MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State played a complete defensive game to defeat St. Thomas 3-1 at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Friday night in CCHA play. The Mavericks limited the Tommies to 17 shots and kept UST off the scoreboard in the third period to secure three points against the league's current top team in the standings.
 
Luciano Wilson scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal on the power play in the first period and nine different Mavericks recorded a point.

"Our guys were connected on the offensive side and the defensive side," said head coach Luke Strand. "That put us in a good spot as far as managing pucks and then it gave us some organized play. They (St. Thomas) can skate and make plays so if you give them time and space, they are a deadly, deadly team."
 
Minnesota State (7-6-2, 5-3-1 CCHA) and St. Thomas (8-8-1, 6-5-0) meet again Saturday at 7:07 in St. Paul and the Mavericks do not return home again until January 12.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Lucas Wahlin was assessed a major penalty for boarding after a lengthy review 12:09 into the opening frame. Sam Morton cashed in on the power play with his team-leading 12^th goal at 9:55 after MSU cycled the puck at the top of the zone. Evan Murr and Josh Groll assisted after Morton wristed a shot at the right dot over the glove of Aaron Trotter.
 
Less than two minutes later, Mack Byers intercepted the puck at the top of the Tommie zone and skated the length of the ice for a shot under Alex Tracy's right arm to tie the score 1-1 shorthanded.
 
Still on the power play, Luciano Wilson notched his fourth goal of the season at 12:20 with assists from Kaden Bohlsen and Steven Bellini. The Mavericks took a 2-1 edge into the first intermission, leading in shots 10-8.
 
The Mavericks killed a hooking minor to start the second stanza and Kaden Bohlsen rifled a shot from the top of the right circle off the crossbar near the six-minute mark. With just eight seconds left in the period, Lucas Sowder leaned into a defender on his way to the net and lifted his fourth goal of the season with a hooking minor forthcoming. Adam Eisele and Koch collected assists.
 
The Mavericks limited the Tommies to five third-period shots on goal and Tracy finished with 16 saves for his sixth win this season. Eisele contributed with 13 of 15 faceoff wins and the Mavericks won 61.4-percent of overall draws.
 
Minnesota State went 2-5 on the power play while St. Thomas finished 0-3. MSU also blocked 12 shots.

"Our struggles so far this season have involved playing with a lead and after we got the lead, I thought we did a better job managing pucks and playing good in the defensive zone," Sowder said. "I think we are starting to find our identity as a team and I couldn't be more proud of this group tonight."