#1 Minnesota State Resumes Central Collegiate Hockey Association Action with Ferris State Visiting the Key City for Friday-Saturday Series; Mavericks Enter Weekend Riding Seven-Game Winning Streak
Mavericks Have Won 12 of Last 13 Games and Lead CCHA Standings With 12-2-0 League Mark; McKay Picks up 7th Shutout of 2021-22 in 3-0 Win at Minnesota Duluth; Furry Owns Four-Game Point-Scoring Steak

Off the Hop
Rated #1 by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine, Minnesota State (18-4-0 overall, 12-2-0 CCHA) faces Ferris State (6-14-0, 4-8-0 CCHA) in downtown Mankato this weekend in a pair of league contests.

The Mavericks and the Bulldogs play at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (4,832) Friday at 7:07 p.m., CST and 6:07 p.m., Saturday.

The Last Time Out
Minnesota State stands 18-4-0 overall after picking up two wins over #6 Minnesota Duluth last week. The Mavericks claimed a 2-1 overtime win in Mankato Thursday before rolling to a 3-0 win over the Bulldogs in Duluth Saturday.

Junior forward Cade Borchardt's goal at 2:38 of overtime lifted Minnesota State to the 2-1 victory over UMD in Mankato Thursday.  The Mavericks claimed the series sweep with a 3-0 win Saturday, a game in which senior netminder Dryden McKay was perfect with 23 saves on 23 shots and three different players scored.

Mavericks vs. Ferris State
In a series that dates back to the 1992-93 season, Minnesota State stands 30-9-2 all-time in games vs. Ferris State.  The Mavericks and the Bulldogs split a two-game series earlier this season in Big Rapids, Mich., with FSU claiming a 2-1 win Nov. 5 and Minnesota State responding with a 5-1 win Nov. 6.  The Mavericks, who are 9-1-0 vs. the Bulldogs in the last 10 meetings, are 16-1-1 in games vs. Ferris State played at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 254-94-24 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 (254) during the time Hastings has been behind the MSU bench.

Polling
Minnesota State has been rated in the top five in all 13 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 sixth 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.  

Less Than Zero
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 18-3-0 for the season with a .931 save percentage and a 1.25 goals against average.

In his last nine games of 2021-22, McKay stands 9-0-0 with a 0.55 GAA, .965 Sv% and four shutouts.

For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 93-18-4 with a 1.48 GAA, and .932 Sv% in 116 games played.

Already this year McKay has established a new NCAA standard for career shutouts (he has 31) and a Minnesota State record for career wins.  His 93 career wins ranks fourth on the NCAA's all-time list.

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)

Barri-Cade
Junior forward Cade Borchardt tallied his third game-winning goal of the season when he scored in overtime in last Thursday's 2-1 win over Minnesota Duluth.  Borchardt, who now has four career GWGs, has 9-10--19 in 22 games on the season and owns 18-25--43 in 60 career games played.

The Sword and the Stone
Sophomore defenseman Jake Livingstone has 7-12--19 on the season and is tied for third in the nation in defenseman scoring. Livingstone's seven goals are tied for third amongst the nation's defensemen.

Nik of Time
Senior winger Julian Napravnik, who had two assists in Minnesota State's 3-0 win at UMD last Saturday, ranks third on the Mavericks with 7-14--21 on the season. His career totals of 34-61--95 place him 22nd 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.

Sands of Time
Junior forward Ryan Sandelin has registered 8-4--12 in the last 10 games. The Duluth, Minn., native, who leads the Mavericks in goals with 13, has reached career season-highs for goals (13), assists (7) and points (20) this year.

Toledo Scale
Junior center Brendan Furry, who is riding a four-game point-scoring streak (2-3--5), ranks second on the Mavericks with 6-18--24 on the season. The Toledo, Ohio native has posted 11-26--37 in 50 career games.

Mavericks Statistically Nationally
Minnesota State, which owns a nation's best 18 wins, also leads the country in scoring margin (2.55), face-off percentage (58.0%) and is second in goals scored (83) and goals against average (1.23).

Nathan Smith is tied for second in the nation in scoring (11-16--27) and stands tied for 10th in assists (16). Brendan Furry is tied for seventh in assists (18).  Reggie Lutz is tied for 17th in shots on goal (65). Cade Borchardt and Julian Napravnik (+20) lead the country in +/- rating.

Dryden McKay's seven shutouts stands first in the nation and his 18 wins rank first. His 1.25 GAA ranks second and his .931 sv% is seventh

Notably
The Mavericks have given up one power play goal in the last ten games and have killed off 32-of-33 opponent power plays during that time.

On the Docket
Following the home series vs. Ferris State, the Mavericks are on the road for a two-game league set at Northern Michigan Jan. 14-15.