year stands tied for second amongst all WCHA first-year blueliners in points.

Parker Tuomie Notes:  Former Sioux Falls (USHL) captain...Had a goal and three assists, along with 10 shots on goal, in earning WCHA Rookie of the Week honors for his role in Minnesota State's two wins over St. Cloud State (Oct. 14-15)...Had his first career three-point game when he scored a goal and assisted on two others in Minnesota State 4-1 win over the University of Minnesota Nov. 18th...Has 3-5--8 in 18 games in his debut season with the Mavericks and ranks fourth on the team with 50 shots on goal.

Noteables: Minnesota State's freshmen have racked up 20-32--52 in 18 contests so far this season to stand seventh in scoring in the nation as a group.

Minnesota State has outshot its opponents in 13 out of 18 games this year and rank eighth in the nation in shots on goal margin at +141.

On Tap: Following this weekend's nonconference series at Princeton, Minnesota State is off until Jan. 6-7 when action resumes with a WCHA road series at Alabama Huntsville.