Off the Hop:  Minnesota State (25-7-0 overall, 21-5-0 WCHA) hosts Bemidji State (16-11-7, 13-8-5 WCHA) in a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series this weekend. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Beavers both Friday and Saturday at Verizon Center (4,832) is slated for 7:07 p.m. CST both nights.

MacNaughton Cup on the Line:  Heading into the last weekend of the regular season, the Mavericks lead the WCHA standings with 63 points as a result of their 21-5-0 record in league play. Northern Michigan (58 points, 18-6-0) rank second.

Minnesota State would clinch the league regular-season title and win the MacNaughton Cup, in general, by virtue of any single point won by the Mavericks or lost by Northern Michigan (enough to clinch #1 seed).  Any two points won by MSU or lost by NMU will clinch the title outright by the Mavericks.

About the Minnesota State-Bemidji Series:  The Mavericks are 52-55-18 in the all-time series with Bemidji State. Minnesota State posted 5-2 and 8-6 victories at BSU earlier this year (Nov. 10-11) and the series between the two schools dates back to the 1974-75 campaign.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  Rated fourth this week by USCHO.com and fifth by USA Today/USA Hockey, Minnesota State swept Ferris State (7-1 ot and 4-2) in a pair of WCHA contests played at Verizon Center last Friday and Saturday.  The Mavericks have enter the weekend with Bemidji State having won a nation's best nine games in a row and has 16 wins in the last 18 outings.
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Bemidji State Recently:  The Beavers, who earned a 3-2 3x3 OT victory and a 2-1 win over the University of Alaska last weekend, are 16-11-7 overall and stand 13-8-5 WCHA on the season.  BSU is 5-4-1 in its last ten games.

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 883-642-153. (.572).

C.J. Suess Notes: Senior captain C.J. Suess tallied racked up three goals in the two wins over Ferris State last weekend and has scored at least one goal in each of the last four games. Suess, who leads Minnesota State in goals with a career-high 20 goals, stands as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader with 122 points on 55 goals and 67 assists.  Suess's 122 points rank sixth on the school's career scoring list for the DI-era. Suess, who has seen action in 149 career games, has played in 120 consecutive games.

Zeb Knutson Notes: Senior forward Zeb Knutson, who has career-high 22 assists and ranks second on the team scoring charts with 36 points this year, has 7-14--21 in the last 18 games. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native as 36-45--81 in 119 career games with the Mavericks. His 81 points is tied for 26th on the school's career scoring list.

Clint Lewis Notes: Senior defenseman Clint Lewis drew an assist on Jake Jaremko's game-winner in a 5-2 win at St. Cloud State (Jan. 20), has 0-5--5 with 29 shots on goal and a +16 rating (tied for third on team) in 29 games played in 2017-18.

Brad McClure Notes: Senior forward Brad McClure, who ranks as Minnesota State's active career games played leader with 151 appearances, owns a consecutive games played streak of 126. McClure owns 43-45--88 numbers for his four-year Minnesota State career to tie for 20th on the school's all-time scoring list (DI-era).  He had three goals and an assist in the two wins over Ferris State last weekend and scored his ninth career game-winning goal in last Saturday's 4-2 victory over the Bulldogs and was named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week.

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, who has 9-21-30 on the season, stands third in the nation in points by defensemen.  Brickley has 19-53--72 in 99 career games to rank eighth on the school's career scoring by defensemen list 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. Coatta has 4-6--10 in 30 games played this year, has 15-21--36, 181 shots on goal and is +14 in 107 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 22-11-7 and owns a .907 save percentage and a 2.12 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 five games 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 1-1--2, 31 shots on goal and is +3 in 28 games played in 2017-18.

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 2-3--5, has 36 shots on goal and is +4 in 14 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, 2018. Added an assist in 8-6 victory over the Beavers Nov. 11...Has 1-5--6 in 18 games and is +13 in 2017-18.  

Marc Michaelis Notes:  Sophomore forward Marc Michaelis, who registered a three-point weekend on a goal and two assists in the two wins over Ferris State, is in the midst of a four-game point-scoring streak (3-5--8).  The 2016-17 WCHA Rookie of the year stands third on the Mavericks in scoring with 14-21--35 in 28 games. Michaelis owns 28-43--71 in 67 career games played.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week last year, sophomore forward Nick Rivera has 7-6--13 in 31 games played in 2017-18 with 56 shots on goal and +6 rating.

Ian Scheid Notes: Sophomore defenseman Ian Scheid, who has 8-13--21 in 32 games played this year, has 16-29--45 in 17 career games with Minnesota State (he hasn't missed a game during his time with the Mavericks). Scheid stands tied for third on the team with five power play markers.

Parker Tuomie Notes: Sophomore forward Parker Tuomie, who's is riding a seven-game point-scoring streak and has racked up 2-8-10 during that time, has 8-23--31 on the season to rank fifth on the team scoring charts. Tuomie, who's second on the team with 92 shots on goal and stands tied for third on he team power play goal lead with five, hasn't missed a game in his two-year Minnesota State career. He has 16-33--49 in 71 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...LaCouvee,  who has made the last nine starts in goal for the Mavericks, has a 19-3-0 record to go along with a 1. 75 goals against average and .915 save percentage.  His 19 wins rank third in the nation and stand eighth on the school's all-time single-season list.

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 and got the GWG in Minnesota State's 7-0 victory at Lake Superior State (Dec. 9)...Has 4-6--10 in 19 games played this year...Enters games vs. Bemidji State owning a six-game point-scoring streak (3-4--7).

Jake Jaremko Notes:  A two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week honoree, freshman center Jake Jaremko has a six-game point-scoring streak going (4-6--10) and leads Minnesota State freshmen in scoring and ranks fourth on the team with 12-23--35 in 32 games.  Jaremko leads all WCHA freshmen and is second in the nation in points amongst all freshmen.

Reggie Lutz Notes: Freshman forward Reggie Lutz had a goal and three assists in the two wins over Ferris State in earned WCHA Rookie of the Week honors.  The Elk River, Minn., product has 6-16--22 in 27 games played in his first season with Minnesota State.

Jared Spooner Notes: Scored first career goal as a collegian in 6-3 win at Boston University Oct. 13...Has played in all 32 games to date for Minnesota State and has tallied 3-11--14.

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 32 games for the Mavericks this year, has registered 3-8--11 in his first season of college hockey.

Jack McNeely Notes: Lakeville, Minn., native has seen action in 22 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 (Dec. 29-30) and has 2-4--6 in 27 games played this year.

Noteables:  Minnesota State enters the weekend ranking first in the nation in wins (25), first in goals scored (128), goals per game (4.00), goal margin (+61), power play goals (42), fewest shots allowed per game (21.88), shots on goal margin (+419) and shots on goal margin per game (+13.09).

Mike Hastings has built a 147-69-18 record in his six seasons behind the Minnesota State bench. Under his guidance the Mavericks have won at least 20 games in a season in all six seasons, something that is unprecedented in the 49-year history of the program.

For the first time for its NCAA DI-era, Minnesota State has six players with at least 30 points with C.J. Suess (38), Zeb Knutson (36), Marc Michaelis (35), Jake Jaremko (35), Parker Tuomie (31) and Daniel Brickley (30) all reaching the plateau this year.  There were four players to accomplish the feat on the team in 2002-03 and four players on each team in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Hobey Info:  Fan balloting has started for the Hobey Baker Award, which is given annually to the top player in NCAA men's college hockey. A pair of Mavericks in senior center C.J. Suess and junior defenseman Daniel Brickley have been nominated for the award and fans can vote by going HERE.