Grand Forks, N.D. ---   Senior forward Max Coatta scored three times in leading seventh-rated Minnesota State to a 7-4 win at North Dakota in nonconference men's hockey action in Grand Forks, N.D., Friday.
 
It was an offensive showcase in the opening period, which featured three goals scored within 47 seconds of each other before the game was three minutes old.
 
UND struck first, capitalizing on a power play opportunity in which Nick Jones tossed the puck from below the goal line to Collin Adams, who one-timed a shot from right in front of the net past Maverick freshman goaltender Dryden McKay at the 1:57 mark.  Then, at 2:34, Parker Tuomie, who was stationed at the right of the UND crease, took a feed from behind the goal line from Marc Michaelis and pushed the puck past Peter Thome for his third goal of the season.  UND's Zach Yon's goal seven seconds later allowed the Fighting Hawks to regain the lead, but Maverick senior forward Max Coatta's first goal of the year at 10:46 knotted the score at 2-2 and that's how things ended after the first 20 minutes of action.
 
The fireworks continued in the middle frame with Minnesota State outscoring North Dakota by a 4-2 margin.  Coatta scored twice complete his second career hat trick, with Tuomie got his second of the game and junior forward Nick Rivera scored his first goal of the year.  UND outshot the Mavericks by a 17-7 margin in the period, but Minnesota State held a 6-4 advantage.
 
The Fighting Hawks continued their offensive zone dominance in the final period, outshooting the Mavericks 11-6, but the lone goal in the period came from Minnesota State's Michaelis, whose empty netter at 18:54 resulted in the 7-4 win for Minnesota State.
 
In addition to multi-point games from Coatta (three goals) and Tuomie (two goals), Connor Mackey and Jared Spooner both had two assists and Nick Rivera and Marc Michaelis both had a goal and an assist. McKay, who started for the third consecutive time for the Mavericks, stopped 34 shots and now stands 3-0-0 for the year.
 
Prior to tonight, Minnesota State's last win in Grand Forks was March 10, 2006 when the Mavericks claimed a 3-2 overtime win in the first round of the WCHA play-offs (Rob Rankin had the GWG).
 
The two teams close out the two-game series Saturday with a 7:07 p.m. CST face-off scheduled.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the win.

 
 


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