#1 Minnesota State Continues Central Collegiate Hockey Association Action with Road Series at Northern Michigan Slated for Friday-Saturday; Mavericks Enter Weekend Riding Nine-Game Winning Streak
Mavericks Have Won 14 of Last 15 Games and Lead CCHA Standings With 14-2-0 League Mark; McKay Picks up 8th Shutout of 2021-22; Smith Contributes Six Points in Sweep Over Ferris StateBorchardt Enters NMU Series With 4-Game Point-Scoring Streak

Off the Hop
Rated #1 by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, Minnesota State (20-4-0 overall, 14-2-0 CCHA) faces Northern Michigan (12-8-1, 6-7-1 CCHA) in Marquette, Mich., this weekend in a pair of league contests.

The Mavericks and the Wildcats play at Berry Event Center (4,260) Friday at 5:37 p.m., CST and 5:37 p.m., Saturday.

The Last Time Out
Minnesota State stands 20-4-0 overall after picking up two wins over Ferris State last weekend. The Mavericks claimed a 7-1 win over the visiting Bulldogs Friday before completing the home league sweep with a 7-0 victory Saturday.

Senior defenseman Wyatt Aamodt picked up his first career hat trick and Nathan Smith had a goal and two assists in boosting the Mavericks to Friday's 7-0 win. The Mavericks scored six second-period goals and Dryden McKay turned aside all 17 shots in Saturday's 7-0 win.

Mavericks vs. Northern Michigan
In a series that dates back to the 2013-14 season, Minnesota State stands 20-6-3 all-time vs. Northern Michigan.  The Mavericks are 8-2-0 in the last 10 games vs. the Wildcats and stand 8-3-3 vs. NMU in games played in Marquette.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 256-94-24 under the tutelage of head coach Mike Hastings (St. Cloud State '93), who is in his 10th season in charge of the Mavericks. Including a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four in 2020-21, Hastings has led the Mavericks to six NCAA tournament appearances and no program in the nation has won more games (256) during the time Hastings has been behind the MSU bench.

Polling
Minnesota State has been rated in the top five in all 14 polls issued by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine this year.  The Mavericks are rated #1 in the most-recent USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey polls, marking the seventh time this year that they've been the top-rated team in the country.

WCHA - CCHA
The conclusion of the 2020-21 season signalled the end of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.  Minnesota State had 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 begins 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.  

Dr. No
Senior netminder Dryden McKay, a Hobey Baker Hat Trick finalist and a finalist for the Mike Richter Award in 2020-21 and a two-time All-American, McKay stands 20-3-0 for the season with a .935 save percentage and a 1.18 goals against average.

Earlier this season, McKay put up three shutouts in consecutive games played, marking the third time in his career he has accomplished the feat.

02.08.20    Dryden McKay vs. Northern Michigan (1-0)
02.21.20    Dryden McKay vs. Alabama Huntsville (10-0)
02.22.20    Dryden McKay vs. Alabama Huntsville (8-0)

01.02.21     Dryden McKay @ Northern Michigan (5-0)
01.03.21    Dryden McKay @ Northern Michigan (4-0)
01.15.21    Dryden McKay @ Lake Superior State (3-0)

11.18.21    Dryden McKay vs. St. Thomas (9-0)
11.19.21    Dryden McKay @ St. Thomas (5-0)
11.27.21    Dryden McKay @ Lake Superior State (3-0)

In his last 11 games of 2021-22, McKay stands 11-0-0 with a 0.54 GAA, .966 Sv% and five shutouts.

For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 95-18-4 with a 1.46 GAA, and .933 Sv% in 120 games played.

Already this year McKay has established a new NCAA standard for career shutouts (he has 32) and a Minnesota State record for career wins (95).  His 95 career wins ranks fourth on the NCAA's all-time list.

WHY-NOT
Senior captain Wyatt Aamodt, who has 4-5--9 in 24 games played on the season, picked up his first career hat trick when he scored three times in Minnesota State's 7-1 home win over Ferris State last Friday (Jan. 7).  The hat trick is the first by a Minnesota State defenseman since Jason Krug accomplished the feat Jan. 22, 1996 vs. Concordia and its the sixth hat trick all-time for a Minnesota State defenseman.

Caval-Cade
Junior forward Cade Borchardt has racked up 2-3--5 in the last four games. Borchard has 9-10--19 in 22 games on the season and owns 18-28--46 in 62 career games played.

Nap Time
Senior winger Julian Napravnik, currently in the midst of a three-game point-scoring streak (3-3--6), ranks second on the Mavericks with 10-15--25 on the season. His career totals of 37-62--99 place him 17th on Minnesota State's all-time scoring list.

Register
With 45 goals and 60 assists for 105 points, senior forward Reggie Lutz is 15th on Minnesota State men's hockey career scoring list. Lutz's 159 career games played stands tied for fourth on MSU's all-time list.

The Elk River, Minn., native, who is in his fifth season of college hockey, has registered 8-9--17 in 21 games played in 2021-22.

Sand Man
Junior forward Ryan Sandelin has registered 8-5--13 in the last 12 games. The Duluth, Minn., native, who stands tied for the team lead in goals with 13, has reached career season-highs for goals (13), assists (8) and points (21) this year.

Call Center
Junior center Brendan Furry ranks third on the Mavericks with 6-18--24 on the season. The Toledo, Ohio native has posted 11-26--37 in 52 career games.

Desig-Nate
Junior forward Nathan Smith is now a three-time CCHA Player of the Week honoree after tallying six points on two goals and four assists in the two-game sweep over Ferris State last weekend.  Smith, who leads the country in scoring with 13-20--33 on the year, has moved into a tie for 29th on Minnesota State's career scoring list with 31-54--85 in 85 career games played.

Saved by the Bell
Freshman forward Zach Krajnik scored the first two goals of his career in last Saturday's 7-0 win over Ferris State.  Krajnik has 2-4--6 in 13 games in his first season of college hockey.

Mavericks Statistically Nationally
Minnesota State ranks first in the nation with 20 wins, goals scored (97), scoring margin (2.88) and face-off percentage (58.5%). The Mavericks are second in goals against average (1.17).

Nathan Smith leads the nation in scoring (13-20--33) and stands tied for fourth in assists (20). Brendan Furry is tied for eighth in assists (18).  Reggie Lutz is tied for 27th in shots on goal (65). Cade Borchardt (+25) leads the country in +/- rating.

Dryden McKay's eight shutouts stands tied for first in the nation and his 20 wins rank first. His 1.18 GAA ranks second and his .931 sv% is fifth

Notably
The Mavericks have given up two power play goals in the last 12 games and have killed off 34-of-36 opponent power plays during that time.

The Mavericks scored four goals in a span of 2:36 near the beginning of the second period of last Saturday's 7-0 win over Ferris State. The school record for fastest four goal scored is 1:46 (vs. Gustavus, 12.13.1996).

On the Docket
Following the road series at Northern Michigan this weekend, Minnesota State has a home-and-home league series vs. St. Thomas slated for Jan. 20 in Mendota Heights, Minn., and Jan. 22 in Mankato.  The game in Mankato is a part of Hockey Day Minnesota festivities and is being played outdoors on campus at Blakeslee Stadium.