Off the Hop:  Minnesota State (28-7-1 overall) hosts Michigan Tech (19-15-0 overall) in a best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association second-round playoff series this weekend. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Huskies Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary) at Verizon Center (4,832) is slated for 7:07 p.m. CST.

Minnesota State Recently:  Rated third this week by USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey after posting 8-2 and 6-2 home wins over the University of Alaska last Friday and Saturday in the first round of the WCHA play-offs, the Mavericks won 19 of their last 22 games.  Minnesota State, which hasn't lost a game since a 5-0 loss at Alaska Jan. 12, are riding a nation's best 13-game unbeaten streak.

About the Minnesota State-Michigan Tech Series:  Minnesota State swept Michigan Tech (3-1, 5-3) in a pair of games played in Mankato Oct. 27-28. Minnesota State leads the all-time series between the two schools 37-20-8. The two teams have met once in WCHA postseason play - in the semi-final round last year when Tech handed Minnesota State a 2-1 best-of-three series defeat in Houghton.

Michigan Tech Recently:  The Huskies, who swept Bemidji State (5-3 and 5-4) last weekend in their first-round WCHA playoff series, stand 19-15-5 overall and finished fifth in the final WCHA standing with a 12-11-5 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 886-642-153. (.573).

C.J. Suess Notes: Senior captain C.J. Suess, who has scored at least one goal in six of the last eight games, 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-11th 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 460 face-off wins this year and is tied for third in plus/minus with a 22, has seen action in 153 career games, has played in 124 consecutive games.

Zeb Knutson Notes:  Senior forward Zeb Knutson, who has career-high 28 assists and ranks second on the team scoring lead with 41 points this year, has 7-19--26 in the last 22 games. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native has 36-50--86 in 123 career games with the Mavericks. His 86 points is 21st on the school's career scoring list.

Clint Lewis Notes: Senior defenseman Clint Lewis had two assists and was 3 in Minnesota State's 6-2 win over Alaska last Saturday, has 0-7--7 with 32 shots on goal and a 21 rating (tied for 1st on team, tied for fifth nationally) in 33 games played in 2017-18.

Brad McClure Notes: Senior forward Brad McClure, who ranks as Minnesota State's active career games played leader with 155 appearances, owns a consecutive games played streak of 130. 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 10-23-33 on the season, stands fifth in the nation in points by defensemen.  Brickley has 20-55--75 in 103 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 5-6--11 in 36 games played this year, has 16-21--37, 181 shots on goal and is 13 in 111 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 eight 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 2-6--8 in 21 games and is 16 in 2017-18.  

Marc Michaelis Notes:  Currently in the midst of an eight-game point-scoring streak (7-5--12), sophomore forward Marc Michaelis stands third on the Mavericks in scoring with 18-21--39 in 32 games. Michaelis owns 32-43--75 in 71 career games played.

Nick Rivera Notes:  Sophomore forward Nick Rivera had a four-point weekend on a goal and three assists in the two games vs. Alaska last weekend.  Has 8-9--17 in 35 games played in 2017-18 with 63 shots on goal and 10 rating.

Ian Scheid Notes: Sophomore defenseman Ian Scheid, who has 8-15--23 in 36 games played this year, has 16-31--47 in 75 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 3-11-14 in the last 11 games and his 9-26--35 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 third on he team power play goal lead with five, hasn't missed a game in his two-year Minnesota State career. He has 17-36--53 in 75 career appearances with the Mavericks.

Connor LaCouvee Notes:  Senior netminder Connor LaCouvee, who has made the last 13 starts in goal for the Mavericks, has a 22-3-1 record to go along with a 1. 75 goals against average and .917 save percentage.  His 22 wins stand tied for first in the nation and rank fourth 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 6-7--13 in 23 games played this year...Enters games vs. Michigan Tech having tallied 5-5--10 in the last ten games.

Jake Jaremko Notes:  A two-time WCHA Rookie of the Week honoree, Freshman center Jake Jaremko has 5-6--11 in the last ten games and leads Minnesota State freshmen in scoring and ranks fourth on the team with 13-23--36 in 36 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 7-19--26 in 31 games played in his first season with Minnesota State. He enters the weekend owning six-game point-scoring streak (2-6--8).

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...Freshman defenseman Connor Mackey, who's played in all 36 games for the Mavericks this year, 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 last Friday's 8-2 win over the University of Alaska. He 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 36 games for the Mavericks in maiden season and registered 3-15--18.

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 31 games played this year.

Noteables:  Minnesota State enters the weekend ranking first in the nation in wins (28), first in goals scored (146), goals per game (4.06), goal margin ( 72), power play goals (48), fewest shots allowed per game (21.94), shots on goal margin ( 475) and shots on goal margin per game ( 13.19).

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 150-69-19 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.

Including this year and the last six years in a row, Minnesota State men's hockey teams have won at least 20 wins in a season 18 times.  This year's 28 victories is tied for third on the school's single season list.

Hobey Info:  Fan balloting has ended for the first round of 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 on the second phase of the process on the top ten finalists for the award beginning Wednesday, March 14 by going to www.HobeyBaker.com/vote