Off the Hop
Rated #1 by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, Minnesota State (11-3-0 overall, 7-1-0 CCHA) continues Central Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend with a road series at Lake Superior State (7-8-1, 3-5-0 CCHA).

The Mavericks and the Lakers play  at Taffy Abel Arena (4,000) Friday at 6:07 p.m., CST and at 5:07 p.m., Saturday.

The Last Time Out
Minnesota State enters the Lake Superior State series having won its last five games after picking up a two-game sweep over St. Thomas last weekend.

Junior forwards Nathan Smith and Ryan Sandelin both scored twice and assisted on another and sophomore defenseman Jake Livingstone had a goal and two assists as the host Mavericks overpowered St. Thomas 9-0 Thursday. MSU closed out the sweep with a 5-0 victory Saturday as five different players scored goals.  Senior netminder Dryden McKay had 13 saves in Thursday and nine Saturday in picking up his fourth and fifth shutouts of the season.

Mavericks vs. Lake Superior State
In a series that dates back to the 2013-14 season, Minnesota State stands 25-3-1 in the all-time series vs. Lake Superior State. The Mavericks have won the last six meetings with the Lakers and own an all-time mark of 11-1-0 in games played at Taffy Abel Arena.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 247-93-24 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 (247) 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 nine polls issued by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine this year.  The Mavericks are rated #1 in both polls this week, marking the second time this year that they've been rated first in the nation in 2021-22 (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.  

In Your DMs
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 All-American, McKay stands 11-3-0 for the season with a .919 save percentage and a 1.52 goals against average.

For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 86-18-4 with a 1.53 GAA, and .931 Sv% in 111 games played.

Already this year McKay has established a new NCAA standard for career shutouts (he has 29) and a Minnesota State record for career wins (he has 86).

Reso-Nate
Junior forward Nathan Smith extended his point-scoring streak to ten games with a five-point weekend in the two wins over St. Thomas last Thursday and Saturday.

Smith, who has had at least one point in 13 of 14 games this year, has moved to the top of the NCAA Division I men's hockey scoring charts with 9-13--22. The Hudson, Fla., native has totalled 27-47--74 in 77 games played in his three seasons of college hockey at Minnesota State.

Sands of Time
Junior forward Ryan Sandelin, who scored three times and assisted on another in Minnesota State's two-game sweep over St. Thomas, has reached career season-highs for goals (8), assists (5) and points (13) this year.

Living Room
Sophomore defenseman Jake Livingstone, who was named the CCHA Defenseman of the Week after putting up five points on a goal and four assists in the St. Thomas series last weekend, stands tied for third in the nation in defensemen scoring with 4-11--15 in 14 game on the season.

To the Point
With 43 goals and 59 assists for 102 points, senior forward Reggie Lutz is 15th on Minnesota State men's hockey career scoring list. Lutz's 152 career games played stands tied for 12th on MSU's all-time list.
He enters this weekend riding a five-game point-scoring streak during which he's tallied 1-6--7.

The Elk River, Minn., native, who is in his fifth season of college hockey, has registered 6-8--14 in 14 games played in 2021-22.

Call Center
Junior center Brendan Furry, who owns a five-game point-scoring streak (0-9--9), ranks second on the Mavericks with 4-15--19.

DeeJay
Senior winger Julian Napravnik has moved into a tie for 26th on the Minnesota State career scoring list with 33-55--88.

Napravnik owns a four-game point-scoring streak (2-4--6) and has 6-8--12 in 12 games played this year and stands tied for fifth on MSU's scoring list.

Mavericks Statistically Nationally
Minnesota State leads the country in face-off percentage on the season (59.4%) and goals scored (62).

Nathan Smith leads the nation in scoring (9-13--22) and stands tied for eighth in assists (11) and tied for ninth in goals (9). Reggie Lutz in third in shots on goal (54). Brendan Furry is tied for third in assists (15). Dryden McKay's five shutouts is tied for first.

Of Note
The Mavericks have out-scored their opponents by a 33-6 margin during the last five games.

On the Docket
Following this weekend's games at Lake Superior State (Nov. 26-27), the Mavericks have 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.