Summing Things Up
One word to describe the 2020-21 Minnesota State men's hockey season: historic.

The Mavericks, who were rated fourth in the final USCHO poll of the season, completed the year with a 22-5-1 mark. But given the challenging circumstances every program faced attempting to play during a pandemic, just completing a season is a major accomplishment in itself.  Throw in a ninth-consecutive 20-win season, an unprecedented fourth-consecutive MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular-season titleists, a pair of wins at the NCAA West Regional in Loveland, Colo., for a first-ever regional championship and a maiden trip to the Frozen Four and the 2020-21 campaign was indeed historic.

The Mavericks, who claimed wins over Quinnipiac and the University of Minnesota at the 2021 NCAA West Regional, fell to St. Cloud State in a one-goal game in the semifinals of this year's Frozen Four in Pittsburgh, Pa.  The win at the regional were the first wins in NCAA postseason play at the Division I level for the Mavericks.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 236-90-24 under the tutelage of head coach Mike Hastings (St. Cloud State '93), who completed his ninth season in charge of the Mavericks. Named the recipient of this year's Spencer Penrose Award as the national coach of the year, Hastings has guided the Mavericks to a Frozen Four appearance, one NCAA regional championship, six NCAA tournament appearances, six WCHA regular-season titles and three WCHA postseason tournament championships. No program in the nation has won more games (236) during the time Hastings has been behind the Minnesota State bench.

Another Brick in the Wall
Junior netminder Dryden McKay, a Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award, ranks second on the NCAA career shutouts list with 24 and finished the season leading the country with a .840 winning percentage and ten shutouts.  He also ranked second with a 1.54 goals against average and was 15th with a .924 save percentage. The year's WCHA Player of the Year and a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the year, McKay stands 75-15-4 with a .1.53 GAA, and .932 Sv% in 97 games played for his three-year college career.  The only goaltender in NCAA history to record double-digit shutout seasons (10 this year, 10 in 2019-20), McKay is one of two goaltenders in the history of the WCHA to lead the league in goals against average for three straight seasons, with the other being Tony Esposito who accomplished the feat while tending the net for Michigan Tech (1964-65, 1965-66, 1966-67).

Big D
Senior forward Dallas Gerads finished the year riding a five-game point-scoring streak during which he racked up 2-5--7.  The Blaine, Minn., native had 9-10--19 in 28 games this year and for his four-year career owns 36-43--79 in 125 contests. His 79 career points ties for 36th on the career scoring list (DI-era).

Tip Top
Junior forward Julian Napravnik, who stood atop Minnesota State's scoring charts this season with 10-18--28 in 27 games played, had six game-winning goals on the year to rank first in the nation. His 12 GWGs for his three-year career ties for fifth on the school's all-time list. This year's WCHA Forward of the Year, Napravnik led the Mavericks with five power play goals and has 14 career PPGs in his three seasons of college hockey.

Sand Storm
Sophomore forward Ryan Sandelin, who scored the overtime game-winning goal in the regional semi-final vs. Quinnipiac and added a goal and an assist on the game-winning tally in the regional championship victory over Minnesota, was named the West Regional MVP.  The Hermantown, Minn., native posted 7-2--9 in 27 games played in 2020-21 and 8-5--13 in 49 career games.

Natural Conclusion
Sophomore forward Nathan Smith, who scored a goal in both games at the regional tournament and two goals vs. St. Cloud State in the NCAA semi-final contest, ranked third on the Mavericks in scoring on the season with 9-17--25. Named All-WCHA Second Team this year (he was a member of the WCHA All-Rookie Team in 2019-20), Smith's career totals include 18-34--52 in 63 games played. Smith was selected in the third round (91st overall) by Winnipeg in the 2018 National Hockey League entry draft.

All Aflame
Senior forward Walker Duehr, who had a goal and an assist vs. St. Cloud State in the NCAA semi-final contest, finished the year with 10-7--17 in 28 games. Duehr, a Sioux Falls, S.D., native who signed a NHL entry-level contract with Calgary following the conclusion of the season, completed his four-year college career with 25-26--51 in 102 games played.

Giz-ZMO
Senior defenseman Riese Zmolek, who assisted on Sam Morton's game-winning goal in the regional championship game vs. Minnesota, had a career-high 13 points on the year with a goal and 12 assists. Zmolek, who led the Mavericks with 45 blocked shots this season, is +54 with 179 blocked shots in 135 career games.

Hold the Line
Akito Hirose, a WCHA All-Rookie Team defenseman this season, led all Minnesota State blueliners in scoring on the year with 1-14--15, along with a team-best +18 rating. The Calgary, Alta., native also picked up WCHA Rookie of the Year honors to go along with All-WCHA Third Team honors.

Along Those Lines
Freshman defenseman Jake Livingstone, a member of this year's WCHA All-Rookie Team, registered 4-10--14 in 28 games played in his first year of college hockey. He tied for second on the team with a +15 and 30 blocked shots which ranked fourth.

A-CADE-emy
Sophomore forward Cade Borchardt had a goal in the regional semi-final vs. Quinnipiac and added an assist in the regional championship victory over Minnesota and finished the season ranking third on the team with 9-15--24 in 28 games played.

No. 7
Junior defenseman Wyatt Aamodt upped his season totals to 2-5--7 in 28 GP this year with an assist in both wins at the West Regional. The Hermantown, Minn., native has 4-13--17 in 82 career games.

Holy Toledo
Sophomore forward Brendan Furry, who finished the year with 0-3--3 in the last four games, registered 5-8--13 and played in all 28 games in 2020-21. The Toledo, Ohio native assisted on Ryan Sandelin's GWG in the overtime victory vs. Quinnipiac in the first game of the 2021 West Regional.

Critical Mass
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.  

WCHA | CCHA
The conclusion of the 2020-21 season signals the end of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.  Minnesota State has 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 will begin 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.