MANKATO, Minn. – Defenseman Mason Wheeler scored his first career goal and Minnesota State notched a 4-3 victory Saturday night over Lake Superior State at Taffy Abel Arena to take five out of a possible six points on the weekend. Keenan Rancier reached back for a critical save in the closing minutes and MSU finished 6-6 on the penalty kill to improve to 4-3-1 in the CCHA standings (6-6-2 overall).
 
"He made a timely save at a big moment but I felt he was good all night," said head coach Luke Strand. "It was maybe our best team win so far this year as far as players being connected and their energy toward one another."
 
Sam Morton posted his team-leading 11^th goal of the season on the power play at 16:03 of the opening period. Adam Eisele fed a pass from the left corner cross ice to Morton, who one-timed a high shot for a 1-0 lead. Lucas Sowder also assisted.
 
Eisele made it 2-0 Mavericks just 18 seconds into the second period. MSU won the center ice draw and Eisele found a pass through a defender from Zach Krajnik entering the zone. Eisele's shot from inside the left circle trickled across the line. Brendan Olson added the second assist.
 
Lake Superior State cut the deficit to 2-1 at 6:53 when Nate Schweitzer snuck a backhander through Rancier low on a 2-on-2 rush. The play sent a pair of players careening into the goal, including Jordan Steinmetz.
 
The teams exchanged power plays through the middle of the period. Then Wheeler snapped a long wrister from the left point which found the top left corner and a 3-1 advantage. Tanner Edwards provided a screen in front of the crease and assists went to Brian Carrabes and Kaden Bohlsen.
 
I couldn't be happier for Mason," said Strand. "His staple is he's hard to play against. He plays that gritty style. To be rewarded with a goal was meaningful for our group and it came at a really important time of the game as well."
 
The Lakers made the Mavericks pay for a turnover with 24 seconds remaining in the second. The play started with Morton's attempt to play a bouncing puck and ended with a tap-in on the back door by Timo Bakos.
 
Just shy of five minutes into the third, Brandon Koch lifted a shot toward the goal that hit Krajnik in front and found the stick of Bohlsen, who shoveled it in for a 4-2 advantage.
 
A left point shot made its way through traffic in front of Rancier at the 15:34 mark of the third period, reviewed for a high stick but deemed legal by Sasha Teleguine. The Lakers pulled Langenegger with 2:10 remaining and Rancier made a save reaching back with the paddle of his stick with 1:46 left for the Mavericks.



Rancier picked up his first win in goal for the Mavericks this season with 26 saves. Langenegger took the loss after allowing four goals on 29 shots. The Mavericks led 9-3 in blocks and went 1-4 on the power play. The Lakers generated six shots in six extra man opportunities.
 
"We had to use the bench and the contributions they made were important, especially on special teams," Strand said. "The league is so close. The parody is so tight. This is a great win for us."
 
The teams tied in overtime 2-2 Friday night but the Mavericks nabbed an extra point with a shootout win. MSU plays a home-and-home series against University of St. Thomas next week, with four games left in the calendar year.
 
Lake Superior State (7-8-1, 4-5-1) plays at Bemidji State next weekend. The Maverick defensemen held CCHA leading scorer Jared Wescott off the scoresheet for a second straight night. Eisele (1-1—2), Krajnik (0-0—2) and Bohlsen (1-1—2) notched multi-point games.