Amherst, Mass. ---  Minnesota State got an early power play goal from veteran winger Reggie Lutz and never trailed in picking up a 2-0 nonconference road win in season-opening action at top-ranked UMass Saturday night.

The Mavericks, who outshot the host Minutemen by a 32-18 margin in the game, scored a power play marker at the :55-second mark when Lutz wired a shot over the left shoulder of UMass netminder Matt Murray.

Following a scoreless second period in which Minnesota State owned a 16-7 shots on goal advantage, senior forward Julian Napravnik scored on a goal-mouth scramble at 15:30 of the third period to seal the win.

Lutz's first-period goal is the 38th of his career goal and the 10th career game-winning goal. Napravnik now has 28 career goals and with 75 points, ranks second on Minnesota State's active career scoring leader list (Lutz has 38-51--89). Junior forward Nathan Smith, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association's Preseason Player of the Year, assisted on both of Minnesota State goals.

Senior netminder Dryden McKay, who turned aside all 18 shots he faced, picked up the 25th shutout of his college career.  Only Ryan Miller, who registered 26 shutouts for Michigan State from 1999-02, has more in NCAA Division I men's hockey history.

The Mavericks (1-0-0, 0-0-0 CCHA) and the MInutemen (0-1-0, 0-0-0 Hockey East), the defending national champions, close out the two-game nonconference series tomorrow with a 4:00 p.m. CST face-off scheduled.