MANKATO, Minn. – Ryan Lautenbach scored twice and Minnesota State struggled on the power play, leading to a 6-3 defeat against Massachusetts Friday night at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center in men's hockey non-conference play.
 
The No. 19 Mavericks rallied to tie the game 3-3 in the second period but went 0-for-6 with the man advantage as MSU fell for the first time in 2023-24. Both teams posted 31 shots on goal but a pair of third period Minuteman tallies helped seal the game. 
 
"To their credit, I thought they (UMass) played an excellent game," Strand said. "I thought they were tight and tied together. We probably had our opportunity to climb back in but we faltered in some areas we have to be tight in. You can't be 0-3 on special teams, especially against a good team, and still have that momentum and push. So that has to be cleaned up. We have to stay connected and believe. We played a spurt of really good hockey in there too."
 
Minnesota State (2-1-0, 0-0-0 CCHA) plays Massachusetts (3-1-0, 0-0-0 HEA) again Saturday night in Mankato at 6:07 p.m. Despite the loss, Luc Wilson and Adam Eisele recorded two-point nights with a goal and an assist each.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
UMass killed off a 5-on-3 for 1:11 early in the first period. Lucas Vanroboys went to the penalty box for holding and Lucas Mercuri tripped Sam Morton on a zone entry but a high-danger scoring chance failed to materialize for the Mavericks as UMass blocked a pair of shots.
 
Later, Aydar Suniev scored for UMass from the high slot after a point shot from Aaron Bohlinger deflected through traffic. Jack Musa also assisted at 13:56 of the first period.
 
Three minutes later, the teams exchanged shots off the crossbar, first from Elliott McDermott and then Eisele on the ensuing 2-on-2 rush for the Mavericks.
 
The Minutemen scored on their first power play of the night with 58 seconds remaining in the first period. Scott Morrow drew a defender at the left circle and found Jack Musa alone in the low slot for a one-time shot and a 2-0 UMass advantage.
 
MSU led 11-8 in shots on goal after 20 minutes while UMass collected 13 of 21 faceoff wins.
 
Less than two minutes into the second, Wilson skated after a loose puck and entered the zone, making a backhand pass across to Eisele who one-timed his second goal of the year, cutting the deficit in half.
 
Then Connor Gregga found the puck in his skates and shoveled it on goal. Brenden Olson spun around and cleaned up the rebound for the Mavericks at the 14:08 mark of the second period.
 
It took UMass just 46 seconds to respond. Morrow intercepted a long neutral zone pass and went cross-ice to Lautenbach to make it 3-2.
 
The Mavericks tied it again at 3-3. Mason Wheeler sprung Adam Eisele with a long outlet pass. Eisele pulled up and rifled the puck across to a streaking Luc Wilson for his first goal of the season.
 
The Minutemen posted a shorthanded goal nearing the end of the second period that proved to be a turning point. Lucas Mercuri skated out of the UMass right corner and created a two-on-one striding up the ice. Ryan Lautenbach tapped it in on the back door for a 4-3 score.
 
The Mavericks earned a pair of power play chances to open the third but dropped to 0-6 with the man advantage.
 
Conversely, the Minutemen scored on their second power play of the night at 11:52 of the third period. Lucas Mercuri tipped a Cole O'Hara top-of-the-left circle pass, giving UMass a 5-3 lead. O'Hara scored to make it 6-3 with 7:19 left in regulation.
 
UMass finished 2-for-5 on the power play. Michael Hrabal (UMass) stopped 28 shots in goal while Alex Tracy made 25 saves for the Mavericks in his third straight start.