MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS

Madison, Wis. --- Minnesota State junior defenseman Kurt Davis is this week’s Red Baron® WCHA Defensive Player of the Week and freshman goaltender Phil Cook has been named Red Baron® WCHA Rookie of the Week.

A 5-9, 175-pound junior from Plymouth, Minn., Davis helped hold the opposing fourth-rated St. Cloud State to four goals in the two-game home-and-home series, played a key role as a penalty-killer as MSU blanked SCSU on all nine of it’s weekend power-play chances, and also contributed four scoring points.
    Last Friday night at Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato, Davis scored the eventual game-winning goal and set up two others for three points as the host Mavericks won 4-2 over the Huskies. He was named the Second Star of the Game.
    Then last Saturday at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Davis assisted on teammate Rylan Galiardi’s game-tying power-play goal at 9:08 of the third period as the visiting Mavericks earned a 2-2 (ot) tie to take three of four points in the series.
    On the season, Davis ranks fourth among WCHA defensemen in scoring overall with 23 points (5g, 18a) in 35 games played.

Cook earns this week’s award after backstopping the Mavericks to a win and tie against nationally-ranked St. Cloud State last weekend.
    A 6-3, 180-pound freshman from Wheaton, Illinois, Cook stopped 51 of 55 shots on goal in the two-game series for a .927 saves percentage, helped hold SCSU scoreless on all nine of their power-play chances, and posted four shutout periods, including one in overtime.
    Cook stopped 27 of 29 shots on goal last Friday as the host Mavericks posted a 4-2 WCHA win over St. Cloud State. He held the Huskies scoreless on 5-of-5 man-advantage opportunities and earned Third Star of the Game honors.
    In last Saturday’s 2-2 (ot) WCHA tie at St. Cloud State, Cook again got the start between the pipes and responded with 24 saves on 26 shots.
    So this 2009-10 season, Cook sports a 7-4-2 record for all games with a 2.42 goals-against average and a .915 saves percentage. His winning percentage of .615 ranks fifth in the WCHA for all games, his goals-against average is fourth, and his saves percentage is second best for all games.  This is the second WCHA Rookie of the Week honor for Cook - he also picked up the award back in January after MSU swept visiting RIT.

MSU is 15-18-3 on the year and plays at St. Cloud State this weekend in a best-of-three WCHA first round play-off series.



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