Off the Hop
Rated fourth this week both by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and USCHO, Minnesota State (16-3-1 overall, 11-1-0 WCHA) hosts #19 Michigan Tech (17-8-1, 7-5-0 WCHA) in closing out the 2020-21 regular season with a pair of WCHA games this weekend. Face-off between the Mavericks and the Huskies at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (4,832) is slated for 7:07 p.m., CST Friday and 6:07 p.m. CST Saturday.

The Mavericks, who split a pair of overtime games with Bemidji State last weekend, have won seven of their last eight games.
 
Mavericks vs. Huskies
In a series that dates back to the 1996-97 season, Minnesota State stands 44-24-10 in the all-time series vs. Michigan Tech. Minnesota State heads into this weekend's series having gone 8-3-1 in the last 12 games vs. Michigan Tech. The two teams split a series played in Houghton earlier this season, with the Huskies winning 3-1 and the Mavericks winning 2-0 Dec. 6-7.  Minnesota State owns a 25-6-4 mark vs. Tech in games played in the Key City.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 230-88-24 for a .708 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 (230) 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
Minnesota State clinched the MacNaughton Cup with last Thursday's 4-3 overtime win over Bemidji State - marking the fourth season in a row the Mavericks have accomplished the feat and sixth time in the last nine years.

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 the MacNaughton Cup 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.

Net Flicks
Junior netminder Dryden McKay, who ranks second on the NCAA career shutouts list with 22, heads into this week leading the country with a 1.30 goals against, .833 winning percentage and eight shutouts.  For his career, the Downer's Grove, Ill., native who is a Hobey Baker Award and a Richter Award finalist, stands 69-13-4 with a .1.48 GAA, and .934 Sv% in 89 games played.

McKay, a First Team All-American in 2019-20, stands 6-1-1 all-time vs. Michigan Tech. His goals against average in 8 appearances vs. the Huskies is 1.11 and his save percentage is .955 with two shutouts.

Overtime Pay
Junior forward Julian Napravnik, who stands atop Minnesota State's scoring charts with 8-15--23 in 19 games played and is riding a three-game point-scoring streak (1-3--4), tallied his team-leading fourth game-winning goal of the season when he scored in overtime in last Thursday's 4-3 home victory over Bemidji State.  He now has 10 GWGs for his three-year career to tie for ninth on the school's all-time list.  Napravnik, whose 1.21 points per game mark ties for seventh in the nation, ranks 11th in the country in assists per game with a 0.79 APG mark.

Shot Chart
Senior forward Reggie Lutz has a five-game point-scoring streak going during which he's racked up 2-4--6.  Lutz, who leads Minnesota State with nine goals on the season, owns a team-high 76 shots on goal.  In 132 career games, the Elk River, Minn., native has registered 36 goals and 50 assists for 86 points, which ranks 27th on the school's career scoring list.

Research Center
Senior center Jake Jaremko has tallied at least one point in six of the last seven games (2-6--8) and with 33-56--89 in 121 career GP, Jaremko stands tied for 22nd on the school's all-time point-scoring list.

In the Midst
Sophomore center Brendan Furry, who has scored a goal in each of the last four games, owns 5-5--10 in 20 games played this year. The Toledo, Ohio native picked up his first career shorthanded goal in last Saturday's game at Bemidji State.

Living Room
Freshman defenseman Jake Livingstone had 0-7--7 in eight games during the month of February. The Creston, B.C., native has 3-8--11 in 20 games played in his first season of college hockey.  Livingstone's 11 points stands tied for fourth in the nation amongst freshman defensemen.

That's a Plus
Freshman Akito Hirose is Minnesota State's top-scoring defenseman with 1-11--12 on the year. The Calgary, Alta., native, whose 12 points stands tied for second in the country amongst all freshmen blueliners, leads the Mavericks with a +14 rating - a mark that ranks seventh in the country amongst all freshmen.

It's Good to Have Goals
Senior forward Todd Burgess has registered 3-5--8 in the last six games and for the season has totalled 5-9--14 in 19 games played.

Appreci-Eight
Sophomore center Nathan Smith enters this week having tallied 2-7--9 in the last ten games.  Smith has 4-15--19 in 20 games played this year and his assists per game mark of 0.75 stands tied for 18th in the country.

Special Teams
Minnesota State has connected on 22 of 77 power play chances for a .286 power play percentage, a mark which ranks third in the nation. The Mavericks own an .857% success rate on the penalty kill which ranks tenth in the nation in having fended off 54 of 63 opponent chances with the man advantage.