Off the Hop:  #6 Minnesota State (29-9-1 overall) has advanced to the NCAA postseason tournament and squares-off with #11 Minnesota Duluth (21-16-3) at the West Regional in semi-final action Friday at Denny Sanford Premier Center (10,678) in Sioux Falls, S.D. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Bulldogs is slated for 6:30 p.m. CST.

The other West semi-final, which is scheduled for a 3:00 p.m. CST start Friday, pits #1 St. Cloud State (25-8-6) vs. Air Force (22-14-5).  

The winners of each semi-final play in the West Region championship game Saturday at 8:00 p.m. CST Saturday. The West Region champion advances to the NCAA DI Men's Hockey Frozen Four in St. Paul, Minn., April 5-7.

Mavericks & NCAA Postseason:    Minnesota State is making its fifth appearance in the NCAA Division I men's hockey tournament.  The Mavericks, who appeared in the Eastern Regional (Providence) in 2003, the Midwest Regional (Toledo) in 2013, Northeast Regional in 2014 (Worcester) and the Midwest Regional in 2015 (South Bend, Indiana), are making their fourth NCAA appearance in the last six seasons.

Overall and including DI, DII and DIII competition, the Mavericks stand 25-28-11 in NCAA postseason competition.  Members of NCAA Division I since 1996-97, Minnesota State won the NCAA Division II championship in 1980.

Sioux Falls Connections:  Minnesota State has more than a few connections to The Gateway to the Plains.  A pair of forwards in senior Zeb Knutson and freshman Walker Duehr are both Sioux Falls, natives and according to collegehockeyinc.com, are the only South Dakota natives to play NCAA Division I hockey this year.

A host of Mavericks (five, in fact) played for the Sioux Falls Stampede of the United States Hockey League prior making the journey to Mankato: C.J Suess, Zeb Knutson, Clint Lewis, Parker Tuomie and Ryan Schwalbe. Suess and Knutson were linemates during their two seasons with the Stampede.

Minnesota State Recently:  The Mavericks last played March 9-11 when they faced-off vs. Michigan Tech in Mankato in the second round of the WCHA play-offs. The Mavericks won the first game of the best-of-three series vs. the Huskies (2-1) before falling in the next two games (4-2 and 2-1 in overtime).  Minnesota State enters the West Region tournament having gone 14-2-1 in the previous 17 games.

About the Minnesota State-Minnesota Duluth Series:  The Mavericks played UMD twice this year (3-1 loss in Duluth on Nov. 25 and 1-0 win in Mankato Jan. 23).  Minnesota State trails in the series with the Bulldogs (UMD leads 28-19-6) and the first time the two teams played each other was in 1999-2000.

Minnesota Duluth Recently:  The Bulldogs, who have won seven of their last ten games, stand 21-16-3 overall. UMD played twice last weekend in the National Collegiate Hockey Association tournament, falling 3-1 to Denver and dropping a 4-1 decision to North Dakota.

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 887-644-153. (.572).

C.J. Suess Notes: Senior captain C.J. Suess, a Hobey Baker Top Ten Finalist, leads Minnesota State in goals with a career-high 22 and stands as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader with 127 points on 57 goals and 70 assists.  Suess has 22-21--43 on the season (t-15th nationally) and his 127 career points stand tied for fifth on the school's career scoring list for the DI-era. Suess, who is tied for second in the nation with 509 face-off wins this year and is tied for 19 in plus/minus with a +19, has seen action in 156 career games, has played in 127 consecutive games.

Zeb Knutson Notes:  Senior forward Zeb Knutson, who has a career-high 28 assists and ranks second on the team scoring lead with 42 points this year, has 8-19--27 in the last 25 games. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native has 37-50--87 in 126 career games with the Mavericks. His 87 points is 22nd on the school's career scoring list.

Connor LaCouvee Notes:  Senior netminder Connor LaCouvee, who has made the last 16 starts in goal for the Mavericks, has a 23-5-1 record to go along with a 1. 76 goals against average and .916 save percentage.  His 23 wins stand tied for second in the nation and rank fourth on the school's all-time single-season list.

