#1 Minnesota State Hosts Bemidji State in CCHA Championship Saturday; Mavericks Riding 14-Game Winning Streak & Lead Nation with 34 Wins
Top-rated Mavericks have 23 Wins in Last 24 Games; McKay Ties NCAA Record for Single-Season Wins and Ranks Third All-Time in NCAA History With 109 Career Victories

Off the Hop
Rated #1 by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine this week, Minnesota State (34-5-0 overall) hosts Bemidji State (19-19-0) in Central Collegiate Hockey Association championship action Saturday.

The Mavericks and the Beavers square-off at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center (4,832) in downtown Mankato Saturday at 6:07 p.m. CST.

Mavericks vs. Beavers
One of its oldest-rivals and most-often played opponents, Minnesota State first played Bemidji State during the 1974-75 season. Minnesota State stands 66-61-21 in the all-time series vs. the Beavers. The Mavericks went 4-0 vs. the Beavers this year, claiming a pair of 5-1 wins in Mankato (Feb. 18-19) and 5-1 and 3-1 wins in a pair of league games played in Bemidj  (Dec. 10-11). The Mavericks have gone 11-4-1 vs. BSU in the last 16 meetings between the two schools.

The Last Time Out
Minnesota State, which has won its last 14 games and 23 of its last 24 outings, stands 34-5-0 overall after downing Northern Michigan in a CCHA semifinal game played at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center last Saturday.

The Mavericks, who did not trail in the 8-1 win over the Wildcats, got a goal and an assist from senior forward Julian Napravnik, while Nathan Smith (goal and assist), Ondrej Pavel (two assists), Andy Carroll (goal and assist) and Connor Gregga (goal and assist) contributed two points each. Senior goaltender Dryden McKay finished with a 20-save night.

Behind the Bench
Minnesota State has gone 270-95-24 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 (270) during the time Hastings has been behind the MSU bench.

Polling
Minnesota State has been rated in the top five in all 23 polls issued by USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine this year.  The Mavericks, who have been rated #1 in the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey polls 15 times this year, are ranked first for the eighth consecutive week this week.

Super Saver
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, stands 34-4-0 for the season with a .933 save percentage and a 1.28 goals against average.

McKay's 34 wins this year lead the nation and stands tied for first with Minnesota's Robb Stauber (1987-88) and Michigan's Marty Turco (1995-96) on the NCAA DI men's hockey single-season list.

Already this year McKay, who had three shutouts in a row in wins this year over St. Thomas (9-0 and 5-0 Nov. 18-19) and Lake Superior State (3-0 Nov. 27), has established a NCAA standard for career shutouts (he has 33) and a Minnesota State record for career wins (109).
 
For his four-year college career, the Downers Grove, Ill., native stands 109-19-4 with a 1.46 GAA, and .932 Sv% in 136 games played.

One of 11 players named a 2021-22 Richter Award semifinalist, McKay's 109 career wins ranks third on the NCAA's all-time list, standing only behind the 127 wins by Marty Turco (Michigan 1995-98) and the 111 wins by Steve Shields (Michigan 1991-94).

McKay, who has been named CCHA Goaltender of the Week seven times this year, has been named HCA National Goaltender of the week on two occasions in 2021-22.

Winging It
Senior forward Julian Napravnik, who has tallied at least one point in 16 of the last 18 contests, is tied for second in the nation and on the Mavericks in scoring with 18-30--48 on the season. His career totals of 45-77-122 have him ninth on Minnesota State's all-time scoring list.

Center of Attention
Junior center Nathan Smith, who spent three weeks in China at the 2022 Winter Olympics with the U.S. men's national team,  heads into Saturday's game vs. Bemidji State having tallied at least one point in 13 of his last 14 games played (7-16--23),  is tied for second in the nation and is tied for first on the Mavericks in scoring with 18-30--48 on the season.

Sweet 16
With 50-64--114 in 170 games played for his Minnesota State playing career, senior forward Reggie Lutz  (Elk River, Minn.) is tied for 11th on the school's career scoring list.

Jack Hammer
Senior defenseman Jack McNeely has 1-13--14 on the year and has registered 7-43--50 and is +103 with 183 blocked shots in 169 career games.

Game On
Senior forward Reggie Lutz ranks first and senior defenseman Jack McNeely second on Minnesota State's career games played list.

Caval-Cade
Junior forward Cade Borchardt has racked up 8-15--23 in the last 19 games. The Burnsville, Minn., native  has 15-25--40 in 39 games on the season and owns 24-40--64 in 78 career games played.

What's the Point
Forwards Nathan Smith and Julian Napravnik top the Minnesota State scoring charts with 48 points each. Their 48-point totals are the most by a Maverick player since Aaron Fox had 50 points in 1999-00.

With 40 points a piece, Brendan Furry and Cade Borchardt have also reached the 40-point threshold this season.

This year marks the seventh season for the school's DI-era that the Mavericks have had at least two players with 40 or more points. This year marks the first year that the program (DI-era) has had at least four players reach the 40-point plateau.

Minnesota State DI Teams With Multiple 40-Point Players

Nathan Smith (48)    2021-22
Julian Napravnik (48)    2021-22
Cade Borchardt (40)    2021-22
Brendan Furry (40)    2021-22

Marc Michaelis (42)    2018-19
Parker Tuomie (40)    2018-19

C.J. Suess (43)    2017-18
Zeb Knutson (43)    2017-18
Marc Michaelis (40)    2017-18

Matt Leitner (45)    2013-14
J.P. Lafontaine (40)    2013-14

Travis Morin (42)    2005-06
David Backes (42)    2005-06

Shane Joseph (65)    2002-03
Grant Stevenson (63)    2002-03

Tyler Deis (46)    1996-97
Ryan Rintoul (40)    1996-97

Fur Real
Junior center Brendan Furry stands tied for third in scoring on the Mavericks with 10-30--40 and has played in all 39 games this  year. The Toledo, Ohio native, who has 4-12--16 in the last 14 games, has posted 15-38--53 in 67 career games.

Mavericks Statistically Nationally
Minnesota State ranks first in the nation with 34 wins, goals scored (165), scoring margin (2.95), and face-off percentage (58.5%).

The Mavericks are second in goals against average (1.28) and scoring offense (4.23), rank third on the power play (26.8) and are seventh in penalty killing (86.8).

Nathan Smith (18-30--48) and Julian Napravnik (18-30--48) are tied for second in the nation in scoring. Brendan Furry, Smith and Napravnik are tied for fourth in assists (30). Ryan Sandelin's 21 goals are tied for fifth in the nation.

Dryden McKay's 34 wins lead the country and his nine shutouts stand third. His 1.28 GAA is second and his .933 Sv% is fourth.

Didja Know
Freshman forward Will Hillman scored his first career goal in last Saturday's 8-1 CCHA semifinal win over Northern Michigan. Hillman, a Blaine, Minn., native has 1-1--2 in three games played in his first season of college hockey.