Box Score MANKATO, Minn. – Behind goals from senior Ryan Sandelin and freshman Christian Fitzgerald, who entered the game ranked 1-2 for 13^th-ranked Minnesota State in shot attempts, the Mavericks earned a thrilling 2-1 victory over Lake Superior State en route to at two-game sweep of the Lakers in the opening round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs,
 
MSU's vaunted power-play, which ranked third nationally coming into the game, was the key for the Mavericks as both of their goals came with the man advantage.
 
After a scoreless first period, in which the hosts held a 12-2 advantage in shots on goal, it took eight minutes and 30 seconds for MSU to get on the scoreboard as junior defenseman Akito Hirose moved the puck across the top of the offense zone to his blueline partner, junior Jake Livingstone.
 
Walking the puck off the left wall to the point, Livingstone picked out Christian Fitzgerald on the backside of the Lakers' crease and he banged home the puck into the LSSU net before goalie Seth Eisele could move.
 
However, it took just two minutes for the Lakers to tie the score as Dawson Tritt's entry pass found Jack Jeffers crossing the attacking blue line. Jeffers raced straight up the right side of the slot of put the puck underneath Maverick goalie Keenan Rancier and the score would remain tied at 1-1 until the final minutes of the game.
 
With 1:52 remaining in the game, the Mavericks went on their fourth power-play chance of the game and it took just 35 seconds to convert as Livingstone passed the puck from the left point to Sandelin, at the bottom of the left circle.
 
Sandelin looked to the slot for a pass before wristing a shot between the legs of Eisele with 1:17 to play in the game.
 
The game-winning goal was MSU's sixth power-play goal in 13 chances over the team's last three games.
 
With a 40-18 advantage in shots on goal, Rancier wasn't called upon often but came up big several times. Ranked second nationally in goals against average, he duplicated Friday's effort with a 17-save performance.
 
With their two-game road sweep of third-seeded Bowling Green, sixth-seeded Ferris State advances to Saturday's semifinal against the Mavericks. The teams will play a single game to determine which teams advances to the March 18 championship game.
 
Saturday's game at the MCHSEC is set for a 6:07 p.m. opening faceoff.