Off the Hop
Rated #3 by USCHO and #2 by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, Minnesota State (4-2-0 overall, 0-0-0 CCHA) begins Central Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend with a pair of home games vs. Northern Michigan (2-3-0, 2-2-0 CCHA).

The Mavericks square-off vs. the Wildcats at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (4,832) Friday at 7:07 p.m., CST Friday and at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

The Last Time Out
The Mavericks, who were idle last weekend (Oct. 22-23), split a pair of games at the 2021 Ice Breaker Tournament held in Duluth, Minn., Oct. 15-16. Minnesota State claimed a 5-2 win over then-rated #10 Providence in the first game before dropping a 3-2 decision to then-rated #3 Michigan in the tournament championship. The meeting with the Wolverines Saturday was the first in the history of the Minnesota State men's hockey program.

Mavericks vs. Northern Michigan
In a series that dates back to the 2013-14 season, Minnesota State stands 18-6-3 in the all-time series vs. Northern Michigan. NMU claimed a 5-1 win over the Mavericks in the last meeting between the two programs (WCHA postseason tournament semi-final game played in Mankato last March).  Minnesota State is 8-2-0 in the last 10 meetings and owns a 10-3-0 record in games played against the Wildcats in Mankato.
 
Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 240-92-24 under the tutelage of head coach Mike Hastings (St. Cloud State '93), who is in his tenth season in charge of the Mavericks. No program in the nation has won more games (239) during the time Hastings has been behind the MSU bench.

For the Ages
Minnesota State went 22-5-1 in 28 games in last year's CoVID-shortened season en route to the WCHA regular-season title, the NCAA West Region championship and the program's first-ever trip to the Frozen Four.  Last year marked the ninth season in a row of having at least 20 wins.  Minnesota State has won at least 20 games in a season 20 times in 52 seasons.

Polling
Minnesota State has been rated in the top five in all five polls issued by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine this year.  Currently rated #3 by USCHO and #2 by USA Today/USA Hockey, the Mavericks were rated #1 in both polls three weeks ago (Oct. 5 after a two-game nonconference road sweep at defending national champions UMass).

WCHA ? CCHA
The conclusion of the 2020-21 season signalled the end of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.  Minnesota State had been a member of the league since the 1999-2000 season and during that time constructed a 306-249-64 mark for a .561 winning percentage in 619 league games.  The Mavericks won six MacNaughton Cups as regular-season champions in their 22-year association with the WCHA.

Minnesota State begins play in the newly-formed Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) in 2021-22, joining Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State, Ferris State, Bowling Green and St. Thomas as members of the eight-team conference.  MSU's first games in the CCHA are this weekend when Northern Michigan comes to town.

Roster Check
Minnesota State returns 17 skaters off of last year's roster who played in at least one game.  Those returnees, who have accumulated a total of 67 goals and 187 points last year.

En Garde
Senior netminder Dryden McKay, a Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award in 2020-21, earned his second shutout of 2021-22 when he stopped all 20 shots in a 1-0 home nonconference win over St. Cloud State on Oct. 8.  The shutout marked his 26th career shutout and moves him into a tie for the NCAA record of 26 established by Ryan Miller (Michigan State 1999-2002).

Last season's WCHA Player of the Year and a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the year, McKay stands 4-2-0 for the season with a .899 save percentage and a 2:03 goals against average.

For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 79-17-4 with a .1.56 GAA, and .930 Sv% in 103 games played.

The only goaltender in NCAA history to record double-digit shutout seasons (10 in 2020-21, 10 in 2019-20), McKay is one of two goaltenders in the history of the WCHA to lead the league in goals against average for three straight seasons, with the other being the late Tony Esposito who accomplished the feat while tending the net for Michigan Tech (1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67).

Smith Continues to Lead
Junior center Nathan Smith has registered four goals and four assists for a team-high eight points through the first six games.

For his three-year Minnesota State career, the Winnipeg Jet draftee has registered 22-38--60 in 69 games.

Reg
Senior forward Reggie Lutz, who leads the Mavericks in goals with five and has 5-0--5 in six games this year, ranks as Minnesota State's active career scoring leader with 42-51--93 in 144 games played. His 93 points ranks 21st on Minnesota State's all-time list.

The Elk River, Minn., product registered his first career hat trick in Minnesota State's 5-2 win over Providence (Oct. 15) in the first game of the 2021 Ice Breaker tournament in Duluth. The hat trick was the first for a Minnesota State player since Nick Rivera accomplished the feat vs. Alabama-Huntsville Feb. 22, 2020.

Family Jules
Senior forward Julian Napravnik heads into the Ice Breaker riding a six-game point-scoring streak, during which he's posted 3-4--7.

And dating back to last year, in which he had an assist in each of the last three games of the season, his point-scoring streak actually spans nine games (3-7--10).

Napravnik, last year's WCHA Forward of the Year, stands tied for 32nd on Minnesota State's career-scoring list with 31-50--81 in 109 games played.

Captaincy
Senior defenseman Wyatt Aamodt is serving as this season's team captain (his first year as a captain).  Senior forward Reggie Lutz is in his first year as an alternate captain and senior defenseman Jack McNeely is in his second season as an alternate captain.

On the Docket
Following this weekend's games with Northern Michigan, Minnesota State continues conference play for the next six weekends with games at Ferris State (Nov. 5-6), two games in the Key City vs. Bowling Green (Nov. 12-13), a home-and-home series with St. Thomas (Nov. 18 and 20), a road series at Lake Superior State (Nov.. 26-27), two home games vs. Michigan Tech (Dec. 3-4) and a road series at Bemidji State (Dec. 10-11)