Recruit Updates

Garry Nunn is currently tied for 23rd in scoring in the BCHL this year, with 34 points, and third among players born in 1989, behind Wisconsin recruit Kyle Turris and Michigan recruit Ben Winnett, who could both go in the first round of this year's NHL draft.

Mike Louwerse was listed as a "Player to Watch" by the Star-Trib in their Metro Area Preview. Here's what they had to say:

Mike Louwerse, Blake, sr.: The Minnesota State Mankato recruit has good stick skills and scoring touch around the net. He is tenacious and competitive.

Ben Youds has 16 points in 19 games for Shattuck-St. Mary's so far this season.

Andy Sackrison is fourth on the Tri-City Storm with 8 points so far this year.

Channing Boe has really struggled so far this year for Green Bay. After a very good Buc Bowl, Boe hasn't scored a point yet in 15 games, and has a team worst -12 +/- rating.

Brett Peterson has 3 points in 13 games for the Indiana Ice.

Austin Lee remains one of the top goalies in the NAHL. His 1.93 GAA is third in the league, and he leads the league with a .942 save percentage.

How Do We Beat These Guys?

As much as I'd like to believe that this is just another series, I think we all know that there's too much emotional baggage that comes along with our big brother to the north for that to be true.

Of course the odds don't look good for Minnesota State, as we come into the game as the worst team in the WCHA, while the Gophers are the unanimous number one team in the country and look pretty close to invincible. But I believe that there's no such thing as an unbeatable team.

But how should Minnesota State go about attacking the Gophers? I've seen Minnesota play a couple of times this year and here are my thoughts.

Defensively

This is the big one, because let's face, Minnesota is the much faster team, and will probably control the play a lot more.

In my mind, this video is a great summation of what the Gophers want to do offensively(if you ignore the blatant goaltender interference). If you watch the replay of the whole play developing, here's what happens:

Minnesota gets the puck deep into the corner, and they start their cycle. As opposed to what the Mavericks do, which is a three man cycle with all three forwards circling through the corner, the Gophers run a two man cycle, meaning Lucia drops the puck off to Carman, then Lucia circles back and takes a drop pass from Carman. Meanwhile, Ryan Flynn is waiting in the slot, along with both defenseman who are kind of pinching in and waiting for Lucia to break free(If you notice, defenseman Brian Schack is all the way down to the face-off dot by the time the puck comes to him, and ends up not getting as great a shot because of it.) Lucia makes the pass to Flynn in the slot, and then the Gophers crash the net and end up getting a goal out of it.

And that's exactly what the Gophers want to do. They're going to try to get the puck in deep, and cycle it around the corner until they can find an open pinching defenseman or a forward in the slot to get a quality chance and either score on the shot, or crash the net and score on the rebound.(Jay Barriball has been excellent at crashing the net and scoring those rebound goals. It's not a coincidence that defenseman had the first assist on his first five goals this season.)

Of course, if it was easy to stop this, everyone would already be doing it, and nobody has really been able to do it yet. Obviously Maine beat them, but the Black Bears were able to take advantage of Minnesota's first game struggles and largely kept them from being able to set up offensively. And Minnesota's one goal in that game came on a puck kicked back to the point, and Barriball knocking home a rebound.

The analogy I use for what the Mavericks will have to do this weekend is "walking the tightrope," which is to say, gamble and play a tight man-on-man style defense and hope nobody gets burned one-on-one. I think they need to keep two forwards high, keeping an eye on the points at all times, and one guy staying with the man in the slot, while two guys stay with their men in the corner. Obviously that leaves a big hole in front of the net in the prime scoring area, but I think that might be a risk that they have to take. It's important to note that when I say covering the three guys up high, I mean really covering them and not just standing near them. They've gotta make sure that those guys don't break towards the net and beat them there because that would lead to disaster. This puts a lot of pressure on our guys to make plays and not get beat individually because they'll be getting little help defensively from their teammates, but if they don't, Minnesota is probably going to find a way to score anyway.

The other big thing is to try and get the puck out of the zone as much as possible. One of my big pet peeves is when our defenseman passes to a forward on the sideboards for the breakout, and the forward tries to blindly chip it outside the zone. That's the play Jon Kalinski got burned on when North Dakota scored the game-winner on Saturday. When MSU gets that opportunity to get the puck out of the zone, they have to make sure that they get it out of the zone.

