The 24th Season of Maverick Women's Hockey
Minnesota State wrapped up its 24th season of action owning a 15-19-1 overall record as well as a 10-19-1 record in Western Collegiate Hockey Association games. The Mavericks season ended with a 3-2 loss to #5 Minnesota Duluth in overtime in the third game of a best-of-three series during the first round of the WCHA Playoffs. After the Mavericks dropped game one 5-4 to the Bulldogs at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn., they evened the series with a 3-1 victory in game two.
The Mavericks 15-19-1 overall record during the 2021-22 campaign marked MSU's best finish win-percentage wise (.443) since their 2006-07 season when they went 16-17-2 (.486).
Minnesota State All-Time
Minnesota State, which began play in 1998-99, just completed its 24th season of competition. The Mavericks have compiled a 218-534-72 (.308) record in 824 games played. In 23 years as members of the WCHA, MSU holds a 135-428-57 (.264) record in 620 conference games played.
With its first postseason victory in nearly seven years, MSU now owns an all-time postseason record of 4-36. Prior to MSU's 3-1 victory over UMD back on Feb. 26, which evened the WCHA Quarterfinal series at 1-1, the Mavericks owned a playoff win drought dating back to March 1, 2014, when MSU defeated Wisconsin 3-0 in game two of a best-of-three series.
All-Time Career Points Leader
Senior forward Brittyn Fleming became the second women's hockey player in school history to eclipse the 100-point plateau when she recorded an assist and a goal in the Mavericks' 4-2 loss to UMD, Jan. 28. During the playoffs, she became MSU's all-time points leader, Feb. 25, in game one of the WCHA Quarterfinals at Minnesota Duluth. Now finished with 114 career points, she eclipsed Maggie Fisher's record of 109 points from 2005-09. She also owns MSU's all-time assists record with 70 helpers and was also MSU's leading point-scorer this season with 45 points and a team-high 25 assists in 35 games.
Fleming, who cashed in on an extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA to last year's student athletes who had seasons impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, broke MSU's all-time games played record when she skated in her 146th career game, Dec. 18, 2021, at BSU. She remained the Mavericks' all-time leader with 161 games played to finish her career.
Akervik: All-WCHA Second Team
Junior Charlotte Akervik was MSU's top offensive defenseman statistically this season as she was fourth on the roster in each scoring category with a career-high 8-17--25 in 32 games played. The Eau Claire, Wis., native broke Anna Wilgren's single-season record for points by a defenseman, which set during the 2019-20 season, when she registered her 25th point with an assist in the Mavericks 5-4 loss to the Bulldogs in game one of the WCHA Quarterfinals, Feb. 25. She also led MSU blueliners with 79 shots on goal and a +6 rating.
The Burke Wall
Senior netminder Chantal Burke made her Maverick debut in the last series of the regular season, Feb. 18-19 hosting Bemidji State, starting in goal both games before earning a shutout in each contest. Burke made 28 saves in game one, Friday, before posting a second 19-save shutout to lead the Mavericks to the sweep over BSU. She was named the final WCHA Goaltender of the Week of the 2021-22 season (Feb. 21).
In the WCHA Quarterfinals at Minnesota Duluth, Feb. 25-27, Burke started in all three games for MSU before the season came to a conclusion with a two games-to-one loss (5-4 loss, 3-1 win and 3-2 OT loss) in the best-of-three series. Burke made 102 saves for a .946 save percentage in the series.
The Captains
Senior defenseman Anna Wilgren served as captain of the Mavericks this season while Jessica Kondas and Brittyn Fleming were renamed alternate captains and Claire Butorac was named the Mavericks' newest alternate captain prior to the season's start.
King of the Hill
Junior forward Kelsey King was second on the Mavericks in terms of scoring during the 2021-22 season with 18 goals in 35 games to rank second in points with 18-23--41. King's 162 shots on goal this season set a new single-season record. She also owned the best plus-minus rating (+14) of any Maverick on the roster. In the Jan. 14-15 home-and-home series against Minnesota, she collared WCHA Forward of the Week after putting up five points, which included a pair of goals and three assists. In the series finale at Ridder Arena, King had three points with a pair of assists before scoring the overtime game-winner for a 5-4 MSU victory, which snapped a 53-game losing streak for MSU in the all-time series against Minnesota.
