Mankato, Minn. --- Fourth-rated Minnesota State used a pair of second-period goals in downing Bemidji State 2-1 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played in Mankato Friday.
The win for the Mavericks, which extends their nation's-best winning streak to ten games, ups their league record to 22-5-0 and clinches the WCHA regular-season title as MacNaughton Cup Champions.
The feat is the third time in the last four years that Minnesota State has won the MacNaughton Cup.
Entering tonight the Mavericks had scored first in six straight games, but it was BSU that accomplished the feat Friday with big forward Jay Dickman finishing off a two-on-one rush at 8:55 for the only goal of the opening 20 minutes of action. The Beavers outshot MSU by a 12-10 margin in the first period.
Minnesota State overtook BSU in the second stanza with a pair of goals. A turnover in the neutral zone led to an odd-man rush and it was Zeb Knutson who found Marc Michaelis in front of the Beaver net with the sophomore from Mannheim, Germany snapping a shot past Michael Bitzer for his 15th goal of the season at 7:58. The goal by Michaelis extends his point-scoring streak to five games. Then, ten seconds into a power play, at 17:41, freshman forward Dallas Gerads pounced on a juicy rebound before sliding the puck past a prone Bitzer for his fifth goal (and second power play goal) of the year. Gerads has scored at least one point in the last seven games, tallying 4-4—8 during that time. He also has three game-winning goals this year.
The Mavericks, who entered the game owning a 21-0-0 mark when leading after two periods of play, played BSU to a scoreless third period in claiming the 2-1 victory.
The Mavericks are now 26-7-0 overall with the 26 wins ranks as the most by any team in the nation.
Connor LaCouvee, who made his tenth consecutive start in goal, stopped 26 shots in the win and upped his record to 20-3-0 with tonight's decision.
The Mavericks owned a 33-27 advantage in shots on goal in the contest margin in the contest and the game was played in front of 4,730 fans.
The Mavericks close out the 2017-18 regular season Saturday night with the Mavericks and the Beavers facing-off at 7:07 p.m. at Verizon Center in downtown Mankato.
Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the win.
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