Offensively

Minnesota State has tried to run their three-man cycle this season, and the results have been pretty ugly. Against Omaha, they couldn't even get it set up for much of the first two periods. When they have got it set up, they've struggled to get someone in front of the net to finish off the play. The net result is that most of MSU's goals are coming either via the powerplay, or when MSU gets a rush up the ice. I'm hard-pressed to think of many goals MSU has scored with 10 skaters in the offensive zone.

The other problem with our offensive system is that it has left us vulnerable to offensive rushes going back the other way because all three forwards get so deep into the zone. The goals by Brent Kisio and Scott Parse last Tuesday are great examples of this, as was Anchorage's first goal against us.

My solution is to be a little more conservative in the offensive zone, and keep at least one forward high at all times. The Mavericks ended up doing this with Scott Parse on the ice late in the Omaha game(of course it would have been nicer *prior* to him scoring the game-tying goal). This sacrifices a little bit of offense, but also makes the defense much better, and keeps the Gophers from being able to use their speed in the open ice as much. The Mavericks don't want this game to turn into a shootout anyway, so defense will be paramount to offense.

So where does the offense come from? Remember how I said MSU had the tendency to give up odd-man rushes due to putting their guys so deep? Minnesota has actually shown the same tendency from time to time. Their defenseman are very aggressive in the offensive zone, and while it's extremely effective, it also leaves them somewhat vulnerable defensively. If the Mavericks keep those two forwards very high when on defense, that gives them the opportunity to make the quick transition to offense. If MSU gets the puck deep in their own end, they could make a long breakout pass to a streaking teammate for a chance, or a puck could get chipped outside the zone off the blueline and one of our guys could be off to the races. There's a lot of potential for a speedy guy like Jon Kalinski, or Zach Harrison, and Jerad Stewart to make a big play.

That brings me to my next point, which is that MSU probably isn't going to get a ton of chances, so when they do get an opportunity, they have to make sure it ends up in the back of the net. They can't give up golden scoring opportunities.

Intangibles

I know some people don't really believe in them, but the unmeasurable and unpredictable often make a huge difference in hockey. The Gophers huge advantage on paper is almost completely neutralized by a lucky bounce, or a soft goal in our favor. The Mavericks definitely need to some "puck luck" to go their way.

The home crowds for each team could also make a big difference. Minnesota's team and fans have always been a front-running group. If the Gophers can get a lead and really get their crowd into it, they have the ability to roll over teams and put up a huge number on them. But if a team can hang with them, the crowd isn't as huge a factor. Minnesota State has developed the bad habit of going down a couple goals early and then climbing their way back, and I don't think that will work this weekend, especially at Mariucci.

When the series comes to Mankato on Saturday, the Mavericks will be playing in front of a crowd that desperately wants to believe in them, but they need a reason to believe in them. Scoring the first goal of the game would go a long way in helping them believe that Minnesota State can do it.

Odds are that Minnesota sweeps this series, and does so rather easily, but that doesn't mean that the Mavericks can't win a game this weekend. Everyone has already marked this down as two more losses for the Mavs, so they've got nothing to lose this weekend. It should be fun.

It All Adds Up

College hockey has a long season, and over the course of that season, it's impossible for a team to entirely conceal their weaknesses. Sure you might steal a win here, or pull off a win on the road there, but in the long-run, if your team is deficient, those deficiencies will be exposed.

And that's where Minnesota State is at right now. A huge roster turnover from the previous left the Mavericks alone in the middle of an ocean with no lifeboat. They were able to keep their head above water for a little while, but it was inevitable that they would end up drowning.

In a way, getting swept at Colorado College this past weekend felt like a metaphor for the entire season. The Mavericks played hard, and got off to a decent start in both games, but as the game dragged on, it became obvious that the Mavericks just didn't have what it takes to hang with CC.

Every college player has the talent and skill to be exceptional at least some of the time. But the difference between an average player and a great player is that a great player can be exceptional more consistently. Right now, MSU doesn't have guys that can do that on a consistent basis, and in all fairness to players like Ryan Gunderson, and Zach Harrison, and Jerad Stewart, and Trevor Bruess, and Nick Canzanello, they shouldn't be expected to be able to do that at such an early age, but have been forced to due to extraordinary circumstances.

