MANKATO, Minn. - Minnesota State men's hockey is back in action after a 202-day hiatus Friday and Saturday against No. 7 ranked University of Michigan. It will be the first trip to Yost Arena for the Mavericks, which begin a new campaign under second year head coach Luke Strand. MSU finished last season fourth in the CCHA regular season, then made it to the conference tournament semifinals, before bowing out at Michigan Tech in March. 

Michigan is fresh off its third straight appearance in the NCAA Frozen Four. The Wolverines, coached by Brandon Naurato chase the elusive national title after falling in the NCAA National semifinals last season to top-ranked Boston College 4-0 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

HOW TO FOLLOW

• Radio: AM 1420 KTOE (Matt Dean play-by-play)
• Stream: Big 10+
• Live Stats: mgoblue.com

ALL TIME SERIES

• Michigan leads the all-time series 1-0.
• The last meeting came on Oct. 16, 2021, resulting in a 3-2 victory for the Wolverines in Duluth, Minnesota in the IceBreaker Championship.
• Senior captain Josh Groll is the only current Maverick to appear in that game.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN

• Michigan added 12 new players, comprised of seven freshman and five from the transfer portal on August 14. They included five defensemen, five forwards and two goaltenders to join a 16-member returning squad.
• After going 11-11-2 in the Big 10 Conference, the Wolverines placed second in the conference tournament before their run to the NCAA Frozen Four.
• Michigan boasted the top power play in the nation, converting on 33.6 percent (50-for-149). During the season, Michigan scored six power-play goals in a single game, the first time since 1996.
• The sophomore class produced 297 total points during the season, more points than 36 entire NCAA Division I teams, and was responsible for 63.3 percent of the Michigan offense.
• The Wolverines averaged 4.12 goals per game, ranking third nationally in scoring offense. The Maize and Blue had 169 goals in 41 games.
• The Wolverines lost leading scorer Gavin Brindley  (F, Estero, Florida) to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted him 34th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
• Brindley was the Big 10 Player of the Year with 25 goals, 28 assists and 53 points (8th in NCAA DI).
• Second leading scorer Rutget McGroarty (16-36--52) also made the jump to the professional ranks, expected to skate for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.
• Returner Jacob Truscott ranks eighth in Division I games played by a defenseman entering this season (130). He also ranks second in career plus/minus (+47).
• Tim Loveall ranks second in Division I career points by a defenseman (79).
• Logan Stein ranks 10th in Division I careeer saves (1,877).
• Dakota Rheaume-Mullen is the third youngest player in Division I this season (12/18/06).
• Michigan is tied for the most NCAA Appearances in Division I history (41).
• The Wolverines also have the longest active streak of appearances (four).
• Michigan has won nine NCAA Championships (second) and made 28 Frozen Four appearances (28).
• Head coach Red Berenson has 848 career wins (third in Division I).
• Yost Arena is the third oldest arena in Division I hockey (1923). The Mavericks have never played there.
• The Wolverines continue non-conference play after seeing MSU.
• They will face Arizona State (Oct. 11/12), St. Cloud State (Oct. 18/19), United States U-18 Development Program (Oct. 25), Boston University (Nov. 1/2) and Notre Dame (Nov. 8/9).
• Christian Humphreys was selected by the Colorado Avalanche with the 215th overall pick in the seventh round on day two of the 2024 NHL Draft on June 29.
• Michael Hage was selected 21st overall in the first round by the Montreal Canadiens (June 28).
• Former University of Michigan defenseman Quinn Hughes (Vancouver Canucks) won the Norris Trophy, awarded to the NHL's top defenseman in June.

