MANKATO, Minn. – Junior forward Jakob Stender (Alexandria, Minn.) wired the game-winning goal 17:55 into the third period and No. 17 Minnesota State defeated Bowling Green 5-4 Friday at Slater Family Arena.
 
The win propelled the Mavericks (17-9-5, 13-7-3 CCHA) ahead of the Falcons (16-9-6, 13-7-3 CCHA) for fourth place in the CCHA men's hockey standings. The teams will meet again on Saturday at 5:07 p.m. CT. Fin Williams assisted on Stender's fourth goal of the season with a turnover in the neutral zone and a head-man pass.
 
Sawyer Scholl started the Mavericks off with a 1-0 lead when he one-timed a shot from a knee at 7:37 of the first period. Campbell Cichosz and Stender assisted on Scholl's second goal of the season.
 
Tyler Hotson evened the score 1:06 later and Maxwell Martin made it 2-1 Bowling Green at 15:29 with a short-angle shot off a 2-on-1 rush into the offensive zone. Jeremie Green scored to make it 3-1 before intermission for the Falcons. All four opening period goals came at even strength.
 
The Mavericks posted three unanswered tallies in the second period to seize back the lead 4-3. Ean Somoza started the onslaught with a laser wrist shot on zone entry. Then Evan Murr charged the low slot with a backhand try and Zetterberg deflected the rebound back off Murr in front of the crease. Later, Liam Watkins and Tristan Lemyre set up a point shot for Jacob Conrad, whose slap shot found its way through traffic.
 
Brandon Whynott's puck off his own skate entered the goal at 13:35 of the third period was deemed legal after official review. Then Stender scored, approaching two minutes to play in regulation and the Mavericks survived after Bowling Green pulled goaltender Cole Moore for an extra attacker.
 
Moore finished with 31 saves for BGSU and Alex Tracy stopped 25 shots, including 11 in the third period for MSU. Stender led the Mavericks with three blocked shots and the teams combined for 46 penalty minutes.