Clint Lewis Notes: Senior defenseman Clint Lewis has 0-7--7 with 35 shots on goal and a +19 rating (first on team, tied for 14th nationally) in 36 games played in 2017-18.

Brad McClure Notes: Senior forward Brad McClure, who ranks as Minnesota State's active career games played leader with 158 appearances, owns a consecutive games played streak of 133. McClure owns 45-45--90 numbers for his four-year Minnesota State career to rank 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 10-25-35 on the season, stands tied for fourth in the nation in points by defensemen.  Brickley has 20-57--77 in 106 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, a team captain, has 5-6--11 in 39 games played this year, has 16-21--37, 189 shots on goal and is +13 in 114 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 nine 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 in 31 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 2-6--8 in 24 games and is +14 in 2017-18.  

Marc Michaelis Notes:  Sophomore forward Marc Michaelis, last season's WCHA Rookie of the Year and a two-time All-WCHA First Team pick, stands third on the Mavericks in scoring with 18-21--39 in 35 games. Michaelis owns 32-43--75 in 74 career games played.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Sophomore forward Nick Rivera had a four-point weekend on a goal and three assists in the two WCHA play-off games vs. Alaska (March 2-3).  Has 8-10--18 in 38 games played in 2017-18 with 65 shots on goal and +11 rating.

Ian Scheid Notes: Sophomore defenseman Ian Scheid, who has 8-17--25 in 39 games played this year, has 16-33--49 in 78 career games with Minnesota State (he hasn't missed a game during his time with the Mavericks). Scheid stands tied for fourth on the team with five power play markers.

Parker Tuomie Notes: Sophomore forward Parker Tuomie has 3-13-16 in the last 14 games and his 9-28--37 on the season ranks fifth on the team scoring charts. Tuomie, who's tied for third on the team with 99 shots on goal and stands tied for fourth on the team power play goal lead with five, hasn't missed a game in his two-year Minnesota State career. He has 17-38--55 in 78 career appearances with the Mavericks.

Jake Jaremko Notes:  Freshman center Jake Jaremko has 7-7--14 in the last 13 games and leads Minnesota State freshmen in scoring and ranks fourth on the team with 15-24--39 in 39 games.  His 39 points are the most-ever by a Minnesota State freshman (besting the 37 points put up by David Backes in 2003-04). Jaremko leads all WCHA freshmen and is second in the nation in points amongst all freshmen.

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 7-7--14 in 26 games played this year...Enters the NCAA postseason having tallied 6-5--11 in the last 13 games.

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 7-19--26 in 34 games played in his first season with Minnesota State. He enters the weekend having tallied 2-6--8 in the last nine games.

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...Named to the WCHA All-Rookie Team this year, Mackey has played in all 39 games for the Mavericks and has registered 4-8--12 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: Freshman center Jared Spooner scored first career goal as a collegian in 6-3 win at Boston University Oct. 13...Amassed a career-high three assists in 8-2 win over Alaska (March 2).Added an assist in Saturday's 6-2 victory over the Nanooks, was +6 for the weekend with 16 face-off wins and eight shots on goal in garnering WCHA Rookie of the Week accolades...Has played in all 39 games for the Mavericks in maiden season and registered 4-15--19.

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 2-5--7 in 34 games played this year.

Noteables:  Minnesota State the weekend ranking first in the nation in wins (29), first in goals scored (151), goals per game (3.87), goal margin (+70), power play goals (51), fewest shots allowed per game (22.0), shots on goal margin (+510) and shots on goal margin per game (+13.08).

For the first time for its NCAA DI-era, Minnesota State has six players with at least 30 points (C.J. Suess - 43; Zeb Knutson - 42; Marc Michaelis - 39; Jake Jaremko - 39; Parker Tuomie - 37; Daniel Brickley - 35). 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 151-71-19 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. 

No team in the nation has produced more wins than Minnesota State's 151 victories in the last six years. Following the Mavericks during this span are North Dakota (148), Quinnipiac (148), Denver (144), UMass Lowell (144), Boston College (140) and St. Cloud State (140).