LAST TIME OUT: MAVERICKS FALL TO HUSKIES IN CCHA SEMIFINALS

• Scoring on a third-period penalty shot and again on a deflection in the crease with nine seconds left in regulation, Michigan Tech completed its comeback and defeated Minnesota State 4-3 in the CCHA Semifinal game on March 16, ending MSU's postseason at John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton, Michigan.
• The Mavericks outshot the Huskies 38-32 and marked the final games in a Maverick sweater for first line senior forwards Sam Morton and Lucas Sowder. 
• Adam Eisele, Will Hillman and Sowder scored goals while Brandon Koch recorded three blocked shots. 
• Logan Pietila was credited with the game-winner after the puck sailed back into the crease off the end glass and deflected off an MSU defender with 9.1 ticks left.

 

PRESEASON ALL-CCHA

• Minnesota State sophomore defenseman Evan Murr was selected as preseason All-CCHA and freshman Luke Ashton was selected as preseason Rookie of the Year by conference coaches on Monday. Local media also selected Murr as preseason All-CCHA.
• Murr (Stillwater, Minnesota) was an All-CCHA Second Team defenseman in 2023-24 and a CCHA Rookie of the Year Finalist. A member of the CCHA All-Rookie Team, Murr earned CCHA Defenseman of the Month last January and played 37 games as a freshman at right defense.
• Murr tallied six goals with 20 assists (first on team, third in CCHA) for 26 points (third on team, T-13th in CCHA) and posted a plus-1 rating with 31 blocked shots and 79 shots on goal.
• He notched three power play goals and two game-winning goals.
• Ashton (North Vancouver, British Columbia) was selected in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft (165th overall) by the Columbus Blue Jackets over the summer.
• He played for the Langley Rivermen (BCHL) last season and appeared in 53 games with 18 goals, 18 assists and 36 points with 18 penalty minutes.
• He also skated in four playoff games and recorded one goal. 
• Prior to Langley, Ashton spent two seasons with the Vernon Vipers and totaled 81 games played with two goals and seven assists.

SPECIAL TEAMS REPORT

• MSU was the 30th best team in Division I (fourth in CCHA) last year on the power play (.200) and the 21st best team on the penalty kill (.817), which was second in the CCHA.
• The Mavericks ranked second in the CCHA for fewest penalties per game (3.59). 
• MSU also scored three short-handed goals on the year.

MIDCO SPORTS PLUS

• Fans can stream all CCHA games live and on-demand, on their home televisions, computers, tablets, and mobile devices via Midco Sports Plus.
• The app is available on mobile/tablet apps (iOS and Android), connected TV device apps (AppleTV, FireTV and Roku) and a web-based browser interface.
• If you have additional questions or want to see more information about coverage or subscriptions, go to MidcoSportsPlus.com.
• International users (outside the US and Canada) can stream CCHA contests via the CCHA Stretch Internet Portal.

HOME ICE ADVANCE

• With 17 home games in 2023-24, the Mavericks averaged 4,439 fans for a total of 75,478 through the turnstiles at the Mayo Clinic HSEC, which has served as the home arena for MSU men's hockey since 1994-95.
• MSU went 20-1-0 in home games in 2021-22 and in 31 seasons in downtown Mankato, the team has enjoyed 25 winning years.
• The top attended game at Mayo Clinic HSEC was on Feb. 28, 2015 (5,446).

MAVERICKS INVITED TO NHL TRAINING CAMPS

• Ryan Sandelin (Minnesota Wild)
• Connor Mackey (New York Rangers)
• Sam Morton (Calgary Flames)
• Wyatt Aamodt (Colorado Avalanche)
• Ondrej Pavel (Colorado Avalanche)
• Teddy Blueger (Vancouver Canucks)
• Nathan Smith (Vancouver Canucks)
• Jake Livingstone (Nashville Predators)
• Dryden McKay (Los Angeles Kings)
• Akito Hirose (Vancouver Canucks)
• Brendan Furry (Philadelphia Flyers)
• David Silye (Calgary Flames)

HEAD COACH LUKE STRAND (2nd season)

• Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
• Alma Mater: Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Head Coaching Record: 226-184-55 (.545), 18-15-4 (NCAA)

