Houghton, Mich.  --- A Minnesota State comeback fell just short Friday, with the visiting Mavericks dropping a 3-2 decision at Michigan Tech in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action.
 
Now 8-5-0 for the season with tonight's result, Minnesota State stands 5-2-0 in CCHA games.
 
The host Huskies, who outshot the Mavericks 18-3 in the opening period and held a 2-0 lead after two periods of play, upped their record to 9-6-0 overall and 5-2-0 CCHA with tonight's win.
 
Minnesota State sophomore goaltender Keenan Rancier made several tough saves in the opening stanza, allowing only an even-strength goal from Logan Ganie and limiting the Huskies to a 1-0 first-period lead.
 
Kyle Kukkonen batted in a loose puck for a power play marker at 6:20 of the second period and Michigan Tech entered the final period of regulation owning a 2-0 lead.
 
The Mavericks, who outshot the Huskies by a 26-5 margin in the third period, got their first goal of the game when freshman forward Christian Fitzgerald took advantage of a turnover in  Tech's zone before sliding the puck under Blake Pietila's pads at the 0:46 mark. With time running out and Rancier on the bench for an extra attacker, Tech got its third goal of the game at 17:54 on an empty-net tally from Kash Rasmussen. Maverick junior center David Silye scored his 10^th goal of the season with a one-timer from the left circle at the 19:08 mark in making it a 3-2 final.
 
Rancier, who made 30 saves, now stands 4-4-0 on the year.
 
The Mavericks and the Huskies close out the two-game league series Saturday with a 5:07 CST face-off scheduled.
 
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