So where do the Mavericks go from here? It's difficult to go through a season that is not measured by wins and losses, but by lessons learned and experience gained. It's also difficult to talk about playing for the future, when for the seniors on the team, there is no future.

The general rule that I've learned through years of watching sports is that the pain, suffering, and work you go through during the rough times is almost directly proportional to the joy that you feel when your time does come. Each heart-breaking loss makes that moment of victory all the sweeter.

That's why right now is such a perfect opportunity for both fans and players alike. It's the right time to buy low, with the possibility of selling high. The players have an opportunity to start from ground zero and turn themselves into a great team. The experience they can gain with all the playing time they're getting can make them stronger for the future. While their peers are playing an extra year of junior hockey, they're learning what it takes to play against the men at the college level. The frustration of losing this season should drive them to make sure they never go through a season like this again.

The seniors on this team may never play for an NCAA title, but they can lay the groundwork for the future, by pushing the younger guys to be the best that they possibly can. And some day, as the Mavericks celebrate a monumental victory, they can look back with pride and know that they are a part of that victory and that they helped build something special.

And for the fans, watching a losing hockey team is never fun, but we have the opportunity to watch an amazing journey as our young team transforms themselves from an undermanned bottom-feeder to an experienced powerhouse. If you buy into this team now, you'll appreciate things all that much more when Minnesota State finally does gt their opportunity at the big time. It's not easy, and it takes a lot of faith, but the payoff is more than worth it.

Ouch

So I decided to count it up after tonight's game, and I found that the Mavericks have missed 24 games due to injury so far this season spread around 7 different guys. That's not including the groin injury to goalie Mike Zacharias, which kept him from a couple of starts. That means the Mavericks are missing an average of two players due to injury for every game they play.

That number will grow much larger, as most of the injured players will also likely miss Tuesday's game against Nebraska-Omaha.

Leaving the Nest

I love any weekend that I get the opportunity to go down the Midwest Wireless Center and watch the Mavericks play, and I'm sure the Mavericks enjoy the opportunity to skate in front of their home fans. But after five straight weekends where the Mavericks played at least one home game, I think it's time for them to go at it Jack Kerouac-style.

Starting off with baby steps at home was nice, but now, maybe a road trip is just what this young Maverick team needs. The long road trip out to Colorado College gives the team that has only been together for a couple of months a chance a little bit more. Going on the road can also take away some of the distractions of playing at home, and force the players to focus a little bit more on hockey. It could also provide a pyschological boost to the team. There is an "us vs. the world" mentality you play in another team's arena that could force the Mavericks to band together and play their best hockey against a tough opponent.

And the Mavericks will need all of those advantages. Colorado College is a scary opponent for most Maverick fans. The Mavs are 0-7-1 against the Tigers in their last 8 meetings. But the good news is that the current editions of both of these teams are drastically different than past editions. The Tigers no longer have the dynamic duo of Marty Sertich and Brett Sterling to destroy the Mavericks. Instead, they've had to rely on younger talent for scoring, and as a result, haven't been scoring as much.

Almost every indicator seems to point to a Colorado College sweep this weekend, but I'm never going to count the Mavericks out. If Minnesota State is ever going to beat Colorado College, this would be the year to do it. The Tigers have suffered from some inconsistent play early this year, and are vulnerable. Any points that the Mavericks can steal this weekend would be huge, and would help them earn back the points that they lost at home.

Mav Notes

Travis Morin had his 8 game point streak snapped last Friday against Anchorage, but started a new streak the following night when he picked up an assist on MSU's first goal.

Minnesota State is now 3-0 when their goalies stop 90% of the shots they face, and 0-7 when they stop fewer than 90% of their shots.

Coach Troy Jutting was spotted earlier this week in Blaine at USA Hockey's Junior Jamboree.

The Star-Tribune reported that White Bear Lake junior forward Jake Hansen would be taking visits to just about every WCHA school, including Minnesota State, over the next couple of months. The Mavs are probably a longshot given the competition, but he would be a nice player to pick up.

Nick Canzanello was listed on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's Preliminary NCAA ratings under the "Limited Viewing" section. So congrats on not being seen, Nick! My guess is that he's a borderline late round pick, along with goalie Austin Lee.