Strand Coaching Career Timeline

2002-03	St. Norbert (Assistant)
2003-05	Green Bay Gamblers (Assistant)
2005-07	Wisconsin-Eau Claire
2007-09	Houston Aeros (Assistant)
2009-11	Sioux City Musketeers
2011-13	Abbotsford Heat (Assistant)
2014-15	Madison Capitols
2015-16	Wisconsin (Assistant)
2016-17	Calgary Flames (Scout)
2017-22	Sioux City Musketeers
2022-23	Ohio State (Assistant)
2023-Present	Minnesota State

ASHTON DRAFTED BY BLUE JACKETS

• The Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League selected future Minnesota State men's hockey defenseman Luke Ashton (North Vancouver, British Columbia) in the sixth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, 165th overall Saturday night at the Las Vegas Sphere.
• In his first season with the Langley Rivermen (British Columbia Hockey League) in 2023-24, he played 53 games and posted 18 goals, 18 assists and 36 points with 18 penalty minutes.
• He also skated in four playoff games and recorded one goal. Ashton played for the Vernon Vipers (BCHL) for two seasons prior to Langley and totaled 81 games, two goals and seven assists, along with 25 penalty minutes. In 2022-23, he tallied one goal and three assists in 10 playoff games. Prior to making the jump to the BCHL, Ashton spent three seasons with the Burnaby Winter Club.

MAVERICKS ROLL WITH GROLL AS CAPTAIN

• Minnesota State men's hockey named graduate student Josh Groll (San Diego, California) its team captain for the 2024-25 season in an announcement to the locker room on Tuesday (Sept. 10).
• Alternate captains included senior defenseman Jordan Power (Ottawa, Ontario), graduate forward Zack Krajnik (Eagle River, Alaska) and junior defenseman Mason Wheeler (Rosemount, Minnesota).
• Groll is in his fourth season with the Mavericks. In 2021-22, he led the team with 25 blocked shots and posted 12 points. Groll registered 11 points the following year and was a Krampade All-American Scholar. Last season, he was again a Krampade All-American Scholar and was honored with the Vets Club Hardest Worker Team Award. He also posted his best offensive season, with seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points.
• Spent 2020-21 with Michigan (Big 10) where he saw action in two games with the Wolverines.

PITLICK JOINS MSU HOCKEY IN LATE SEPTEMBER

• Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand announced senior forward Rhett Pitlick (Plymouth, Minnesota) has enrolled at MSU and joined the men's hockey program on Sept. 19, 2024.
• Pitlick played for the University of Minnesota  each of the past three seasons.
• Last season, Pitlick was named All-Big Ten Second Team and tallied 19 goals and 17 assists for a team-high 36 points.
• The Montreal Canadiens selected Pitlick 131st overall in the 2019 National Hockey League Entry Draft.
• After playing in the USHL for the Omaha Lancers, Muskegon Lumberjacks and Tri-City Story, Pitlick skated in 30 games as a freshman for the Gophers and tallied 18 points (5-13--18).
• The following year, he was one of nine players to appear in all 40 games and set career bests for goals (11), assists (14) and points (25).
• He also marked three points in four NCAA Tournament games and finished with a plus-17 rating.
• Pitlick's cousin is Tyler Pitlick, former Mavericks and National Hockey League player.

 

BENINCASA TRANSFERS TO MINNESOTA STATE

• Minnesota State men's hockey announced the addition of forward Luigi Benincasa on April 23, 2024.
• Benincasa comes to the Mavericks from Ferris State, where he played 33 games as a freshman for the Bulldogs. 
• Benincasa posted seven goals, 16 assists and 23 points with six penalty minutes and a plus-2 rating last year.
• Prior to college, he played three seasons with the Spruce Grove Fighting Saints in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).
• He led the team with 79 points, 48 assists and 31 goals in 2022-23, including nine goals and 16 points in the playoffs.

