Anchorage, Alaska --- Junior netminder
Cole Huggins stopped all 15 shots as #18 Minnesota State skated to a gritty 3-0 win at Alaska Anchorage in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action Friday in Anchorage.
Senior forward
Bryce Gervais worked a give-and-go with
Zeb Knutson and
Jaden Schmeisser before beating
Olivier Mantha on a breakaway at 1:37 of the first period to give Minnesota State a 1-0 lead and that's the way the score remained throughout the opening stanza. The goal is the 13
th of the year for Gervais and his 64th career goal.
The Mavericks scored twice in the middle frame in taking a 3-0 lead. Senior forward
Dylan Margonari jammed the puck past
Olivier Mantha on a goal-mouth scramble at 9:26 for his fourth tally of the year and sophomore forward
C.J. Franklin went end-to-end before ripping a wrist shot past Mantha on the stickside at 17:32 for his team-best 14
th goal of the year.
The two teams battled through a scoreless third period as Minnesota State upped its record to 3-1-2 in the last six games.
Both teams went scoreless in three power play chances on the night (the Mavericks did have nine shots on goal during the course of its man advantage chances) and Minnesota State outshot UAA by a 33-15 margin in the game.
Junior netminder
Cole Huggins earned his second shutout of the year and evened his record at 8-8-2 with this evening's decision. He now stands 33-18-3 for his career and has moved into a tie for eighth at Minnesota State in career wins. His nine career shutouts ranks second all-time at the school.
Minnesota State, which clinched home ice in the first round of the league postseason play-offs with tonight's victory, stands 15-10-7 overall and is 13-4-7 in WCHA action. Alaska Anchorage falls to 11-17-3 overall, 8-15-2 WCHA for 2015-16. With the win, the Mavericks maintain their lead atop the WCHA standings, standing two points in front of Michigan Tech and Bowling Tech with three games left in the regular season.
The Mavericks and the Seawolves close out the two-game league series Saturday night.
Head coach
Mike Hastings commented following the win.