Off the Hop
Rated third this week both by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and USCHO, Minnesota State (20-3-1 overall) faces Northern Michigan (10-16-1 overall) in semi-final action of the WCHA playoffs this weekend. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Wildcats at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (4,832) is slated for 2:07 p.m., CST Friday.  

The other semi-final pits Bemidji State (15-8-3) vs. Lake Superior State (17-6-3).  Winners of the two games play Saturday at 7:07 p.m. in the WCHA championship game.

Mavericks vs. Wildcats
In a series that dates back to the 2013-14 season, Minnesota State owns an 18-5-3 record vs. Northern Michigan.  The Mavericks, who have won the last four games between the two schools, picked up 5-0 and 4-0 wins at NMU Jan. 2-3 of this season. MSU stands 10-2-0 vs. Northern Michigan in games played between the Mavericks and the Wildcats in Mankato.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 234-88-24 for a .709 winning percentage under the tutelage of head coach Mike Hastings (St. Cloud State '93), who is in his ninth season in charge of the Mavericks. No program in the nation has won more games (234) during the time Hastings has been behind the MSU bench. Under his leadership, the Crookston, Minn., native has guided the Mavericks to five NCAA tournament appearances, six WCHA regular-season titles and three WCHA postseason tournament championships.

The Mavericks and the MacNaughton Cup
With a 13-1-0 league mark this year, Minnesota State has won its sixth WCHA regular-season title - marking the fourth year in a row the Mavericks have accomplished the feat.

The four straight regular-season WCHA championships by the Mavericks is unprecedented. Colorado College (1993-96) and the University of North Dakota (1996-99) had won it three consecutive seasons, but Minnesota State (2017-21) is the only program to have won it four straight seasons. The WCHA has been in existence since the 1951-52 season.

The Group
In his first year serving as captain of the Mavericks is senior defenseman Riese Zmolek. Senior defenseman Jack McNeely, and senior forwards Dallas Gerads and Jared Spooner are serving as alternate captains. All three are in their first seasons wearing an "A" for the Mavericks.

Tip Top
Junior netminder Dryden McKay, who ranks second on the NCAA career shutouts list with 23, heads into this week leading the country with a 1.25 goals against, .905 winning percentage and nine shutouts.  

The year's WCHA Player of the Year and a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the year, McKay stands 73-13-4 with a 1.46 GAA, and .935 Sv% in 93 games played for his college career.

McKay, a First Team All-American in 2019-20, stands 7-0-0 all-time vs. Northern Michigan. His goals against average in seven appearances vs. the Wildcats is 1.22 and his save percentage is .948 with three shutouts.

The Downers Grove, Ill., native has been named a Top-Ten Finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and has been named as one of nine finalists for the Mike Richter Award as the top goaltender in the nation.  He was a finalist for both awards last year as a sophomore.

On a Roll
Senior forward Walker Duehr is in the midst of a five-game point scoring streak during which he's scored four times and assisted on three other goals for seven points.  Duehr, who has five goals in the last seven games, has 9-6--15 on the year and for his four-year college career has totalled 24-25--49 in 98 games played.

Forward Thinking
Junior forward Julian Napravnik, who stands atop Minnesota State's scoring charts with 10-15--25 in 23 games played, tallied his team-leading sixth game-winning goal of the season when he scored in last Friday's 3-0 home victory over Ferris State.  His six GWGs rank first in the nation and he now has 12 GWGs for his three-year career to tie for fifth on the school's all-time list. This year's WCHA Forward of the Year, Napravnik's 1.09 points per game mark ties for 22nd in the nation.

Sam I Am
Junior forward Sam Morton got his second game-winning goal of the year when he scored Minnesota State's second goal of the game in last Saturday's 3-1 win over Ferris State. For the year the Lafayette, Colo., native has registered 4-3--7 in 13 games played.

Safeguard
Freshman defenseman Jake Livingstone had a goal and an assist for a two-point weekend in Minnesota State's two-game home sweep over Ferris State.  Livingstone, a member of this year's WCHA All-Rookie Team, has registered 4-9--13 in 24 games played. Along with fellow rookie defenseman Akito Hirose (1-12--13 in 24 GP), Livingstone stands tied for third in the nation in scoring by freshmen defensemen.
 
Economic Utility
Senior forward Jared Spooner had a goal in last Friday's 3-0 win and added an assist in Saturday's 3-1 win over the Bulldogs.  The Bismarck, N.D., native has tallied 3-4--7 in 19 games this year and for his four-year career has chalked up 23-29--72 in 131 games played.

A three-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete and three-time WCHA All-Academic seledtion, Spooner is serving as an alternate captain for the Mavericks in his senior season.

Veteran Premise
Junior forward Shane McMahan had an assist in both Maverick wins last weekend and for the season has registered 1-2--3 in 14 games played.

Drum Beat
Including the last nine seasons in a row, Minnesota State has now won 20 games in a season 21 times in the history of the program.

NCAA Selection Show
The NCAA Division I men's hockey selection show, in which the 16-team field will be announced, is slated for 6:00 p.m. CST Sunday on ESPNU.