Men's Hockey | 1/10/2018 9:35:00 PM

Off the Hop:  Minnesota State (16-6-0 overall, 12-4-0 WCHA) continues Western Collegiate Hockey Association games this weekend with a pair of league contests at the University of Alaska (1-13-4, 1-8-3 WCHA). Face-off between the Mavericks and the Nanooks at Carlson Center in Fairbanks is slated for 10:07 p.m. CST both Friday and Saturday.

About the Minnesota State-Alaska Series:     Minnesota State owns a 15-8-1 all-time record vs. the Nanooks. Minnesota State and Alaska played six times in 2016-17 with the Mavericks going 4-1-1 in those contests.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  Rated eighth by USCHO.com and sixth by USA Today/USA Hockey after two wins at Alaska Anchorage last weekend, Minnesota State stands 16-6-0 overall and stands atop the WCHA standings with an 14-4-0 record in league games.

University of Alaska Most Recently:  The Nanooks are 8-12-2 overall and 6-9-1 WCHA on the season after splitting a home league series with Alabama Huntsville (3-2 win, 3-1 loss) last weekend.

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 48th year of competition last year.  The Mavericks are in their 22nd year as members of NCAA Division I and in their 19th season as members of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The Mavericks sport an all-time record of 874-641-153. (.569).

C.J. Suess Notes: Senior captain C.J. Suess, who registered three goals in the two wins at Alaska Anchorage last weekend, enters the series vs. Alaska riding an eight-game point scoring streak (9-4--13). Suess leads Minnesota State in scoring with 13-16--29 (his 29 points is tied for second in the country) and stands as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader with 113 points on 48 goals and 65 assists.  Suess's 113 points stand tied for eighth on the school's career scoring list for the DI-era. Suess, who has seen action in 139 career games, has played in 110 consecutive games.

Zeb Knutson Notes: Senior forward Zeb Knutson, who has a career-high 17 assists and has equalled his career-high for points in a season with 25, has 3-11--14 in the last 14 games. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native has 31-39--70 in 109 career games with the Mavericks.

Clint Lewis Notes: Senior defenseman Clint Lewis has 0-3--3 with 12 shots on goal and a +10 rating in 19 games played in 2017-18.

Brad McClure Notes: Senior forward Brad McClure, who ranks as Minnesota State's active career games played leader with 141 appearances, owns a consecutive games played streak of 116. McClure owns 38-43--81 numbers for his four-year Minnesota State career to tie for 25th on the school's all-time scoring list (DI-era).

Aaron Nelson Notes: Three-year letterwinner (2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17) is a two-time WCHA All-Academic selection and two-time WCHA Scholar- Athlete honoree...Named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week following two wins at Alabama Huntsville (Jan. 6-7), started six games for the Mavericks Jan. 6-Jan. 21... Finished 2016-17 with 6-2-1 record, 2.53 goals against average and a .898 saves percentage...Recorded two shut-outs in nine starts in 2016-17...Career-high 35 saves in 4-4 overtime tie at Michigan Tech Jan. 20.

Daniel Brickley Notes: Junior defenseman Daniel Brickley is a four-time WCHA Defensive Player of the Week honoree this year. Brickley, who has 6-14-20 on the year, is tied for fourth in the nation in points by defensemen.  Brickley has 16-146--62 in 89 career games to stand tied for 16th on Minnesota State's career scoring list by defensemen (he's ninth for the NCAA DI era).

Max Coatta Notes: Junior forward Max Coatta notched first career hat trick when he scored three times in Minnesota State's 8-6 win at Bemidji State Nov. 11... Has 4-5--9 in 22 games played this year, has 15-20--35, 173 shots on goal and is +13 in 95 career games with the Mavericks.

Steen Cooper Notes: Two-time letterwinner (2015-16, 2016-17)...Saw action in six games as a sophomore in 2016-17...Produced four shots on goal in second season of action...Has 1-0--1 in 16 career games with Mavericks.

