BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Freshmen contributed four goals to propel No. 18 Minnesota State men's hockey to a 6-1 win at Ferris State Friday night at Ewigleben Ice Arena in CCHA play. Freshman Reid Morich (Fountain Hills, Ariz.) led the team with two goals and MSU dominated with 40 shots, scoring six goals for the first time this season. Jack Smith won 13 of 18 faceoffs and Mason Wheeler scored his first goal of the year.
 
The Mavericks (14-8-5, 10-6-3 CCHA) take on the Bulldogs (4-23-0, 3-16-0 CCHA) again Saturday to conclude the series at 5:07 p.m. CT.
 
In the first, Bryce Strand pinched to keep the puck inside the offensive blueline and wristed a low shot on goal. Freshman Mason LeBel spun around and pushed the rebound through goaltender Hobie Hedquist for his third goal of the season at 3:15 at even strength. It was LeBel's ninth point in his last 11 games for MSU.
 
Tristan Lemyre skated into the slot and wired a wrist shot to the blocker side top corner for his team-leading 12^th goal of the season and a 2-0 Maverick lead at 15:34. MSU led 19-3 in shots on goal after 20 minutes of play.
 
Nearing the five-minute mark of the second period, the Bulldogs took advantage of a power play as Gavin Best tapped in Max Itagaki's long-range shot at the weak side.
 
Wheeler made it 3-1 with his first tally of the season on a short-side wrist shot. Ean Somoza and Luigi Benincasa assisted at 8:44. Freshman Jordan Ronn added another for the visitors in the final minute of the middle stanza. LeBel's low shot was kicked out but Ronn backhanded in the rebound for his fourth of the season. Evan Murr picked up the second assist, his team-leading 16^th of the year.
 
Morich one-timed a pass across the line in the low slot for a 5-1 advantage early in the third period. Then he scored again off the rush ten minutes later. Jakob Stender assisted on both of Morich's goals to help the Mavericks pull away.

"It was a good team win tonight," said head coach Luke Strand. "We played to an identity. We have been growing as a group. The depth scoring was good to see. We need to show maturity against this team in night two tomorrow."
 
Alex Tracy made ten saves for his 14^th win of the season. Hedquist finished with 34 saves for Ferris State.