Mankato, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's hockey team will being a six game homestand with a nonconference series against the Lindenwood Lions, a rescheduled series from early December. Puck will drop at 7:07 p.m. and 3:07 p.m. on Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
 
Minnesota State All-Time: The MSU women's hockey program, which started in 1998-99, is currently in its 22nd season of competition and has compiled a 191-497-69 (.298) record in 757 total games played. The Mavericks are in their 21st year as members in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and hold a 117-395-54 (.254) record in 566 games played.

Last Time on the Ice: Minnesota State (8-14-5, 3-12-3-3 WCHA) tied Bemidji State in game one 1-1 before earning the extra conference point and then dropped game two 3-1.

In the first game, the Mavericks came back from a goal down late in the third period to force a tie. The Beavers struck first less than two minutes into the game when junior forward Paige Beebe took a shot from just below the left face-off circle and went top shelf on sophomore netminder Abigail Levy. The two teams skated evenly until the 18:12 mark in the third period when Minnesota State evened the game up on the power play. Senior captain Emily Antony received the puck below the red line on the right side of the net and took a shot from an awkward angle that banged off the Beaver netminder on into the net. The Mavericks killed off a penalty in overtime the preserve the 1-1 tie. Freshman winger Kelsey King scored in the 3-on-3 overtime period for the second time this season to give Minnesota State the extra conference point. King found the puck laying in the crease, behind the Beaver netminder after her original shot and pushed it into the net for the goal.  

In game two, the Mavericks scored the first goal of the game, but goals late in the periods ultimately helped the Beavers down the Mavericks. At the 6:00 mark in the first period, sophomore winger Claire Butorac put away the puck after the original saved shot from sophomore blueliner Anna Wilgren to give MSU the 1-0 lead. Bemidji State evened the score on a power play with three seconds left in the second period as senior winger Jacqueline Kassa tipped the puck past Levy. The Beavers did not take the lead until there was less than 30 seconds left in the third period with junior Clare DeGeorge scoring right in front of the net. DeGeorge also put away an empty net goal to give BSU a 3-1 win. 

In net, sophomore Abigail Levy (4-9-3) started both games and made 30 saves in game one and tied a career high with 43 stops in game two.

Diaper Drive: Minnesota State has partnered with the Committee Against Domestic Abuse to help out those with young children in need. At the second game against Lindenwood on Saturday, MSU will be taking diaper donations with all items going to the CADA to help out those in need. Any help would be appreciated by those that are planning to attend the game on Feb. 1.

Scouting Lindenwood: The Lions (4-16-3, 2-10-0 CHA) currently sit in last in the College Hockey America conference. Lindenwood was swept in a road series by Robert Morris last weekend, losing by the scores of 3-0 and 4-1.

The Lions' offense is led by senior forward Sierra Burt, who leads the team with eight assist and 11 points, while also scoring three goals. Junior forward Megan Wagner is also tied for the team lead with 11 points, while scoring a team high four goals and adding seven assists.

In net, Lindenwood features sophomore Annika Asplundh (3-12-3) who has started 17 of the 23 games. She has a 2.84 goals against average, .923 save percentage, 524 saves and two shutouts on the season.

Facing Lindenwood: The Mavericks have an all-time record of 17-3-2 against the Lions. In the most recent match-up last season, the Mavericks swept the Lions in a road series on Nov. 23-24 by the scores of 1-0 and 2-0 in St. Charles, Mo.

Looking Ahead: Minnesota State will continue its six game homestand with a WCHA series against #1 Wisconsin. The Mavericks and Badgers will play on Feb. 7-8 at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center with the puck will drop at 2:07 p.m. for both games.