MANKATO, Minn. - Minnesota State men's hockey makes its 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament on Thursday at 4 p.m. CT at Scheels Arena in Fargo, N.D. The 14th ranked Mavericks take on third ranked Western Michigan (10th NCAA appearance) in a matchup featuring the top-scoring team in college hockey (Western Michigan, 4.05 goals per game) and the stingiest defensive group in Division I (Minnesota State, 1.47 goals against per game). 

The Mavericks won regular season (MacNaughton Cup) and conference tournament (Mason Cup) championships in the CCHA while the Broncos won regular season and postseason (Penrose Cup) titles in the NCHC. Leading the charge for the Broncos is sophomore forward Alex Bump (Prior Lake, Minn.) with 23 goals (fifth in DI) and 23 assists (15th in DI). Minnesota State junior goaltender Alex Tracy (Chicago, Ill.) will be tasked with stopping him (first in Division I save percentage and goals against average). Both teams are playing their best hockey in March, with Western Michigan winners of their last six and the Mavericks 10-0-1 over their last 11 games. The road to the Frozen Four begins in Fargo on Thursday night with both teams in pursuit of their first Division I National Championship.

HOW TO FOLLOW

• AM 1230/FM 103.1 The Fan Mankato (Matt Dean, John Maiers)
• Stream/TV: Watch ESPN/ESPNU
• Live Stats: https://www.ncaa.com/game/6384825
• Viewing Parties: Mankato (Buffalo Wild Wings, Tav on the Ave, Crooked Pint, The Flask, Pub 500), Apple Valley (Crooked Pint), Pregame Gathering in Fargo (Southside Pourhouse).

ALL-TIME SERIES

• Minnesota State meets Western Michigan for the first time in program history on Thursday. 
• The Mavericks last played in Fargo, N.D. in 2022-23 as a three seed in the NCAA Region Tournament against the second seeded St. Cloud State Huskies. SCSU won the matchup 4-0 at Scheels Arena.

HOW WE GOT HERE

• The Mavericks locked up the MacNaughton Cup at Lake Superior State on February 22, their seventh regular season title in the last eight years. The Mavericks tied and defeated Bemidji State 5-1 on home ice to close out the regular season before meeting the eight seeded Lakers again in the CCHA quarterfinals. There, MSU collected their ninth straight playoff quarterfinal sweep over an opponent with a 3-2 win in game one, followed by a 4-1 victory the following night. Junior Zach Krajnik broke out for a hat trick in game one. He scored five goals in four playoff games. 
• MSU's momentum carried into the semifinals, where they met seventh seed Bemidji State and won 4-0. Alex Tracy made 27 saves for his fifth shutout and Adam Eisele scored two goals MSU's top line re-energized after depth of scoring was a major factor vs. LSSU. MSU also outshot the Beavers 27-23 and added a late empty net marker.
• The Mavericks made it back to the title game in 2024-25, after Michigan Tech eliminated MSU in the semifinals last season. The Mavericks also locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament vs. BSU, back in the big dance for the first time since 2022-23. 
• The Mavericks put an exclamation mark on the conference tournament with their third Mason Cup, topping third seeded St. Thomas 4-2 in front of 4,538 in Mankato. MSU had four different goal scorers, including the game-winner on a point shot from sophomore Evan Murr (Stillwater, Minn.).

TRACY TRACKER

• Last week, junior Alex Tracy was named one of four finalists for the Mike Richter Award (given to the top goaltender in college hockey). He also made the top ten list for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award (given to the top player in college men's hockey).