OFF-SEASON PROFESSIONAL TRANSACTIONS

• Forward Lucas Sowder (Pioneers Vorarlberg, ICE Hockey League, Top-tier in Austria)
• Defenseman Tony Malinowski (Reading Royals, ECHL, SPC contract, Philadelphia Flyers)
• Forward Sam Morton (Calgary Flames/Calgary Wranglers, NHL/AHL, two-way contract)

TRACY BACK IN THE CAGE AS A JUNIOR

• Entering his third year, Tracy ranks seventh in career goals-against average among returning Division I goalies (2.43).
• 2023-24 AHCA Krampade All-American Scholar.
• CCHA Goaltender of the Week (Mar. 11, Oct. 16)
• Played in 30 games, started 28 as a sophomore.
• Held 13-10-4 record with a 2.50 goals against and .910 save percentage last year with two shutouts.
• Totaled 12 games as a freshman, splitting with Keenan Rancier. Held 2.24 goals against and .879 save percentage with one shutout. 
• Majoring in Finance.

RETURNING FORWARDS TO WATCH

- BRETT MORAVEC (Soph., F): After an early spark of offense, an injury forced Moravec out of the lineup. Still he returned to appear in 27 games as a freshman and scored four goals with four assists, including 44 shots on goal. He also held a plus-4 rating with eight blocked shots, including two in the CCHA semifinals against Michigan Tech (Mar. 16). 

- LUCIANO WILSON (Jr., F): Wilson and his Italian celebration are back again. The Duncan B.C. native appeared in 36 games last season and tallied seveen goals and 12 assists for 19 points (eighth) with 75 shots on goal. He posted a season best seven shots on goal vs. Ferris State (Jan. 13) and rallied for three multi-point games, including in the CCHA quarterfinals vs. Northern Michigan (Mar. 9).

- TYLER HASKINS (Jr., F): Haskins was voted the team's Most Improved Player last year and played 18 games in his first season at MSU. He posted four goals, two assists and six points and held an even plus/minus on the ice.

- JOSH GROLL (Gr., F): Captain Josh Groll skated in 34 games for the Mavericks as a top-six wing. He posted seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points (seventh), along with 12 blocks and a pair of game-winning goals. With four multi-point games, Groll put up a season high seven shots at Ferris State (Nov. 11).

- ADAM EISELE (Jr., F): Tagged the CCHA Forward of the Month in December, Eisele returns after skating second line center minutes and posting eight goals (fifth), 15 assists (second) and 23 points (fourth, 24th in CCHA). He also scored two game-winning goals and blocked nine shots with 96 shots on goal last season.

- ZACH KRAJNIK (Gr., F): Krajnik started the 2023-24 campaign with injury rehab, but eventually appeared in 27 games, recording one goal and six assists. A year prior, Krajnik was the hero with the overtime game-winning goal in the CCHA Championship game against Northern Michigan.

- KADEN BOHLSEN (Sr., F): Skating in 37 games after three years at Nebraska-Omaha, no one is more experienced at the collegiate level than the six-foot-four-inch Bohlsen from Willmar, Minnesota. He scored 11 goals with 10 assists for 21 points in 2023-24, including four multi-point games and three shots on goal in the CCHA Postseason.

- BRIAN CARRABES (Sr., F): Carrabes skated in 36 games as a second line wing and collected 10 goals, 12 assists for 22 points (fifth) and 94 shots on goal. He also scored twice in the CCHA quarterfinal game on March 9 against Northern Michigan.

Carrabes came to MSU from Boston University, but previously played under coach Strand in Sioux City, where they won the Clark Cup in 2020-21.

RETURNING DEFENSEMEN TO WATCH

- MASON WHEELER (Jr., D): Wheeler was CCHA Defenseman of the Week (Dec. 4) and wears an A on his jersey for the second straight season. Last year he skated in 37 games on the top line and led the team with 51 blocked shots. He also posted a plus-6 rating with one goal, four assists and five points. He scored his first career goal at Lake Superior State (Dec. 2).

- EVAN MURR (Soph., D): Murr returns for his second season after being named All-CCHA Second Team and a CCHA Rookie of the Year Finalist. He was also CCHA Defenseman of the Month (January) and played 37 games on right defense. Murr tallied six goals and led the team with 20 assists (third in CCHA). His 26 points were also tied for 13th in the conference.

