Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. ---   #8 Minnesota State got a goal and three assists from senior winger Zeb Knutson in powering its way to a 5-1 win at Lake Superior State in a  Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played Friday in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
 
The host Lakers owned a 1-0 lead after the first 20 minutes of action. Freshman center Hampus Erikkson was credited with first career goal when his dump in took a funny bounce off of the stick of Mavericks netminder Jason Pawloski and found its way to the back of the net.
 
The Mavericks exploded for five unanswered goals in the second period to take control of the contest.
 
Freshman forward Jared Spooner got his second goal of the year as the Mavericks evened the score at 2:42 to start the onslaught. Rivera, who had just jumped out of the penalty box after serving a two-minute minor for boarding, took a pass from Charlie Gerard in the neutral zone and charged down the right side of the rink before feeding Spooner for the tap in. Sophomore Parker Tuomie's one-timer on the power play a minute later gave Minnesota State its first lead and when Knutson beat Nick Kossoff with a backhander between the pads on a breakaway chance at 7:22, the Mavericks expanded their lead to 3-1. Freshman center Jake Jaremko, who entered the game riding a five-game point-scoring streak, stayed hot by converting on a scramble in front of the net at the 13:00-minute mark for a power play goal. Junior defenseman Daniel Brickley came in off the left point and snapped a shot underneath the cross bar at 15:37 in notching his fourth goal of the season. Jaremko and Knutson drew assists on the goal.
 
The Lakers outshot the Mavericks by an 11-9 margin in the third period, but neither team was able to score.
 
With his goal and three assists in the game, Knutson established a career-high for points in a game. Brickley contributed three points on a goal and two helpers and Spooner and Jaremko each had a goal and an assist.
 
Pawloski stopped 24 shots and evened his record at 2-2-0 with tonight's win.
 
The Mavericks, who are 10-5-0 overall and 8-3-0 WCHA, owned a 39-24 shots on goal advantage in the game.  Minnesota State converted on two-of-five power play chances, while the Mavericks held the Lakers scoreless in four power play opportunities in the contest.
 
The two teams close out the two-game WCHA series Saturday with a 6:07 p.m. CST face-off scheduled for Taffy Abel Arena.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the game.



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