2024-25 Highlights 

• CCHA Goaltender of the Year
• CCHA Player of the Year
• CCHA Student-Athlete of the Year
• Five time CCHA Goaltender of the Week
• Two time CCHA Goaltender of the Month
• Two time HCA National Goaltender of the Month
• Leads nation with .945 save percentage (all games)
• Leads nation with a .1426 goals against average (all games)
• Third in nation in shutouts (5)
• Third in nation in minutes played (2230)
• 26 total victories 

PITLICK CCHA FORWARD OF THE YEAR

• Rhett Pitlick (Plymouth, Minnesota) produced a CCHA-best 30 points on 10 goals and 20 assists in 26 league contests, posting a +22 rating, with 68 shots and 12 blocks defensively. 
• He collected two power-play markers and two game-winners in conference play. 
• Overall, he has 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points, including five game-winning goals, which ranks 11th nationally. He earned CCHA Forward of the Month honors in October and was named CCHA Forward of the Year (March 13).
• Pitlick currently has three assists in four postseason games.
• Pitlick is a First Team All-CCHA selection and was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award. 

MURR CONTINUES SECOND HALF SURGE

• Evan Murr (Stillwater, Minnesota) paced CCHA blueliners with 22 points in 26 CCHA games, scoring five goals with 17 assists. Amassing a +11 rating, he recorded 53 shots and 23 blocks, with four power play tallies and one game-winner. He notched six multi-point games in conference play was assessed only three minor penalties. 
• Overall, Murr has seven goals and 19 assists for 26 points. He was named CCHA Defenseman of the Year (March 13) and First Team All-CCHA after collecting All-Rookie CCHA and Second Team All-CCHA as a freshman in 2023-24. He also put away the Mavericks' third goal on Friday to help the team win the Mason Cup.

MR. MARCH

• Graduate student Zach Krajnik (Eagle River, Alaska) posted one goal and six assists for seven points in his first 34 games for the Mavericks. He then exploded for a hat trick to open the CCHA quarterfinals and added two more goals in games two and three (Bemidji State).
• This is not the first time Krajnik has become a hero in the playoffs for MSU. Two years ago, Krajnik put away the game-winning goal in the CCHA Championship against Northern Michigan at home, solidifying his status in the Mankato area as a fan favorite.
• Known for playing a 200 foot game, he was a finalist for CCHA Defensive Forward of the Year.
• In his fourth season with the Mavericks, Krajnik previously spend three years in the NAHL (Kenai River). 

CAPTAINS REPORT

• Graduate student Josh Groll (San Diego, Calif.) has been steady all season for on the top line with center Adam Eisele and wing Rhett Pitlick. With an empty net marker in the CCHA Championship last week, Groll took over as the team leader in goals (14).
• He also has 18 assists and a plus/minus rating second best in the nation (+31). Only Pitlick (+32) and Connor Kurth (+31, Minnesota) have been able to match it. Groll has one goal and one assist in the playoffs and a season-high four points (one goal, three assists) in a win at Ferris State (Jan. 25).

DEFENSE PREVAILS

• The Mavericks allow the fewest goals per game to opponents (1.47) in Division I ahead of Boston College (1.74), Maine (1.89) and Michigan State (2.03). MSU has allowed four goals to an opponent only once in 2024-25, October 5 at No. 7 Michigan.
• Don't sleep on Western Michigan however, as the Broncos check in seventh on the list at 2.11 goals against.

HEADED TO THE POLLS

• Minnesota State men's hockey was ranked No. 14 in by USCHO.com and USA Hockey/The Rink Live in Monday's NCAA Division I National Polls.
• The Mavericks (27-8-3) were ranked No. 15 in both polls last Monday and have been as high as No. 11/12 this year (Dec. 16). 

STRAND COACH OF THE YEAR FINALIST

• Minnesota State head men's hockey coach Luke Strand was named a finalist for CCHA Coach of the Year, along with St. Thomas head coach Rico Blasi and Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels.
• The Mavericks accumulated several conference individual awards.
• Off the ice, Strand's Mavericks held a 3.47 fall grade point average, extending the team's streak to 15 straight semesters having a 3.10 or higher GPA. Twelve student-athletes were named to the Dean's List.
• In two seasons at the helm, Strand holds a 45-23-7 overall record. In his first season with a brand new staff, Strand helped the Mavericks make the CCHA Semifinals and finish 18-15-4 overall.

