MARQUETTE, Mich. – Following a flurry of early goals, Minnesota State skated away from Northern Michigan 6-1 Saturday at Berry Events Center. The Mavericks avenged a 3-2 Friday night loss to the Wildcats and improved to 15-5-2 overall, 10-1-2 CCHA. NMU fell to 2-19-1, 1-12-1 CCHA.
 
The Mavericks saw six different goal-scorers, including one goal and two assists from senior Josh Groll. Evan Murr, Steve Bellini and Rhett Pitlick also posted two points apiece. MSU also killed all six penalties and went 3-4 on the power play.
 
MSU returns home to host Michigan Tech for a pair of games next weekend.
 
"We are happy with our response," said head coach Luke Strand. "Consistency is the trademark of winning teams both as individuals and as a whole. We will continue to work for that. We need to work hard to protect our standard."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Josh Groll carried the puck in up the left side, drew a defender and slid it across for a Kaden Bohlsen, who deposited his third goal of the season at 5:02 of the first period. Brian Carrabes made it 2-0 three minutes later on the power play. Carrabes stepped in from the top of the left circle and wired a wrister to the far post. Rhett Pitlick and Steve Bellini assisted on Carrabes' seventh of the year.
 
Later, Evan Murr peeled off the half wall for a shot. Groll hammered in the rebound for a 3-0 edge. Murr backpedaled into the middle of the offensive zone found space on the glove side, off the post and in to put an exclamation point on a four-goal opening frame. Luke Ashton collected the first assist.
 
Jakob Stender outskated a defender and put away his second of the season just 38 seconds into the second stanza. Then Steve Bellini notched his first with a point shot after Groll won the offensive zone draw.
 
Ryan Duguay responded with his fourth tally of the weekend for the Wildcats to make it 6-1 before the midpoint of the contest. The Mavericks held a 22-15 advantage in shots after two periods and both teams went scoreless in the third period.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
 
Alex Tracy finished with 21 saves for the Mavericks. Ryan Ouellette and Ethan Barwick combined for 26 saves for Northern Michigan. The Wildcats led 23-8 in blocked shots after getting in front of 34 on Friday. NMU held a 32-30 advantage in the faceoff circle. The Mavericks have won 12 of their last 13 games and remain atop the CCHA standings.