Due Up

After being idle last week, Minnesota State (5-7-0, 1-7-0 WCHA) is back in action this weekend on the road at #2 Ohio State (10-2-0, 10-2-0 WCHA) for a pair Western Collegiate Hockey Association games. Face-offs are scheduled for 5:01 p.m., CST Friday, and 12:01 p.m., CST Saturday, at OSU Ice Rink in Columbus, Ohio.


Last Action

In MSU's last action, the Mavericks were swept by St. Cloud State (Nov. 5-6) on the road after falling in a 3-2 overtime loss, Friday, prior to suffering a 4-1 defeat, Saturday.

Before dropping its last six games, Minnesota State was off to a 5-1 start which marked the program's best start to a season since the 2003-04 campaign, when MSU got off to a 6-0 start.


Taking on #2 Ohio State

In 96 all-time matchups between the Mavericks and Buckeyes, MSU is 14-71-11. The Buckeyes have won six straight games in the series and are unbeaten by the Mavericks in the last 11 meetings dating back to Dec. 1, 2018, when MSU defeated OSU 3-0 in Mankato. In games played in Columbus, MSU is 6-43-5 with its last win over OSU away from home back on Nov. 14, 2010. The Mavericks' win completed a weekend sweep over the Buckeyes with 5-3 and 4-3 victories.


Minnesota State All-Time

Minnesota State, which began play in 1998-99, is in its 24th season of competition. The Mavericks have compiled a 208-522-71 (.304) record in 801 games played. MSU is in its 23rd year as members of the WCHA and hold a 126-418-56 (.257) record in 600 conference games played. 

In last season's shortened and pandemic-impacted slate of games, the Mavericks closed out the season with a 7-12-1 record for fifth in the WCHA standings.


The Captains

This season, USA Hockey announced the addition of Mavericks' senior defenseman and team captain Anna Wilgren, who made her debut with Team USA on Oct. 25 vs. Team Canada, to the U.S. Women's National Team Olympic Residency Program in preparation for the Winter Olympics.

Jessica Kondas and Brittyn Fleming were renamed alternate captains prior to the season while Claire Butorac was named the Mavericks' newest alternate captain in the offseason. The senior trio is combining to assume Wilgren's role as head captain while she is away for the foreseeable future.


Fleming Finesses

Senior forward Brittyn Fleming returned to Minnesota State's roster this season after cashing in on her extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to last year's student athletes who had seasons impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the Mavericks' last action, the Oregon, Wis., native upped her all-time assists record at MSU to 58 with three more helpers in the series at St. Cloud State. She is MSU's leading point-scorer this season with 16 points and a team-high 13 assists over 12 games. Fleming also leads the Mavericks with a +/- rating of +5 this year.

Fleming also remains MSU's active career scoring leader with 27-58--85 in 138 games. On the list of all-time Maverick scoring, Fleming is first in assists (58), tied for fourth in points (85) and tied for 10th in goal scoring (27).


The Kinger

Junior forward Kelsey King is off to a hot start this season and ranks second on the Mavericks in goals and point-scoring with 8-5--13 in 12 contests. She scored a career-high four goals and had three assists for a seven-point series against Lindenwood, Oct. 8-9. In the first game of the series, King tied a pair of school records with four goals in a game, becoming the sixth player in program history to do so and the first since Kathleen Rogan (10-2 win over Lindenwood on Sept. 30, 2011), and by posting five points, which put her in a tie as the second athlete to do so alongside Kim Corona (11-0 win over Augsburg on Jan 23, 1999). King's third goal in game one was the eventual game-winner and marked the Mavericks' first natural hat trick since Corona accomplished the feat, which was also back on Jan 23, 1999, when MSU defeated Augsburg 11-0. King finished the big weekend with two more assists in the second contest, where the Mavericks won 7-6 in overtime.

As a result, King was named WCHA Forward of the Week on Oct. 11, marking her fifth time receiving a WCHA weekly honor since being named the Rookie of the Week four times during the 2019-20 campaign (Sept. 27-29, Nov. 1-2, Nov. 22-23 and Jan. 31-Feb. 1).


Padding the Stats

Freshman forward Alexis Paddington leads Maverick rookies with 1-5--6 in 12 games this season. She collected her first collegiate goal when she opened the scoring in the Mavericks' 6-2 loss to #1 Wisconsin, Oct. 30. The Maverick rookie has five assists this season after providing three helpers in her first series dawning the purple and goal at Merrimack (Sept. 24-25) before collecting two more assists in a series hosting Lindenwood (Oct. 8-9). As a result of her efforts in both series sweeps for MSU, Paddington was twice named WCHA Rookie of the Week (Sept. 27 and Oct. 11).


Akervik and Apples

Junior Charlotte Akervik leads Maverick defensemen with a pair of goals and nine assists for 11 points this season. She also leads MSU blueliners with 29 shots on goal and a .069 shooting percentage. The Eau Claire, Wis., native owns a +3 rating in 12 games, which ranks third on the team.


To be Frank...

Sophomore goaltender Calla Frank has appeared and started in all but one game for the Mavericks this season. This year, Frank owns a 4-6 record with a 3.65 goals-against average and .886 save percentage.

As a Maverick, Frank has appeared in 47 games while making 45 starts and owns a career record of 16-25-4 with a .905 save percentage and 2.92 goals against average.


Minnesota State's Special Teams

The Mavericks power play unit is off to a hot start this season with nine goals   in 12 games. In terms of percentage, MSU is first in the conference and second in the nation with an 9-for-28 (.321) success rate on the power play.

Despite their penalty unit being a step slower early compared to last year, the Mavericks have also been among the most productive offensive units while shorthanded. As a team, Minnesota State is second in the conference and third in the nation with a pair of shorthanded goals, both have come off Kelsey King's stick (two vs. Merrimack Sept. 24-25). 


Looking Ahead

The Mavericks have an off week following this weekend's trip to Ohio State before their inaugural matchup St. Thomas, which will be a home-and-home series on Dec. 3-4. MSU is then scheduled to host St. Cloud State (Dec. 10-11) before traveling to Bemidji State (Dec. 17-18) prior the winter break.

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