Jason Pawloski Notes:  Two-time letterwinner (2015-16, 2016-17)...Completed sophomore campaign with 8-5-2 record, 2.10 goals against average and .920 saves percentage...Earned his fourth career shut-out in the 3-0 win at Boston University Oct. 13 and fifth career shutout in 3-0 win at Northern Michigan (Nov. 3)...Stands 22-10-7 and owns a .910 save percentage and a 2.05 goals against average in his  three  years at Minnesota State.

Ryan Schwalbe Notes:  Two-time letterwinner (2015-16, 2016-17)...Finished sophomore campaign with 0-1--1 in 29 games played...Has 0-0-0 in one game played in 2017-18.

Alec Vanko Notes: Two-time letterwinner (2015-16, 2016-17)...2016-17 WCHA Scholar-Athlete...2016-17 WCHA All-Academic...Scored first career goal in 7-1 win at Alaska (Oct. 21, 2016)...Registered 2-1--3 in 12 games played as a sophomore.

Michael Bigelbach Notes: Lettered in freshman campaign in 2016-17...Posted 0-2--2 and was +1 in seven games played on  the year...Tallied first career point in first career game with assist on Brad McClure goal in 4-2 home win over Ferris State (Oct. 28)...Assisted on Jordan Nelson's game-winning goal in Minnesota State's 2-1 victory at Lake Superior State, Nov. 5, 2017.

Josh French Notes:  Scored first career goal in 5-1 win over Alabama Huntsville Dec. 15, 2017...Has 29 shots on goal and is +3  in 18 games played in 2017-18...Has not missed a game in two-year Minnesota State career (61 GP, 1-7--8).

Charlie Gerard Notes:  Lettered in freshman campaign in 2016-17...Posted 3-2--5 and totalled 48 shots on goal in 28 games in debut season with the Mavericks...Has 1-3--4, has 33 shots on goal and is +3 in 13 games in 2017-18.

Edwin Hookenson Notes:  Lettered in freshman campaign in 2016-17...Posted 0-0--0 with 25 shots on goal and 22 blocked shots in 19 games in debut season with the Mavericks...Scored his first career goal in 5-2 win at Bemidji State Nov. 10. Added an assist in 8-6 victory over the Beavers Nov. 11...Has 1-1--2 in 28 career games.

Marc Michaelis Notes:  2016-17 All-WCHA First Team, 2016-17 WCHA All-Rookie Team, 2016-17 WCHA Rookie of the Year...Mannheim, Germany native, who ranks second on the Mavericks with a +12 rating  and has 9-12-21 in 18 games this year, has accrued 23-34--57 in 57 career GP.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week last year, has 5-4--9 in 21 games played in 2017-18.

Ian Scheid Notes:  Sophomore defenseman Ian Scheid, who has 8-8--16 in 22 games played this year, has 16-24--40 in 61 career games with Minnesota State (he hasn't missed a game during his time with the Mavericks). Scheid stands tied for the team lead with five power play markers and ranks second on the team with 60 shots on goal.

Parker Tuomie Notes: Sophomore forward Parker Tuomie, who has at least one point in each of the last eight games and has tallied 5-9--14 during that time, has 6-15--21 on the season to rank fourth on the team scoring charts. Tuomie, who's third on the team with 58 shots on goal and stands tied for the team power play goal lead with five, hasn't missed a game in his two-year Minnesota State career. He has 14-26--40 in 61 career appearances with the Mavericks.

Connor LaCouvee Notes: In first year with Mavericks after three years at Boston University... Had 2.80 goals against average, .905 saves percentage and 14-9-5 record in 32 games played during course of career with Terriers...Earned first career win as a Maverick with 32 saves in 6-3 victory at Boston University (Oct. 13)...Posted a 2-0-0 record with 2.11 goals against average and .925 save percentage in two-game WCHA road sweep at Bemidji State (Nov. 10-11)...Stopped 30 of 32 shots in Friday's 5-2 win over the Beavers and then stopped seven of eight shots in 25:21 minutes of relief work to earn the decision in the 8-6 victory Saturday...Earned his first career shutout when he turned aside 13 shots in Minnesota State's 7-0 win at Lake Superior State...Stands 10-3-0 with a 1.94 goals against average and .908 save percentage for 2017-18.  

