Off the Hop
Rated fifth this week by USCHO, Minnesota State (20-4-1 overall) faces Quinnipiac 17-7-4) Saturday at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colo., in the 2021 NCAA Division I Men's Hockey West Regional.

Face-off between the Mavericks and the Bobcats is slated for 4:00 p.m. CST

The other two teams in the regional include #1 regional seed Minnesota (23-6-0) vs. the fourth seed Omaha (14-10-1).  Saturday's winners will meet in the Regional Final Sunday with the regional champions advancing the NCAA DI Men's Hockey Frozen Four in Pittsburgh, Pa., April 8 and 10.

Mavericks vs. Bobcats
The meeting between the Mavericks and the Bobcats Saturday will mark the first meeting between the two schools.

There is a common opponent from this season in Bowling Green. The Falcons picked up 4-1 and 4-2 nonconference wins at Quinnipiac Dec. 18-19.  Minnesota State picked up 4-0 and 5-1 wins over Bowling Green in a pair of WCHA games played in Mankato Feb. 5-6.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 234-89-24 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 NCAA Tournament
Minnesota State, the recipient of the 2021 MacNaughton Cup as the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season champion, is making its seventh NCAA tournament appearance this year.  

The Mavericks also played in the 2003 East Regional in Providence, R.I., the 2013 Midwest Regional in Toledo, Ohio, the 2014 Northeast Regional in Worcester, Mass., the 2015 Midwest Regional in South Bend, Ind., the 2018 West Regional in Sioux Falls, S.D., and the 2019 East Regional in Providence, R.I.

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.

You Don't Have to Put on the Red Light
Junior netminder Dryden McKay, who ranks second on the NCAA career shutouts list with 23, heads into the NCAA tournament leading the country with a 1.40 goals against average, .864 winning percentage and nine shutouts.  

The year's WCHA Player of the Year and a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the year, McKay stands 73-14-4 with a .1.49 GAA, and .933 Sv% in 94 games played for his three-year college career.  

McKay, who along with Tony Esposito (1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67) is one of only two individuals who have been a three-time WCHA Goaltending Champion (lowest goals against average in league games), was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association Goaltender of the Week three times this year and was the league's and the national Goaltender of the Month for January.   

The Downers Grove, Ill., native is a top-ten finalist for this year's Hobey Baker Award and is amongst nine finalists named for this year's Mike Richter Award as the national top goaltender.

Heavy D
Senior forward Dallas Gerads has a two-game point-scoring streak going with three assists during that span.  The Blaine, Minn., has 7-8--15 in 25 games this year and for his four-year career owns 34-41--75 in 122 contests.  

Walk the Line
Senior forward Walker Duehr has scored four times and assisted on three other goals for seven points in the last six games.  One of the few South Dakota natives to ever play college hockey (he's from Sioux Falls), Duehr has five goals in the last eight games.  He's posted 9-6--15 on the year and for his four-year college career has totalled 24-25--49 in 99 games played.

Family Jules
Junior forward Julian Napravnik, who stands atop Minnesota State's scoring charts with 10-15--25 in 24 games played, has six game-winning goals on the year to rank first in the nation. His 12 GWGs for his three-year career to tie for fifth on the school's all-time list. He also ranks third on the team with a +13 rating on the season.

This year's WCHA Forward of the Year, Napravnik's 1.04 points per game mark ties for 28th in the nation.

The Bad Nauheim, Germany native has registered 27-44--71 in 100 career games over the course of his three-year college career.

Lutz Be Real
Senior winger Reggie Lutz tallied his 10th goal of the year in last Friday's WCHA semi-final game.  The Elk River, Minn., native has 37-50--87 in 135 career games to rank 27th on Minnesota State's career scoring list.

New Kids on the Block
Freshman defenseman Jake Livingstone, a member of this year's WCHA All-Rookie Team, has registered 4-9--13 in 25 games played. Along with fellow rookie defenseman Akito Hirose (1-12--13 in 25 GP - All-WCHA Third Team, WCHA All-Rookie Team), Livingstone stands tied for fourth in the nation in scoring by freshmen defensemen.

Again!
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.

280-Z
Over the course of his four years with Minnesota State, senior defenseman Riese Zmolek has scored seven goals and assisted on 32 others for 39 points in 132 games played.  The Rochester, Minn., native owns a +57 rating and has blocked 175 shots over the course of his college hockey career.