Men's Hockey | 11/7/2015 8:49:00 PM

Box Score       Big Rapids, Mich.  --- Sophomore forward Zeb Knutson had a goal and an assist as Minnesota State edged Ferris State 3-2 in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association men's hockey road contest in Big Rapids Saturday.

For only the second time on this year the Mavericks recorded the game's first goal as junior forward Zach Stepan jammed the puck past Bulldog netminder Darren Smith for his second goal of the season at 1:39 of the opening stanza. Junior forward Jordan Nelson and Knutson recorded assists on the play for their first points of 2015-16.  Ferris State knotted the score at 6:44 on a power play goal by Kenny Babinski as the first period concluded with the score 1-1.

Corey Macklin scored with Ferris State shorthanded at 9:33 of the middle period, but Casey Nelson, whose shot from the point bounced off a body before going in at the 11:00 minute mark, evened the score at 2-2.  Junior forward Michael Huntebrinker found Knutson on the right side of the rink on a two-on-one chance and the sophomore from Sioux Falls made no mistake with his shot finding the back of the net at 17:29.

Knutson's tally, his first of the year, held up as the game-winner as the two teams battled through a scoreless third period.

The Mavericks went zero-for-six in power play chances on the night and junior Cole Huggins was credited with 29 saves for Minnesota State in the contest in bringing his record to 3-5-0 for the year. The Mavericks owned a 33-31 shots on goal advantage in the contest.

Minnesota State, which stands 5-5-0 overall and owns a 5-1-0 WCHA mark, plays a pair of nonconference games versus the University of Minnesota next weekend in its next action.
 
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