Mankato, Minn. --- Third-rated Minnesota State scored first and never trailed in overpowering Alaska 8-2 in the first game of a best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association first round series in Mankato Friday.

The win for the Mavericks, which extends their nation's-best unbeaten streak to twelve games, ups their record to 27-7-1.

For the 20th time this season, Minnesota State scored the game's first goal and this time it was senior captain Brad McClure doing the damage. McClure tallied his tenth goal of the season when he wrapped around the back of the net and tucked the puck past Anton Martinsson on the left side of the goal at the 2:18 point of the first period. Alaska answered back quickly following an offensive zone face-off win that finished with a wrister from Ross Heidt at the right circle past Connor LaCouvee at the 4:04 mark of the first period. The Nanooks appeared to take the lead at the 7:27 mark but the goal was ultimately waved off as Alaska had a player in the crease.

The Mavericks found themselves back on top at 10:53 when freshman winger Reggie Lutz snuck the puck under the left side of Martinsson for his seventh goal of the season off a nice feed from Jared Spooner. The offense for Minnesota State continued to create opportunities and when Marc Michaelis deflected Riese Zmolek's shot from the blue line past Martinsson for his seventeenth goal on the season at 15:58, Minnesota State took a 3-1 lead into the locker room at the end of the first 20 minutes of action. The goal extended Michaelis' point-scoring streak to seven games.

The Nanooks scored the first goal of the second stanza when Tristan Thompson rifled a shot from the blue line for a power play goal at the 5:29 mark. Minnesota State senior forward Max Coatta jumped on a puck on the left side of the net and snapped it past Martinsson for his fifth goal of the season at the 5:58 mark. With the crowd still celebrating the previous goal, freshman center Jake Jaremko snapped a shot past Martinsson to give the Mavericks a 5-2 lead at the 6:16 mark, just eighteen seconds after Coatta's goal.

Continuing the onslaught, McClure snapped a wrister from the right side that found pay dirt for the second time at 8:04 of the second period, which prompted Alaska to make a change in net with Niko Dellamaggiore relieving Martinsson. At 10:34 C.J. Suess found Parker Toumie who, after beating a defenseman, ripped a shot  a puck past Dellamaggiore to push the Maverick lead to 7-2.
 

The Mavericks, who entered the game owning a 22-0-0 mark when leading after two periods of play, Suess snagged a rebound and beat Dellamaggiore glove-side for his 22nd goal of the season at the 8:53 mark in making it 8-2. The eight goals for the Mavericks matches the team high on the season (8-6 win at Bemidji State Nov. 11).

Connor LaCouvee, who made his 12th consecutive start in goal, stopped 19 shots in the win and upped his record to 21-3-1 with tonight's decision.  C.J. Suess ended the game with a three-point night on a goal and two assists. Jared Spooner chipped in with three assists, Parker Tuomie had two points on a goal and an assist and Nick Rivera had a pair of assists.
  
The Mavericks 27-7-1 overall on the year with the 27 wins ranking as the most by any team in the nation.

Minnesota State looks to close out the first-round WCHA Playoff series Saturday night with the Mavericks and the Nanooks facing-off at 7:07 p.m. at Verizon Center in downtown Mankato.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented following the game.



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