MANKATO, Minn. – Junior Akito Hirose had a key assist on Minnesota State's first goal and then eventually scored the game winner, capping off a four-point weekend by leading the 17^th-ranked Mavericks to a 2-1 win and weekend sweep of Lake Superior State.
 
The win, in front of 4,913 fans at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, was the sixth in a row for MSU to start off the 2023 calendar year.
 
For the second night in a row, the teams skated through the opening 20 minutes scoreless, but, unlike Friday, it was the Lakers who would get on the scoreboard first when Jack Jeffers found the back of the net at 2:32 of the middle period.
 
The Mavericks got that goal back with 1:28 remaining before the second intermission as Hirose's shot from just inside the blue line was tipped by senior Ryan Sandelin on the left side of the slot and junior David Silye tipped it a second time as LSSU goalie Ethan Langenecker was unable to keep up with the puck, knotting the game at one.
 
It was Hirose again making a key play that gave the Mavericks a lead. A Laker forward batted down the puck inside his own blue line but Hirose picked up the puck at the left point, skated to the middle of the ice and then fired home his third goal of the year at the 3:44 mark of the final frame.  Freshman Adam Eisele and junior Ondrej Pavel each collected assists on the goal.
 
The score remained that way into the closing minutes of the game and, with 1:19 to play, the visitors were able to pull their goalie for an extra attacker.
 
Finally, 63 seconds later, freshman Christian Fitzgerald forced a neutral zone turnover and Silvye quickly gathered the loose puck and fired it into the empty net for his second goal of the game and team-leading 19^th of the season.  Sandelin also added an assist on the play.
 
The Mavericks enjoyed a 33-17 advantage in shots on goal with sophomore Keenan Rancier stopping 16 of the 17 shots he faced. He has been in goal for each of MSU's last six wins, allowing just nine goals during that time.
 
Minnesota State (16-9-1, 11-6-1 CCHA) travels to Ferris State, Friday and Saturday, for a pair of Central Collegiate Hockey Association games.
 
Game times at FSU's Ewigleben Arena are slated for 6:07 p.m. CST, Friday, and 5:07 p.m. CST, Saturday.