Off the Hop: Minnesota State (21-7-0 overall, 17-5-0 WCHA) is at Alabama Huntsville (10-18-2, 9-13-2 WCHA) in a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series this weekend. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Chargers both Friday and Saturday at Von Braun Center (6,600) is slated for 7:07 p.m. CST both nights.

About the Minnesota State-Alabama Huntsville Series:     The Mavericks stand 31-19-7 in the all-time series with the Chargers. Minnesota State is unbeaten in the last 24 games (20-0-4) vs. UAH.  The first game between the two schools dates back to the 1988-89 season.

Minnesota State Most Recently:  Rated fifth this week by USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey, Minnesota State swept Alaska Anchorage (7-1 and 4-3) in a pair of WCHA contests played in Mankato last Friday and Saturday.  The Mavericks have enter the weekend at UAH having won five games in a row and has 12 wins in the last 14 games.
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Alabama Huntsville Recently:  The Chargers are 10-18-2 overall and stand 9-13-2 WCHA on the season after splitting a two-game league home series (4-2 loss and 4-2 win) vs. Northern Michigan last weekend.  

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 879-642-153. (.571).

C.J. Suess Notes: Senior captain C.J. Suess leads Minnesota State in goals with a career-high 15 goals and stands as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader with 116 points on 50 goals and 66 assists.  Suess's 116 points stand seventh on the school's career scoring list for the DI-era. Suess, who has seen action in 145 career games, has played in 116 consecutive games.

Zeb Knutson Notes:  Senior forward Zeb Knutson, who had three goals and two assists in the sweep over Alaska Anchorage last weekend, leads the Mavericks with career-highs for assists (20) and points (33). Knutson has 7-11--18 in the last 14 games and the Sioux Falls, S.D., native has 36-42--78 in 115 career games with the Mavericks.

Clint Lewis Notes: Senior defenseman Clint Lewis drew an assist on Jake Jaremko's game-winner in 5-2 win at St. Cloud State (Jan. 20), has 0-5--5 with 18 shots on goal and a +13 rating in 25 games played in 2017-18.

Brad McClure Notes: Senior forward Brad McClure, who ranks as Minnesota State's active career games played leader with 147 appearances, owns a consecutive games played streak of 122. McClure owns 40-43--83 numbers for his four-year Minnesota State career to tie for 25th 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 7-19-26 on the season, is tied for third in the nation in points by defensemen.  Brickley has 17-51--68 in 95 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 4-5--9 in 26 games played this year, has 15-21--36, 178 shots on goal and is +13 in 103 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 two 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 +4 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. Added an assist in 8-6 victory over the Beavers Nov. 11...Has 1-4--5 in 14 games and is +10 in 2017-18.  

Marc Michaelis Notes:  Sophomore forward Marc Michaelis has tallied 4-10--14 in the last ten games.  The 2016-17 WCHA Rookie of the year stands fourth on the team in scoring with 11-16--27 in 24 games and owns 25-38--60 in 63 career games played.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week last year, sophomore forward Nick Rivera has 6-5--11 in 27 games played in 2017-18 with 44 shots on goal and +5 rating.

Ian Scheid Notes:  Sophomore defenseman Ian Scheid, who has 8-10--18 in 28 games played this year, has 16-26--42 in 67 career games with Minnesota State (he hasn't missed a game during his time with the Mavericks). Scheid stands tied for the team lead with five power play markers.

Parker Tuomie Notes: Sophomore forward Parker Tuomie, who has at least one point in 11 of the last 14 games and has tallied 6-11--17 during that time, has 7-17--24 on the season to rank sixth on the team scoring charts. Tuomie, who's tied for third on the team with 75 shots on goal and stands tied for the team power play goal lead with five, hasn't missed a game in his two-year Minnesota State career. He has 15-27--42 in 67 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...Has a 15-3-0 record to go along with a 1.81 goals against average and .913 save percentage.  His 15 wins stand tied for fifth in the nation.

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 in and got the GWG in Minnesota State's 7-0 victory at Lake Superior State (Dec. 9)...After a three-point weekend on a goal and two assists in the two wins over UAA, has 3-3--6 in 15 games played in debut season with Mavericks.

Jake Jaremko Notes:  Now a two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week honoree, freshman center Jake Jaremko has racked up 9-2--21 in the last 17 games and leads Minnesota State freshmen in scoring and ranks third on the team with 10-19--29 in 28 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 two assists in the UAA series last week in upping his season totals to 5-13--18 in 23 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 26 games to date for Minnesota State and has tallied 2-9--11.

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 28 games for the Mavericks this year, has registered 3-7--10 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 2-3--5 in 22 games played this year.

Noteables:  Minnesota State enters the UAH series ranking tied for first in the nation in wins (21), first in goals per game (3.86), goal margin (+47), power play goals (38), power play percentage (.277), fewest shots allowed per game (22.04), shots on goal margin (+334) and shots on goal margin per game (+11.93).

Mike Hastings has built a 143-68-18 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.

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 to www.HobeyBaker.com/vote