- JORDAN POWER (Sr., D): Skated in 31 games in first season after beginning collegiate career at Clarkson (three seasons). Power had one goal and six assists with 24 shots on goal and a plus-1 rating. He was third on the team with 35 blocked shots.

BERGMANIS TRANSFERS FROM VERMONT

• Junior defenseman Ralfs Bergmanis tallied two goals and 10 assists in 32 games for the Vermont Catamounts in 2023-24, along with 60 penalty minutes as a sophomore.
• He previously played for Latvia at the 2022 World Junior U-20 Championships and had three goals and two assists in five appearances.
• Bergmanis played for coach Strand in Sioux City in 2021-22, helping the squad to the league championship.

OTHER TEAM NOTABLES

• MSU is the seventh oldest team in Division I at an average age of 22.7 years.
• The Mavericks have the second largest senior class in Division I (nine players).
• MSU also has the second fewest freshmen (four). 

Departures from 2023-24

Player	Pos.	GP	Pts./GAA	Status
Lucas Sowder	F	33	27	Signed Austria
Sam Morton	C	37	34	Signed Calgary
Brandon Koch	D	34	14	Graduated
Jordan Steinmetz	F	32	10	Signed Netherlands
Tony Malinowski	D	13	4	Signed Reading
Keenan Rancier	G	13	2.44	Transferred Vermont
Tanner Edwards	F	5	0	Transferred Alaska Anchorage
Connor Gregga	F	28	4	Transferred Long Island

JOSEPH & STEVENSON ENTER MSU HOF

• Former MSU men's hockey greats Shane Joseph ('04) and Grant Stevenson ('03) are 2024 Minnesota State Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees.
• A four-year letterwinner, Joseph tallied 68 goals and 76 assists for 149 career points during his 139 games at Minnesota State.
• As a member of the 2002-03 season he helped the Mavericks win 17 games in a row as the team finished second in the WCHA standings before advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the NCAA Division I era.
• Joseph led the team in goals with 29 and assists with 36 as he went on to claim All-WCHA First Team honors.
• Joseph also claimed AHCA All-American Second Team honors for his efforts during the 2002-03 season as both he and his teammate Grant Stevenson became the first Mavericks to claim All-American honors in the Division I era.
• A two-year letterwinner from Spruce Grove, Alberta, Stevenson played in 76 games for the Mavericks during his two seasons. During the 2002-03 season, Stevenson finished second on the team in scoring as he recorded 27 goals and 36 assists for 36 points. He would earn All-WCHA First Team honors for his efforts, before being named a Jofa Second Team All-American.

MAVERICK HOCKEY HISTORY

• Now in its 56th year of existence, Minnesota State owns an all-time record of 1052-697-163 (.602).
• The Mavericks are in their 29th year as members of NCAA Division I and their fourth season as members of the CCHA.

DEAN HIRED TO CALL MEN'S HOCKEY

• Radio Mankato and Minnesota State Athletics have announced the hiring of Matt Dean to be the next play-by-play radio voice of Maverick men's hockey.
• Dean brings extensive radio broadcasting experience to Minnesota State, having served as the play-by-play voice of the St. Paul Saints baseball team, Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins on KFAN-Plus in the Twin Cities since April, 2023. He has also called prep hockey and multiple other sports in the twin cities.

VOICE OF THE MAVERICKS

• This year's Jim Schaffer Service Award recipient is TJ Palesotti who has worked as public address announcer for Minnesota State men's hockey for 20 seasons and football for 19 seasons.
• He will be honored during the 2024 MSU Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony.

POLL POSITION

• MSU received national votes in the 2024-25 USCHO.com preseason men's hockey poll.
• The Mavericks were ranked as high as No. 19 last season and received votes on 16 occasions.
• The team finished the 2022-23 campaign ranked No. 12 and 2022-23 ranked No. 2.