MANKATO, Minn. - No. 12 Minnesota State (15-5-2, 10-2-2 CCHA) meets Michigan Tech (12-8-2, 8-4-2 CCHA) for a CCHA series Friday and Saturday in Mankato. After both teams split last weekend in a return to conference play, the Huskies and Mavericks conclude the season series after MSU defeated MTU 5-2 and 3-1 in Houghton November 22-23. 

The Mavericks boast a 9-1-1 record over their last 11 outings, but stumbled Friday night in a 3-2 loss at Northern Michigan. The Mavericks bounced back with four goals in the first period Saturday to upend NMU 6-1 in Marquette. The Huskies have played six times since Dec. 29, including two at the Great Lakes Invitational in Grand Rapids and two in the Coachella Valley Cactus Cup, where they went 1-1. 

Both games this weekend will be streamed on Midco Sports Plus and broadcast on AM 1420 KTOE. Minnesota State leads the CCHA standings and Michigan Tech sits third.

ALL-TIME SERIES

• The Mavericks are 55-29-10 all-time against the Huskies in games dating back to 1996.
• More recently, MSU is 4-5-1 over the past ten matchups.
• Michigan Tech won the 2023-24 CCHA Semifinal matchup 4-3 in Houghton, Michigan.
• MTU scored three final period goals, including the game-winner with nine seconds left in regulation.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN TECH

• A young and talented Michigan Tech team hopes to make its fourth straight NCAA appearance in 2024-25 under eighth-year head coach Joe Shawhan, who is the second coach in program history to take MTU to at least four NCAA Tournaments.
• Shawhan won his 150th game as head coach last weekend.
• The Huskies earned a 1-0 shutout Saturday at home against Lake Superior State. Ryan Manzella marked his first collegiate shutout with 21 saves and improved to 3-0 on the year.
• Manzella joined MTU before the GLI after starting the season with Sioux Falls (11 games), where he recorded a pair of shutouts. Manzella called Saturday night the coolest atmosphere he has ever played in.
• Manzella is 3-0 for the Huskies.
• Owen Baker scored the game's lone goal 2:37 into the third period, putting in a rebound after a shot by Lauri Raiman was saved. Alex Nordstrom added the second assist on Baker's second of the season. Tech led 31-21 in shots. 
• Junior forward Stiven Sardarian leads the team with 27 points (9-18--27) over 22 games with three game-winning goals. He produced a national best 10 points in December, leading to his selection as CCHA Forward of the Month.
• Sophomore Chase Pietila leads Tech defensemen with 15 points (4-1--15). Held without a point for the first time in over a month on Saturday, Pietila saw a seven game point streak snapped against the Lakers.
• Last season's CCHA Rookie of the Year and All-CCHA Second Team selection Isaac Gordon has three goals, 12 assists and 15 points.
• Similar to MSU's Luke Ashton, Gordon has attended Columbus Blue Jackets NHL Development Camp. He led the CCHA with 36 points and finished second in goals with 18 as a rookie.
• Sophomore forward Max Koskipirtti (Espoo, Finland) skated in 33 games last year after competing in the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship. This year, he has four goals and 10 assists for the Huskies.
• Freshman Logan Morrell was the HCA National & CCHA Rookie of the Month in December, with a CCHA-leading six goals and one assist for seven points, along with a plus-6 rating.
• Kasper Vaharoutio leads the country with 53 blocked shots.
• Michigan Tech ranks sixth in the country for fewest penalty minutes (6:38 minutes per game).
• The Mavericks are 31-9-3 all-time against the Huskies in Mankato.

TOP OF DIVISION I

• The Mavericks allow the fewest goals per game to opponents (1.55) in Division I ahead of Maine (1.67) and Western Michigan (1.89).

CCHA MAVERICK STAT NOTABLES 

• Senior forward Rhett Pitlick is tied for third in the CCHA in assists (13). He is also fourth in points (21). Pitlick's four game-winning goals are tied for most in the CCHA.
• Defenseman Mason Wheeler ranks sixth in CCHA blocked shots (37).
• Forward Josh Groll and Rhett Pitlick are tied for second in the conference in plus/minus at +15.
• Center Adam Eisele is third in the conference in faceoff percentage (.566) with 149 wins in 21 games.

TRACY TRACKER

• Junior Alex Tracy (Chicago, Ill.) was named to the Mike Richter Award watch list on Jan. 15, among a group of 32 goaltenders vying for the nation's top netminder honor. 
• Tracy has started all 22 games in 2024-25 for the Mavericks and holds a 15-5-2 record.
• His 1.446 goals against average ranks No. 1 in Division I, ahead of Albin Joija (1.553, Maine).
• Tracy also boasts the third-highest save percentage in Division I (.943), with 525 saves and 32 goals allowed on the year.
• He has surrendered just 20 even-strength goals to opponents.
• Tracy's three shutouts lead the CCHA. He made 27 saves to blank North Dakota (Oct. 19), 27 saves to shutout Omaha (Oct. 26) and 21 saves to shutout Northern Michigan (Nov. 16). He has allowed three goals to an opponent just four times and never more than three.
• In his third season at Minnesota State, Tracy holds a 34-18-6 all-time record with six shutouts, a .919 save percentage (ninth among active Division I goaltenders), and a 2.06 goals against average (19th among active Division I goaltenders). Tracy played in 30 games last season.

HEADED TO THE POLLS

• Minnesota State men's hockey stayed to No. 12 in this week's USCHO.com Division I national rankings poll (Jan. 6).
• The Mavericks also slotted in No. 12 in the USA Hockey/The Rink Live Poll on Monday. Michigan State (18-2-2) retained the top position in the nation after winning the Great Lakes Invitational, sweeping Wisconsin, and picking up a win and a tie at Penn State last weekend. 

SPECIAL TEAMS REPORT

• The Mavericks are 12-57 (.211) on the power play this season.
• Rhett Pitlick posted MSU's first power play goal of the season in the first period against Merrimack College (Oct. 11), assisted by Josh Groll and Evan Murr.
• MSU scored four power play goals at Northern Michigan in the series (most against any opponent this season).
• The Mavericks have killed 55-67 penalties. 
• 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), second in the CCHA.
• The Mavericks ranked third in the CCHA for fewest penalties per game (3.59) last year. They are currently taking 3.7 penalties per game, with seven major penalties.

LAST YEAR: 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.

THIS WEEK IN THE CCHA

Friday, January 17, 2025

• Bowling Green at Ferris State 7:07 p.m. ET
• St. Thomas at Lake Superior State 7:07 p.m. ET
• Michigan Tech at Minnesota State 7:07 p.m. CT
• Lindenwood at Augustana 7:07 p.m. CT
• Northern Michigan at Bemidji State 7:07 p.m. CT

Saturday, January 18, 2025

• Bowling Green at Ferris State 6:07 p.m. ET
• St. Thomas at Lake Superior State 6:07 p.m. ET
• Michigan Tech at Minnesota State 6:07 p.m. CT
• Lindenwood at Augustana 6:07 p.m. CT
• Northern Michigan at Bemidji State 6:07 p.m. CT

MURR BREAKS OUT

• Sophomore Evan Murr scored two power play goals to help Minnesota State split at Northern Michigan over the weekend and finished with three points.
• The defenseman added six shots on goal and two blocked shots. He is tied for the team lead among blueliners with 10 points (2-8--10) and a plus-6 rating.
• Murr is currently on a three-game point streak (2-3--5).

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).