King earned forward of the week honors twice this season. During the Oct. 8-9 series hosting Lindenwood, she scored a career-high four goals and had three assists for a seven-point series against Lindenwood. In the first game of the series, King tied a pair of school records with four goals in a game, becoming the sixth player in program history to do so and the first since Kathleen Rogan (10-2 win over Lindenwood on Sept. 30, 2011), and by posting five points, which put her in a tie as the second athlete to do so alongside Kim Corona (11-0 win over Augsburg on Jan 23, 1999). King's third goal in the game was the eventual game-winner and marked the Mavericks' first natural hat trick since Corona accomplished the feat, which also last occurred on Jan 23, 1999, when MSU defeated Augsburg 11-0. King finished the big weekend with two more assists in the series finale, where the Mavericks won 7-6 in overtime.
Bobber in the Pond
Junior forward Kennedy Bobyck was third on the Mavericks for points during the 2021-22 campaign. She set career-highs for goals (nine), assists (19) and points (28). The native of Regina, Sask., owns a career line of 13-27--40 in 91 games wearing the Purple and Gold.
Frankly Fabulous
Junior goaltender Calla Frank appeared and started in all but nine games for MSU during the 2021-22 season. In December, Frank backstopped the Mavericks to a 4-1-1 record, which included a pair of sweeps over St. Thomas (Dec. 3-4) and St. Cloud State (Dec. 10-11). In both series, Frank blanked the opposition one time for her second and third shutouts of the season, marking the sixth and seventh of her career. Over the course of the six games throughout December, Frank made 140 saves on 146 shots to boast a .959 save percentage with a 0.99 goals-against average over 363:54 minutes of action. As a result, the Hugo, Minn., native was named HCA and WCHA Goaltender of the Month for December. Frank owned a 10-15-1 record with a 3.45 goals-against average and .892 save percentage on the season.
As a Maverick, Frank has appeared in 62 games and made 60 starts with a career record of 22-33-5, a .903 save percentage and 3.02 goals-against average.
The Calgary Kid Kondas
Similar to Fleming, senior defenseman Jessica Kondas opted to use her extra year of eligibility to compete one more season with the Mavericks. The Calgary, Alta., native owned a career-high for points with 4-15--19 in 33 games. A fearless presence in the defensive zone, Kondas led the Mavericks' with 70 blocks and finished third all-time among Maverick shot blockers with 248 in her career.
Padding the Stats
Freshman forward Alexis Paddington led Maverick rookies in point-scoring with 6-8--14 during the 2021-22 season. She scored her first collegiate goal against Wisconsin on Oct. 30, 2021.
Minnesota State's Special Teams
The Mavericks' power-play unit was among the best in the nation with 19 goals in 35 games. In terms of percentage, MSU was third in the conference and sixth in the nation with a 19-for-79 (.241) success rate on the advantage.
WCHA Scholar-Athletes
Ten Mavericks were named 2021-22 WCHA Scholar-Athletes. They were Charlotte Akervik (Jr., D, Eau Claire, Wis.); Lauren Barbro (So., G, Loudonville, N.Y.); Claire Butorac (Sr., F, Andover, Minn.); Calla Frank (Jr., G, Hugo, Minn.); Lyndsey Howard (Jr., D, Savage, Minn.); Kelsey King (Jr., F, Elk River, Minn.); Jessica Kondas (Sr., D, Calgary, Alta.); Sydney Langseth (So., F, Eden Prairie, Minn.); Jamie Nelson (So., F, Andover, Minn.) and Taylor Wemple (Sr., D, Maplewood, Minn.).
WCHA All-Acdemic Team Members
Sixteen Mavericks were named to the 2021-22 WCHA All-Academic Team. They were Charlotte Akervik (Jr., D, Eau Claire, Wis.); Lauren Barbro (So., G, Loudonville, N.Y.); Kennedy Bobyck (Jr., F, Regina, Sask.); Brooke Bryant (Sr., F, Linden, Calif.); Claire Butorac (Sr., F, Andover, Minn.); Danielle England (Jr., F, South Lyon, Mich.); Brittyn Fleming (Sr., F, Oregon, Wis.); Calla Frank (Jr., G, Hugo, Minn.); Lyndsey Howard (Jr., D, Savage, Minn.); Emerald Kelley (so., G, Hastings, Minn.); Kelsey King (Jr., F, Elk River, Minn.); Jessica Kondas (Sr., D, Calgary, Alta.); Sydney Langseth (So., F, Eden Prairie, Minn.); Madison Mashuga (So., F, Andover, Minn.); Jamie Nelson (So., F, Andover, Minn.) and Taylor Wemple (Sr., D, Maplewood, Minn.).
The Senior Class
The Mavericks 2021-22 graduating class featured defensemen Jessica Kondas and Taylor Wemple as well as forward Brittyn Fleming.
As a group, the Maverick trio combined for a career line of 56-99--155 in 359 games over the course of the last five seasons at Minnesota State.
-30-
