Third-rated Mavericks Enter League Series With Tommies following home sweep over Bowling Green; Smith Extends Point-Scoring Streak to Eight Games With Four-Point Weekend; Borchardt Registers First Career Hat Trick; Livingstone Enters St. Thomas Series Riding Four-Game Point-Scoring Streak

Off the Hop
Rated #3 by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, Minnesota State (9-3-0 overall, 5-1-0 CCHA) continues Central Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend with a home-and-home series with St. Thomas (1-11-0, 1-7-0 CCHA).

The Mavericks and the Tommies play  at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (4,832) Thursday at 7:07 p.m., CST and the St. Thomas Ice Arena in Mendota Heights, Minn., at 7:07 p.m. Saturday.

The Last Time Out
Including a CCHA home sweep over Bowling Green last weekend, Minnesota State enters the St. Thomas series having won its last three games. Led by Cade Borchardt's first career hat trick and three-point games from Nathan Smith (1-2--3) and Andy Carroll (0-3--3), the Mavericks overpowered the visiting Falcons by a 9-2 margin Friday. MSU closed out the sweep with a 5-3 victory over BGSU Saturday.

Mavericks vs. St. Thomas
In a series that dates back to the 1971-72 season, Minnesota State stands 16-9-2 in the all-time series vs. St. Thomas. The last time the two programs met was during the 1996-97 season, when Minnesota State was playing as a NCAA Division I independent program (St. Thomas won that game 5-4).  

The week's meetings mark the first meetings between the programs as members of NCAA Division I (St. Thomas is in its first year of DI, Minnesota is in its 26th year of DI-men's hockey).  Both teams are first-year members of the CCHA.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 245-93-24 under the tutelage of head coach Mike Hastings (St. Cloud State '93), who is in his 10th season in charge of the Mavericks. Including a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2020-21, Hastings has led the Mavericks to six NCAA tournament appearances and no program in the nation has won more games (245) 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 eight  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 five 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.

The Puck Stops Here
Senior netminder Dryden McKay, a Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award in 2020-21 and a two-time Al-American, McKay stands 9-3-0 for the season with a .911 save percentage and a 1.78 goals against average.

For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 84-18-4 with a .1.56 GAA, and .931 Sv% in 107 games played.

Already this year McKay has established a new NCAA standard for career shutouts (he has 27) and a Minnesota State record for career wins (he has 84).

Motor-Cade
Junior forward Cade Borchardt tallied his first career hat trick when he scored three times in Minnesota State's 9-2 win over Bowling Green last Friday. Borchardt, who also had an assist in the win for a four-point night, has racked up seven points in the last three games (5-2--7).

Borchardt, who has 5-7--12 in 12 games for the season, has 14-22--36 in 50 games for his Minnesota State career.

Sophomoric
A pair of sophomores lead the Minnesota defensive corps in scoring in Jake Livingstone (3-7--10) and Akito Hirose (1-9--10).  Livingstone four-game point-scoring streak (1-4--5) into the series vs. St. Thomas, while Hirose is riding a a three-game point-scoring streak (0-3--3).

Locksmith
Junior forward Nathan Smith extended his point-scoring streak to eight games with a four-point weekend in the two wins over Bowling Green last Friday and Saturday.

Smith, who leads the Mavericks in scoring with 6-11--17 in 12 games and has won .608% of his faceoffs (113 wins, 95 losses) this year, has totalled 24-45--69 in 75 games played in his three seasons of college hockey at Minnesota State.

Ahead by a Century
With 43 goals and 56 assists for 99 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 6-5--11 in 12 games played in 2021-22. His six goals stand tied for the team lead this year and 45 shots on goal lead the Mavericks on the season.

Strength Down the Middle
Junior center Brendan Furry, who has 0-5--5 in the last three games, ranks second on the Mavericks with 4-11--15.

Mavericks Statistically Nationally
Minnesota State leads the country in face-off percentage on the season (59%) and stands tied for second in goals (48).

Nathan Smith is tied for sixth in scoring (6-11--17) and stands tied for seventh in assists (11). Reggie Lutz in fourth in shots on goal (45).

On the Docket
Following this weekend's games 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.