NCAA HISTORY

• The Mavericks have also appeared in Providence, Rhode Island (2003, 2019), Toledo, Ohio (2013), Worchester, Massachusetts (2014), South Bend, Indiana (2015), Sioux Falls, South Dakota (2018), Loveland, Colorado (2021) and Albany, New York (2022).
• With berths to the Frozen Four in 2021 and 2022, the program's best finish in Division I came in 2022.
• The Mavericks defeated the University of Minnesota 5-1 in the national semifinals before falling to Denver by the same score in the National Championship at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Minnesota State played Cornell in their first NCAA Division I appearance in 2003 and fell to the Big Red 5-2 in Providence, Rhode Island.

SCOUTING WESTERN MICHIGAN

• Pat Ferschweiler was named Western Michigan head hockey coach on Aug. 3, 2021 after spending two seasons as an associate head coach with the program (2019-21). It was his second stint with the Broncos after he spent four years as an assistant coach for the Detroit Red Wings under former WMU head coach Jeff Blashill. Prior to entering the professional coaching ranks, Ferschweiler was an assistant coach/associate head coach for WMU from 2010-2014.  
• The Broncos went 19-4-1 in NCHC play during the regular season. WMU bested St. Cloud State 6-2 back-to-back nights in the conference quarterfinals, then defeated No. 17 North Dakota 4-2 in the NCHC Final Faceoff at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The toughest test came against No. 6 Denver in the Championship and the Broncos prevailed in double overtime 4-3 for their first ever Frozen Faceoff title.
• Alex Bump delivered the game-winning goal, which game WMU a 30-win season and was coach Ferschweiler's 100th win as head coach.
• Bump tallied two goals, while Zack Sharp and Tim Washe each had goals of their own. Hampton Slukynsky collected his 15th win of the season.
• Freshman goaltender Hampton Slukynsky (Warroad, Minn.) is a fourth round pick of the Los Angeles Kings in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. With 21 starts, he holds a 2.04 GAA and .918 save percentage. Graduate goaltender Cameron Rowe (Wilmette, Ill.) has also seen significant minutes, with 17 starts and a 2.00 GAA and .924 save percentage for the Broncos.

TEAM COMPARISON

Minnesota State		Western Michigan
47.3% (54th)	Faceoff Percentage	54% (9th)
21.2% (26th)	Power Play Percentage	24.5% (11th)
1.47 (1st)	Opponent Goals	2.11 (6th)
+1.47 (5th)	Scoring Margin	+1.95 (1st)
75% (4th)	Winning Percentage	80% (1st)
2.95 (25th)	Scoring Offense	4.05 (1st)
85% (9th)	Penalty Kill	87% (4th)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS REPORT

• The Mavericks are 21-99 (.212) on the power play this season. MSU did not score a power play goal against Lake Superior State in the CCHA quarterfinal series, did not go on the power play in the CCHA semifinals and scored one power play goal in the CCHA championship against St. Thomas.
• 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 a series (most against any opponent this season).
• The Mavericks have killed 87-103 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 3.3 penalties per game, with eight major penalties.

MANKATO CHOSEN TO HOST WORLD JUNIORS

• Mankato has been named as one of Minnesota's host communities for the World Juniors Pre-Tournament Series presented by Delta Dental of Minnesota. Several exhibition games will be played throughout Minnesota as part of the exciting lead-up to the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship which will take place Dec. 26, 2025 - Jan. 5, 2026, in the Twin Cities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

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). 

MAVERICK HOCKEY HISTORY

• In its 56th year of existence (26th in Division I), Minnesota State owns an all-time record of 1052-697-163 (.602).
• The Mavericks are in their 26th year as members of NCAA Division I and their fourth season as members of the CCHA.