MANKATO, Minn. – Minnesota State scored three power play goals – the final coming off the stick of senior Cade Borchardt at 19:15 of the third period – en route to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Michigan Tech Saturday evening in the final regular season game of the year.
 
With the victory, the Mavericks claimed its sixth consecutive MacNaughton Cup, emblematic of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season champion. 
 
The Mavericks cracked the scoreboard at first 17:34 of the second period as senior Andy Carroll faked a shot from the left point before sliding into the left circle. He found a seam through the slot and gave the puck to senior Lucas Sowder, who blasted a shot from the right circle over the glove of Husky goalie Blake Pietila.
 
After Sowder's second-period goal, his fourth of the season, junior David Silye redirected a shot, by junior Akito Hirose from the top of the slot, out of mid-air and between the post and Pietila's stick side just 1:19 into the final period.
 
A penalty-shot goal less than two minutes later by Tristan Ashbrook, as he cut in from the left side, ducked his shoulder and used a stutter step before reaching around junior Keenan Rancier and sliding the puck home, cutting the lead in half and set up a thrilling finish for the conference crown.
 
The Huskies pulled Pietila for an extra attacker and appeared to have scored the game-tying goal with 1:31 remaining, only to have the goal waved off due to goalie interference.
 
It mattered little as Kyle Kukkonen, scored short-handed with the goalie pulled for an extra attacker just 25 seconds later.
 
Still on the power-play, the Mavericks were able to set up in the Michigan Tech zone and, with 45 seconds to play, Carroll collected his second assist of the game, and 17^th of the season, when he moved the puck from the top of the slot to Borchardt.
 
Borchardt's fourth goal of the season came when he caught the pass at the top of the right circle and quickly wristed a shot to the far side, giving his team its sixth consecutive title.
 
The 18^th-largest crowd in the history of the Mayo Clinic Health Systems Event Center, 5,120 fans, saw the Mavericks hoist the McNaughton Cup, setting an NCAA Division I men's record for consecutive outright league titles.
 
Goaltending also played a key role, not only in the game, but on the weekend, as Rancier stopped 22 shots for the game and 44 of 47 shots on the weekend. Pietila turned aside 68 of 71 shots for the weekend, including 33 in the loss, which saw MSU hold a 36-24 advantage in shots on goal.
 
The victory gave Minnesota State (21-12-1, 16-9-1 CCHA) the top-seed in the CCHA playoffs as they will face Lake Superior State in a best-of-three series next weekend at home.  Friday's game is scheduled for 7:07 p.m., while Saturday's contest scheduled for 6:07 p.m.  Sunday's if-necessary game is slated for 5:07 p.m.