MANKATO, Minn. – Senior forward Jack Smith redirected Ean Somoza's high-slot pass with his shin pad and scored the only goal of the game as No. 16 Minnesota State men's hockey defeated Bemidji State 1-0 Friday night at Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Smith's ninth of the season came at 6:15 of the third period. Senior goaltender Alex Tracy made 20 saves, including a right pad save late, to earn his 11^th career shutout for the Mavericks. 
 
The Mavericks (16-8-5, 12-6-3 CCHA) conclude the series with the Beavers (11-17-3, 9-11-3 CCHA) Saturday at 6:07 p.m. CT.
 
MSU nearly scored early. Tristan Lemyre's goal was erased after Bemidji State successfully challenged for a major penalty, which was assessed to Sawyer Scholl (spearing). The Beavers hit the post twice on the subsequent power play, but Jakob Stender's pressure on the puck helped MSU return to full strength. Four minutes later, Smith hustled back to break up the Beavers' shorthanded 2-on-1.
 
In the second period, Max Hildebrand stretched for a pad save on Luigi Benincasa's back-door one-timer at 8:40. Sustained pressure by the Beavers late forced Minnesota State to take a timeout, and the teams went to the locker room with MSU leading 16-11 in shots on goal.
 
Bemidji State sent Hildebrand to the bench with 1:50 remaining in regulation, but Tracy and the Mavericks held on.
 
Both teams went scoreless on the power play and Hildebrand finished with 21 saves for BSU in the only meeting between CCHA rivals this season.