Box Score     Omaha, Neb. --- 20^th-rated Minnesota State continued its torrid pace in earning a 6-3 win at #13 Nebraska Omaha in a men’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played in Omaha, Neb.,  Friday night.

The win is the seventh in a row for the Mavericks, who have moved into a tie in the WCHA standings.  The streak equals the one put together by Minnesota State during the 2007-08 season.  The last time the Mavericks own eight in a row was in 1995-96 I(MSU's last year as a NCAA DII independent program).

Nebraska Omaha scored on its first offensive chance in the game, on a goal by Matt White at 1:53.  Minnesota State responded at 12:11 after junior forward Johnny McInnis took a feed from sophomore winger Chase Grant to beat UNO’s John Faulkner with a one-time with MSU on the power play. McInnis now has seven goals on the year.

The two teams combined to score five times in the second period, with MSU owning a 4-3 advantage once it was all said and done.  Freshman forward Dylan Margonari got his fifth goal of the season at 3:05 on a one-timer, but UNO responded a short time later on a power play goal by Zahn Raubenheimer at 8:26. Sophomore forward Jean-Paul Lafontaine tallied a power play marker at 10:03 and after McInnis scored his second of the game at 11:34, Faulker was replaced by Anthony Stolarz.   UNO drew within one once again on a tally by Ryan Walters, who scored on a backdoor play at 12:04.

Then with the Mavericks shorthanded, freshman forward Bryce Gervais took a pass from Eli Zuck and beat Stolarz on a breakaway for his fourth goal of the year at 1:40 of the third period.  Freshman defenseman Jon Jutzi converted on a two-on-one with Teddy Blueger to notch his first career goal at the 18-minute mark.  The assist was Blueger’s third of the night.

Now 10-5-2 overall and 8-5-0 in WCHA games on the season, Minnesota State trailed in shots in goal 28-27.

 Stephon Williams, who stands 7-3-1 on the season and won for the seventh consecutive time, turned aside 25 shots in getting the decision. The Mavericks finished two-for-five on the power play in the game, while Nebraska Omaha was one-for-six with the man advantage.  

The game was played in front of 6,125 fans at CenturyLink Center.

The two teams play again Saturday with a 7:07 p.m. face-off scheduled.

Head coach Mike Hastings commented after the game.


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