St. Cloud, Minn. --- Minnesota State senior winger Zeb Knutson scored twice as the Mavericks outskated third-rated St. Cloud State 5-2 in a nonconference men's hockey game played in St. Cloud, Saturday.
 
The Mavericks held a 2-1 lead after the first 20 minutes of action, goals from Connor Mackey and Zeb Knutson got the ball rolling. Mackey, a freshman who led all defensemen in the United States Hockey League in scoring last year, tallied his first career goal as a collegian when his backhander from the right wall beat SCSU netminder Jeff Smith on the shortside at 1:33.  Minnesota State blueliner Daniel Brickley came out from behind his own net and found a streaking Zeb Knutson on the other side of the red line with a pass that sent Knutson in all alone and the senior winger from Sioux Falls, S.D., made no mistake with a shot that beat Smith gloveside for a power play marker at 13:56.  SCSU cut the lead to one at 18:55 when a shot off the stick of Jon Lizotte found its way to the back of the net.
 
A goal by Jake Jaremko, who took a nice backdoor feed from Reggie Lutz, made it a 3-1 Minnesota State lead at 6:14 of the second, but the Huskies responded just 15 seconds later on a goal from Robby Jackson. Then, at the 15-minute mark, Knutson got his second goal of the game when he jumped on a rebound for his tenth tally of the season and the Mavericks held a 4-2 lead at the end of the middle stanza.
 
The Mavericks were outshot by a 13-7 margin in the third period, but the only goal in the final final 20 minutes came at the 19:43 mark when senior center C.J. Suess scored into an empty net.
 
Minnesota State went one-for-one in power play chances in the win and held the Huskies scoreless in their two opportunities with the man advantage. The Huskies outshot the Mavericks by a 30-26 margin in the contest, while Maverick netminder Connor LaCouvee, who finished with 28 saves, upped his record to 12-3-0 with the win.
 
Minnesota State, which now stands 17-7-0 overall with tonight's win, has gone 8-2 in its last ten games. 
 
The Mavericks continue nonconference action Tuesday when the University of Minnesota Duluth visits Mankato.  Face-off at Verizon Center is slated for 7:07 p.m. start.

Mike Hastings, head coach of the Mavericks, commented following the game.