Anchorage, Alaska  ---    #18 Minnesota State scored the game's first two goals and held on in earning a 2-1 victory at Alaska Anchorage in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action Saturday in Anchorage.

Senior forward Bryce Gervais maintained his torrid pace, getting his 14^th goal of the season when his shot along the ice from 15 feet in front of the net beat Olivier Mantha at 9:02 of the opening period. The goal is the 65^th career marker for Gervais and puts him in a tie for third with Tim Wolfe (Minnesota State 1996-2000) on the school's all-time list for the NCAA DI-era.

That goal held up as the only scoring in the game until 2:50 of the third period when Dylan Margonari forced a turnover behind the UAA net and Jimmy Mullin shoveled a pass to Teddy Blueger, who out-waited Mantha before depositing the puck into the back of the net.  The goal is Blueger's ninth of the year and gives the Riga, Latvia native his 103^rd career point (29-74—103).

The pesky Seawolves tallied a shorthanded goal with less thant two minutes remaining in the game, but could not get the equalizer and the game ended with the  Mavericks claiming the 2-1 win.

The Mavericks, who went zero-for-six in power plays in the game,  outshot UAA by a 30-10 margin in the game.

Junior netminder Cole Huggins stands 9-8-2 on the season with tonight's win and owns a 34-18-3 for his career. Huggins now stands eighth at Minnesota State in career wins. 

Minnesota State, which has gone 6-2-2 in its last ten games, stands 17-10-7 overall and is 14-4-7 in WCHA action. With the win, the Mavericks maintain their lead atop the WCHA standings, standing two points in front of Michigan Tech and Bowling Tech with two games left in the regular season.

The Mavericks close out the 2015-16 regular season next weekend with Bemidji State visiting Mankato for a pair of WCHA games at Verizon Wireless Center Friday and Saturday.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the win.




                       
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