MANKATO, Minn. - No. 14 Minnesota State hopes to keep a stranglehold on the CCHA Standings this week when it travels to Ferris State for a two-game series Friday at 6:07 p.m. and Saturday at 5:07 p.m. at Ewigleben Ice Arena. The Mavericks have 10 games left in the regular season in pursuit of their ninth MacNaughton Cup.

Coming off a home split against Michigan Tech, MSU remains the most stingy defensive hockey team in Division I (1.5 goals against per game). The Bulldogs collected a 4-3 regulation win over Bowling Green on Saturday but fell by the same score Friday at home. This weekend marks the only meeting between the CCHA foes, though the Mavericks swept the season series 4-0 in 2023-24.

Junior goaltender Alex Tracy leads the nation in goals against average and is currently fourth in save percentage. Sophomore forward Luigi Benincasa skated for Ferris State last season. Friday will be the first matchup against his former club.

ALL-TIME SERIES

• The Mavericks hold the edge 39-11-2 all-time vs. Ferris State in games dating back to 1992. MSU is on a seven game win streak vs. FSU, with the last loss to the Bulldogs on Dec. 3, 2022 (L, 3-2). The last time the Bulldogs won in Big Rapids was Nov. 5, 2021. 

SCOUTING FERRIS STATE

• The Bulldogs are 6-10-0 in CCHA play and in eighth place in the league standings.
• Head coach Bob Daniels announced he will retire at the end of the season after 36 years overall with the Bulldogs organization. Daniels won his 500th game at the helm earlier this year and led FSU to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including a historic trip to the 2012 NCAA Division I Frozen Four and a berth to the national championship game. The Bulldogs also reached the final eight of the national tournament in 2003, 2014 and 2016.
• This year marks the 50th year of Bulldog hockey and 47th as a Division I member.
• The Bulldogs are 3-6-2 at home. A home win against Bowling Green Saturday snapped a six game losing streak.
• FSU has one CCHA weekend sweep, at Northern Michigan Dec. 6-7.
• Junior Travis Shoudy (Marysville, Mich.) was named CCHA Defenseman of the Week. He collected three assists and was a plus-1 in a weekend split with Bowling Green, with five shots on goal and two blocks. His weekend was highlighted by posting two helpers and a plus-3 rating in a 4-3 Bulldogs victory on Saturday. He also dished out  one assist on Friday, extending his season long point streak to four games. 
• Redshirt sophomore forward Cole Burtch leads the team with four goals, 10 assists and 14 points. Burtch posted three assists on Jan. 10 in a 9-6 loss. He had one point in the series against Bowling Green.
• Junior forward Caiden Gault leads the team in goals with eight (8-4--12). Gault is scoreless in his last six outings.
• Junior forward Gavin Best has six goals and six assists (second in points). He managed one goal and one assist Saturday in a win over BGSU, along with five shots on goal.
• The Bulldogs play at Robert L. Ewigleben Arena (pronounced A-VEE-glave-in) on campus. The arena is in its 50th year of operation and named in honor of former FSU President Dr. Robert L. Ewigleben, who helped establish the sport of hockey and its progression to the NCAA Division I level.
• Friday is Educators Night and Saturday is Star Wars night in Big Rapids.
• The Bulldogs play at Bemidji State Jan. 31-Feb. 1.
• Five skaters recorded multi-point games on Jan. 10 when the Bulldogs fell to St. Thomas 9-6 in Mendota Height, Minnesota.
• FSU skated in the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off on Dec. 28-19 and fell 8-0 to Wisconsin in the opening round, then 4-1 to Alaska Fairbanks in the third-place contest.

HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARISON

Minnesota State	vs.	Ferris State
46.4% (56th)	Faceoff Percentage	44.4% (57th)
20.3% (29th)	Power Play Percentage	14% (58th)
1.54 (1st)	Opponent Goals	3.67 (59th)
+1.17 (7th)	Scoring Margin	-1.42 (59th)
71% (8th)	Winning Percentage	33% (54th
2.71 (T-38th)	Scoring Offense	2.25 (55th)
82% (23rd)	Penalty Kill	66% (61st)

 

TOP OF DIVISION I

• The Mavericks allow the fewest goals per game to opponents (1.54) in Division I ahead of Maine (1.78), Boston College (1.81), Western Michigan (1.85) and Augustana (1.91).

TRACY & PITLICK NOMINATED FOR HOBEY

• Minnesota State men's hockey junior goaltender Alex Tracy and senior left wing Rhett Pitlick have been nominated for the prestigious 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award bestowed upon the top player in men's college hockey.
• Tracy has played and started all 24 games for the Mavericks. He leads all goaltenders in NCAA Division I goals against average (1.449) and ranks fourth in save percentage (.942).
• Tracy is also 11th in goalie winning percentage (.708), tied for first in total wins (16), tied for third in shutouts (three) and 11th in saves (565).
• Named national goaltender of the month in November, Tracy has surrendered just 35 opponent goals (22 at even strength).
• After joining the Mavericks this fall, Pitlick has been the Mavericks' top offensive contributor, with nine goals (ninth in CCHA, three power play goals), 14 assists (fifth in CCHA) and 23 points (fourth in CCHA) in 24 games.
• Pitlick's four game-winning goals lead the team and CCHA. He also leads the CCHA in plus/minus at plus-17. Pitlick is currently 12th among active Division I skaters with 102 career points.
• Vote at msumavericks.com/hobey

HEADED TO THE POLLS

• Minnesota State men's hockey fell two positions to No. 14 in this week's USCHO.com and USA Hockey/The Rink Live Division I national rankings polls (Jan. 20).
• Boston College ascended to the top spot after sweeping Providence at home last weekend. Michigan State fell to No. 2, followed by Western Michigan, Minnesota and Denver.
• Maine dropped one position to No. 6 after a loss and a tie against Connecticut.

SPECIAL TEAMS REPORT

• The Mavericks are 13-64 (.203) 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 58-71 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. MSU is currently taking 3.67 penalties per game, with eight major penalties.

HISTORY OF THE MACNAUGHTON CUP

• The MacNaughton Cup is a trophy awarded annually to the regular season conference champion of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA).
• The trophy is named after James MacNaughton of Calumet, Michigan, who was a supporter of amateur ice hockey. 
• The Cup is hand crafted of pure silver and stands almost three-feet high and weighs nearly 40 pounds.
• The Mavericks have won the cup eight times, including six straight seasons from 2017-23. Bemidji State is currently in possession.