Walker Duehr Notes: Three-year veteran of United States Hockey league spent the 2016-17 season with Chicago (42 GP, 12-15--27) and Bloomington (15 GP, 3-4--7)......Won Clark Cup in helping Tri-City capture USHL postseason title in 2015-16 where he had 10-13--23 in 38 regular-season games with the Storm...Made first career appearance with Minnesota State in 4-1 win at Bowling Green Oct. 20...Registered first career goal in 6-1 win over Bowling Green (Nov. 17)...Has 2-1--3 in eight games played in his maiden season with the Mavericks.

Dallas Gerads Notes: Spent two seasons with Dubuque of the United States Hockey League prior to joining Mavericks......Made Minnesota State debut in 6-3 win at Boston University Oct. 13...Scored first career goal in and got the GWG in Minnesota State's 7-0 victory at Lake Superior State (Dec. 9)...Has 1-1--2 in nine games played in debut season with Mavericks.

Jake Jaremko Notes: Assisted on both game-winning goals in the series at Boston University Oct. 13-14...Had a goal and three assists in two wins at Bemidji State (Nov. 10-11)...Scored twice and had a pair of assists in BGSU series (Nov. 17-18)...Has racked up 7-11--18 in the last 12 games, leads Minnesota State freshmen in scoring and is tied for third on the team with 7-16--23 in 22 games.  Jaremko is second in the nation in points and tied for the lead in assists amongst all freshmen...

Reggie Lutz Notes: Made his Minnesota State debut in 3-0 victory at Boston University Oct. 14...Had three assists in 7-0 win at Lake Superior State (Dec. 9)... Has ten points on three goals and seven assists in the last 12 games, ranks eighth on the team in scoring with 4-9--13 in 18 games played. His three game-winning goals lead the Mavericks.

Jared Spooner Notes: Scored first career goal as a collegian in 6-3 win at Boston University Oct. 13...Has played in all 22 games to date for Minnesota State and has tallied 2-7--9.

Connor Mackey Notes: Alternate captain for Green Bay (USHL) in 2016-17 where he had six goals and 41 assists for 47 points in 60 games...2016-17 USHL Defenseman of the Year and USHL First Team selection led all league defensemen in scoring and ranked 16th overall in points...Has played in all 22 games for the Mavericks so far this season and has 2-4--6 on the year.

Jack McNeely Notes: Lakeville, Minn., native has seen action in 21 games in 2017-18 and owns 0-6--6 numbers.

Riese Zmolek Notes: Scored first career goal in 6-3 win at Boston University Oct. 14...Totalled 1-2--3 in Minnesota State's two games vs. Northern Michigan last weekend and now has 2-2--4 in 17 games played this year.

Noteables:  Minnesota State's freshmen have combined for 86 goals and 154 assists for 240 points in 2017-18 to rank second in the nation amongst all freshmen groups.

Minnesota State enters the series with Alaska ranking first in the nation in power play goals scored, first in the country in fewest shots allowed per game (22.41) and shot margin (+257), is second in goals scored (86), tied-2nd in wins (16), second in power play percentage (.287, 29/101) and ninth in the country in penalty killing (.866, 84/97).
 
Roster Make Up:  Minnesota State's 2017-18 roster is made up 11 Minnesota natives, two from Germany, North Dakota, South Dakota and British Columbia.  The rest of the 28-man line-up consists of one each from Alaska, California, Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Utah and Wisconsin.

On Tap:  Following this weekend's games at University of Alaska, Minnesota State takes on St. Cloud State in a nonconference game slated for Jan. 20 in St. Cloud in a Hockey Day Minnesota contest slated for a 5:07 p.m. CST face-off. The Mavericks will continue nonconference action Jan. 23 with a home game vs. Minnesota Duluth, which precedes an exhibition contest vs. the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Jan. 27.

The Mavericks resume WCHA action Feb. 2-3 when Alaska Anchorage visits Verizon Center.