Due Up

Receiving two votes in this week's USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Women's College Hockey Poll, Minnesota State (5-5-0, 1-5-0 WCHA) hits the road for more Western Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend taking on St. Cloud State (2-4-1, 0-5-1 WCHA). Face-offs are scheduled for 6:01 p.m., CST Friday, and 3:01 p.m., CST Saturday, at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minn.


Last Action

In MSU's last action, the Mavericks were swept by #1 Wisconsin in a home series by 2-1 and 6-2 final decisions, Oct. 29-30.

Before dropping its last four 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. Now at 5-5, the last time MSU was .500 or better after 10 games was the 2008-09 season when the Mavericks got out to a 6-3-1 start before concluding the season 12-19-5 overall.


Taking on St. Cloud State

In the all-time series vs. the Huskies, the Mavericks are 37-45-13. MSU split the four-game season series with SCSU, last year. In the first meetings last season (Nov. 27-28), MSU dropped game one 1-0 before winning Saturday's contest 4-2. In the second series (Feb. 5-6), the Mavericks fell 4-0 before winning 4-2. Both series were played at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center in St. Cloud. On the road at SCSU, MSU holds a 20-25-5 record all-time.


Minnesota State All-Time

Minnesota State, which began play in 1998-99, is in its 24th season of competition. The Mavericks have compiled a 208-520-71 (.305) record in 799 games played. MSU is in its 23rd year as members of the WCHA and hold a 126-416-56 (.258) record in 598 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.


Receiving Votes

The Mavericks received a pair of votes in this week's edition of the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll, marking the program's third time ever appearing in the poll (first time was three weeks ago - Oct. 12, 2021).


The Kinger

Junior forward Kelsey King is off to a hot start this season with 7-4--11 in 10 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).


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. Two weeks ago, the Oregon, Wis., native upped her all-time assists record at MSU to 55 with another helper in the Mavericks' 6-2 loss to the Gophers. She is MSU's leading point-scorer this season with 13 points and a team-high 10 assists over 10 games.

Fleming also remains MSU's active career scoring leader with 27-55--82 in 136 games. On the list of all-time Maverick scoring, Fleming is first in assists (55), tied for fourth in points (82) and tied for 10th in goal scoring (27).


Padding the Stats

Freshman forward Alexis Paddington leads Maverick rookies with 1-5--7 in 10 games this season. She collected her first collegiate goal when she opened the scoring in the Mavericks' 6-2 loss to #1 Wisconsin, last Saturday. Prior to last series, the Maverick rookie entered the week with five assists 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 has been named WCHA Rookie of the Week twice this season (Sept. 27 and Oct. 11).


AkerPLUS

Junior defenseman Charlotte Akervik leads the way when it comes to +/- ratings for MSU this season. The Eau Claire, Wis., native sports a +6 rating and a line of 2-8--10 which has her leading Maverick defensive scoring in each category 10 games into the season. Akervik also leads MSU blueliners with 22 shots on goal and a .091 shooting percentage.


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 4-5 record with a 3.78 goals-against average and .885 save percentage.

As a Maverick, Frank has appeared in 45 games while making 43 starts and owns a career record of 16-23-4 with a .905 save percentage and 2.91 goals against average.


Minnesota State's Special Teams

The Mavericks power play unit is off to a hot start this season with eight goals   in 10 games. In terms of percentage, MSU is first in the conference and second in the nation with an 8-for-24 (.333) success rate on the power play.

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


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.


Looking Ahead

The Mavericks have an off week following this weekend's trip to St. Cloud before heading to Ohio State (Nov. 19-20), playing a home-and-home series with St. Thomas (Dec. 3-4), hosting St. Cloud State (Dec. 10-11) and traveling to Bemidji State (Dec. 17-18).

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