Men's Hockey | 2/27/2018 1:35:00 PM

Off the Hop:  Minnesota State (26-7-1 overall, 22-5-1 WCHA) hosts the University of Alaska (11-20-3, 9-17-2 WCHA) in a best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association first-round playoff series this weekend. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Nanooks Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary) at Verizon Center (4,832) is slated for 7:07 p.m. CST.

Mavericks Capture MacNaughton Cup:  By virtue of its first-place finish in the WCHA regular-season standings, Minnesota State is the 2017-18 MacNaughton Cup Champions.  

Rated third this week by USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey after closing out the 2017-18 regular season with a 2-1 win and 2-2 tie with Bemidji State in claiming its third MacNaughton Cup in the last four years, the Mavericks enter the postseason having won 17 of their last 20 games.  Minnesota State, which hasn't lost a game since a 5-0 loss at Alaska Jan. 12, are riding a nation's best 11-game unbeaten streak.

About the Minnesota State-Alaska:  Minnesota State split a pair of league contests at Alaska Jan. 12-13 (5-0 loss and 5-1 win) and are 16-9-1 in the all-time series with the Nanooks. The two teams have met once in WCHA postseason play when the Mavericks posted 3-0 and 4-1 wins in the first round of league play last year in a series played in Mankato.

Alaska Recently:  The Nanooks, who dropped 5-3 and 3-2 decisions to Alaska Anchorage last weekend, are 11-20-3 overall and finished eighth in the final WCHA standing with a 9-17-2 league mark.

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 884-642-153. (.572).

C.J. Suess Notes: Senior captain C.J. Suess became the first player from Minnesota State to capture the WCHA scoring championship with 36 points on 19 goals and 17 assists in 28 league games this year.  Suess had a goal and an assist in last Saturday's 2-2 tie with Bemidji State and has scored at least one goal in five of the last six games. Suess, who leads Minnesota State in goals with a career-high 21, stands as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader with 124 points on 56 goals and 68 assists.  

Suess has 21-19--40 on the season (t-9th nationally) and his 124 career points rank sixth on the school's career scoring list for the DI-era. Suess, who has seen action in 151 career games, has played in 122 consecutive games.

Zeb Knutson Notes:  Senior forward Zeb Knutson, who has career-high 25 assists and ranks second on the team scoring lead with 38 points this year, has 7-16--23 in the last 20 games. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native as 36-47--83 in 121 career games with the Mavericks. His 83 points is tied for 24th 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 30 shots on goal and a +17 rating (tied for second on team) in 31 games played in 2017-18.

Brad McClure Notes: Senior forward Brad McClure, who ranks as Minnesota State's active career games played leader with 153 appearances, owns a consecutive games played streak of 128. 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).  

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 fifth in the nation in points by defensemen.  Brickley has 19-53--72 in 101 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 34  games played this year, has 15-21--36, 181 shots on goal and is +13 in 109 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 six 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 +2 in 29 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 19 games and is +13 in 2017-18.  

Marc Michaelis Notes:  Sophomore forward Marc Michaelis, who scored a goal in both games vs. Bemidji State last weekend, is in the midst of a six-game point-scoring streak (5-5--10).  The 2016-17 WCHA Rookie of the year stands third on the Mavericks in scoring with 16-21--37 in 30 games. Michaelis owns 30-43--73 in 69 career games played.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week last year, sophomore forward Nick Rivera has 7-6--13 in 33 games played in 2017-18 with 59 shots on goal and +6 rating.

Ian Scheid Notes: Sophomore defenseman Ian Scheid, who has 8-14--22 in 34 games played this year, has 16-30--46 in 73 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 has 2-8-10 in the last ten games and his 8-23--31 on the season to rank fifth on the team scoring charts. Tuomie, who's tied for third on the team with 94 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 73 career appearances with the Mavericks.

Connor LaCouvee Notes: In first year with Mavericks after three years at Boston University, senior netminder Connor LaCouvee is this year's WCHA Goaltending champion as a result of his league-low goals against average of 1.67.  LaCouvee joins Stephon Williams (2012-13 and 2014-15) and Cole Huggins (2013-14 and 2015-16) to capture the award.

LaCouvee 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 stopped 13 shots in Minnesota State's 7-0 win at Lake Superior State.

LaCouvee, who has made the last 11 starts in goal for the Mavericks, has a 20-3-1 record to go along with a 1. 72 goals against average and .917 save percentage.  His 20 wins stand tied for second in the nation and stand tied for seventh 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 5-6--11 in 21 games played this year...Enters games vs. Alaska having tallied 4-4--8 in the last eight games.

Jake Jaremko Notes:  A two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week honoree, freshman center Jake Jaremko has 4-6--10 in the last eight games and leads Minnesota State freshmen in scoring and ranks fourth on the team with 12-23--35 in 34 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 (Feb. 16-17).  The Elk River, Minn., product has 6-18--24 in 29 games played in his first season with Minnesota State. He enters the weekend owning a four-game point-scoring streak (1-5--6).

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 34 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 23 games in 2017-18 and owns 0-6--6 numbers.

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.

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 29 games played this year.

Noteables:  Minnesota State enters the weekend ranking first in the nation in wins (26), first in goals scored (132), goals per game (3.88), goal margin (+62), power play goals (44), fewest shots allowed per game (21.91), shots on goal margin (+442) and shots on goal margin per game (+13.00).

For the first time for its NCAA DI-era, Minnesota State has six players with at least 30 points. There were four players to accomplish the feat in 2002-03 and four players on each team in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99.

Mike Hastings has built a 148-69-19 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.

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.