Mankato, Minn.  --- #15th-rated Minnesota State got three goals and an assist from freshman forward Marc Michaelis as the Mavericks powered their way to a 7-3 win over Alaska in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association contest played in Mankato Friday evening. 


Michaelis, who finished with four points on the hat trick and one assist in the win and stands atop the Minnesota State scoring chart with eight goals and ten assists for 18 points in 15 games, was named the game's First Star.


At 5:11 of the opening period, sophomore defenseman Daniel Brickley one-timed a back door pass from Michaelis past Jesse Jenks for his second goal of the year. The goal, which came with Minnesota State on the power play, is Brickley's second of the year. The rangy blueliner, who had missed the previous eight games due to an upper body injury, now has three career power play goals. It became a 2-0 Maverick lead at 11:23 on a Zeb Knutson goal that came following a nice diagonal pass from the top of the left circle from defenseman Clint Lewis.  The goal is the fourth of the year for Knutson. Then, at 14:35, defenseman James LaDouce snapped a shot past Jason Pawloski from the right circle for a Nanook power play goal.  Michaelis took a nice cross-ice feed from Brad McClure and tallied his sixth goal of the season with the Mavericks on the power play at 17:42 as the Mavericks regained a two-goal cushion. Defenseman Danny Kiraly lofted at shot from the point that found its way into the Maverick net right before the end of the period and the two teams entered the locker room after 20 minutes of action with Minnesota State owning a 3-2 lead.


Michaelis roofed one with the Mavericks on the power play at 3:31 of the second at for his second goal of the game. The after a lengthy review on a coach's challenge, Alaska got one back on a play in which Pawloski stopped the initial shot, but the puck got past him after bouncing off of Ross Heidt, who was standing in front of the net at 6:31.


Michaelis registered his first career hat trick after McClure found him down low on the right side of the net at 11:46. The three goals by Michaelis are the first hat trick by a Minnesota State freshman since McClure accomplished the feat on March 21^st of 2015 in a win vs. Michigan Tech at the WCHA Final Five.  Lewis collected his third goal of the season at 12:17 as the Mavericks extended their lead to 6-3. Freshman forward Nick Rivera got his third of the year before the end of the period to close out the scoring in the contest.


McClure had a trio of assists in being selected the Second Star and Brickley, who had a goal and assist, was the Third Star. Senior center Michael Huntebrinker had three assists, while C.J. Franklin had two assists and Lewis contributed a goal and an assist.


Minnesota State, which was two-for-four on the power play, put 41 shots on goal in the contest. The Nanooks were one-for-five with the man advantage.


Maverick netminder Jason Pawloski, who made 23 stops, now stands 3-2-1 on the year.


The Mavericks are 9-4-1 on the season with tonight's win. Alaska falls to 4-10-2 with tonight's result.


The two teams complete the two-game series when they square-off at Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato with a 7:07 p.m. face-off scheduled.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the game.