Off the Hop
Rated #3 by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, Minnesota State (7-3-0 overall, 3-1-0 CCHA) continues Central Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend with a pair of home games vs. Bowling Green (5-1-2, 3-1-0 CCHA).

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

The Last Time Out
The Mavericks took to the road for a pair of league contests at Ferris State last weekend.  The host Bulldogs won the first game 2-1 and in doing so, ended a losing to the Mavericks that had stretched to 15 games.  Minnesota State responded with a 5-1 win Saturday to split the CCHA series.  Junior forward Cade Borchardt scored twice and added an assist in the win.  Nathan Smith, who had MSU's lone goal in Friday's loss, had two assists Saturday, as did Nathan Furry.  Senior netminder Dryden McKay stopped 19 shots to record the win.  The victory is the 82nd of his career and his is now the program's record-holder for career victories.

Mavericks vs. Bowling Green
In a series that dates back to the 2008-09 season, Minnesota State stands 18-10-3 in the all-time series vs. Bowling Green. The Mavericks have won the last five meetings between the two programs.  Minnesota State stands 10-5-0 vs. Bowling Green in games played in Mankato.
 
Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 243-93-24 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 (243) 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 seven polls issued by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine this year.  Currently rated #3 in both polls, the Mavericks were rated #1 in both polls a month 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 has 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.

Arrêter
Senior netminder Dryden McKay, a Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award in 2020-21, McKay stands 7-3-0 for the season with a .920 save percentage and a 1.63 goals against average.

For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 82-18-4 with a .1.54 GAA, and .931 Sv% in 107 games played.

McKay stopped 19 shots to record the win in last Saturday's 5-1 road victory at Ferris State.  The victory is the 82nd of his career and makes him the program's record-holder for career victories. Former record-holder Steve Carroll had 81 wins during the course of his MSU career that spanned 1977-81.

McKay earned his third shutout of 2021-22 when he stopped all 15 shots in a 7-0 home nonconference win over Northern Michigan Oct. 30.  The shutout marked his 27th career shutout and moves him to the top of the NCAA men's hockey list, past Ryan Miller (Michigan State 1999-2002), who had 26 shutouts during his college career.

McKay is the he only goaltender in NCAA men's hockey history to record multiple double-digit shutout seasons (10 in 2020-21, 10 in 2019-20).

Barri-Cade
Junior forward Cade Borchardt picked a good time to score his first goals of the season when he scored twice in Minnesota State's 5-1 win at Ferris State last Saturday.  

Borchardt, who has 2-6--8 in ten games for the season, has registered 11-20--31 in 48 games for his Minnesota State career.

Muskit
Sophomore defenseman Akito Hirose leads Minnesota State defensemen in scoring on the season with 1-7--8.  For his two-year college career the Calgary, Alta., native has 2-21--23 in 38 games.

Smithereens
Junior forward Nathan Smith had a goal and two assists over the course of the two games at Ferris State last weekend.  In doing so, the Hudson, Fla., native has extended his point-scoring streak to six games (2-5--7).

Smith, who leads the Mavericks in scoring with 5-8--13 in 10 games and has won .599% of his faceoffs (91 wins, 61 losses) this year, has totalled 23-42--65 in 73 games played in his three seasons of college hockey at Minnesota State.

Ahead by a Century
With 43 goals and 63 assists for 96 points, senior forward Reggie Lutz is on the verge of becoming the 16th Minnesota State men's hockey player to reach the 100-point plateau for his career.  

The Elk River, Minn., native, who is in his fifth season of college hockey, has registered 6-2--8 in 10 games played in 2021-22. His six goals and 36 shots on goal lead the Mavericks on the season.

Sil-Yeah
Sophomore center David Silye collected the first goal of his Minnesota State career in last Saturday's 5-1 win at Ferris State.  Silye, who has 1-3--4 in 10 games with the Mavericks this year, had 0-3--3 in 17 games with Clarkson as a freshman last year.

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 vs. Bowling Green (Nov. 12-13) in the Key City, a home-and-home series follows with St. Thomas (Nov. 18 and 20). The Mavericks have 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) scheduled prior to the Christmas break.