Jon Kalinski didn't make any friends from Alaska. Very funny stuff. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

Kramer: You've got a problem with Jon Kalinski?
George: Yeah, what is he, some sort of an instigator?
Kramer: That's right. He's a trouble-maker

I'm not sure if he'd win a fight against anybody from Anchorage, but it'd damn entertaining watching him try.

Mavericks AHL Update

Former Maverick Grant Stevenson leads all former Mavs in AHL scoring so far this season with 14 points in 13 games for the Worcester Sharks. He's third on the team in scoring behind former Wisconsin Badger Joe Pavelski and Mathieu Darche.

Next is AHL rookie Ryan Carter he has scored 8 points in his first 15 AHL games. He's tied for 8th on a very deep Portland Pirates team, and is second among rookies.

David Backes, who seemingly couldn't buy a goal for long stretches last season, seems to have found his scoring touch in Peoria. He is tied for 5th on the Rivermen in scoring with 6 goals and 1 assist.

Finally, Tim Jackman has 2 goals and 1 assist in 9 games for the Manchester Monarchs, but was called up to play with the LA Kings of the NHL. He's played in four games with the Kings and has no points and 10 penalty minutes, resulting from two fighting majors. He got in a fight in his first game against Colorado's Ian Laperriere, and in his second game, he fought Ryane Clowe of San Jose.

Both of Jackmans's fights are available on YouTube:

Jackman vs. Laperriere. Some decent punches from both parties. I'll rule this one a draw with a slight edge to Jackman, mainly due to endurance.

Jackman vs. Clowe. Another draw. If Jackman connects on the one right he threw, Clowe is probably out a couple of teeth. I'd give the slight edge to Clowe since he landed a few more, and he did get the take down, even though it was more from pulling Jackman off balance than hitting him.

According to the authoritative Hockeyfights.com, Clowe was ruled the winner of the fight with Jackman, garnering 64.4% of the vote, while the fight with Laperriere was ruled a draw.

My Tribute to Anthony

Minnesota State doesn't get a whole lot of coverage in the mainstream college hockey media, unless of course, I'm the one writing about them.

My weekly column over at College Hockey News is all about Anthony Ford Night.

Also, Let's Go Mavs has a great picture of Chris Clark's new helmet.

Mavnificent Seven

That may be the cheesiest headline ever. I apologize.

Minnesota State signed seven players to National Letters of Intent, making their commitments to Minnesota State official(presuming they get accepted into school). There were no major surprises from the signings today. Here's a look at the newest members of the Maverick family.

Channing Boe, D, 6-3, 190, Shoots left, DOB: 07/13/86, Bemidji, Minn., Green Bay (USHL)

Comments: Boe brings experience and leadership to the Mavericks blueline. He is the oldest player in the recruiting class by over a year. He has served as a captain, both in high school and at the USHL level. He's coming in with two years experience in the USHL, which is easily the best junior league in North America, so he should be ready to make the transition to college hockey right away.

Brett Peterson, F, 6-2, 200, Shoots left, DOB: 04/14/88, Elk River, Minn., Indiana (USHL)

Comments: Peterson is a true power forward, with pretty good skills for a guy his size. He has the potential to take games over and dominate if he puts his mind to it.


Andrew Sackrison, F, 6-1, 195, Shoots left, DOB: 11/12/87, St. Louis Park, Minn., Tri-City (USHL)

Comments: Sackrison has the potential to be an excellent playmaker. He's a smart hockey player that knows where to be to make plays. He's found a niche in Tri-City as a set-up man, and I think he'll play the same role for the Mavericks.


Mike Louwerse, F, 5-8,160, Shoots right, DOB: 08/21/88, Champlin Park, Minn., Blake High School

Comments: Louwerse is an excellent skater and very good stickhandler. He's especially effective on the powerplay. He's also a lot tougher than one might expect for someone his size.


Garry Nunn, F, 5-9, 175, Shoots right, DOB: 11/10/89, Victoria, B.C., Victoria (BCHL)

Comments: It's obvious that Nunn is a very talented player. He was one of only a handful of 1989 born players to play in the BCHL last season. His tremendous skills should help the Maverick offense.


Austin Lee, G, 6-3, 185, Catches left, DOB: 09/15/88, Bloomington, Minn., Fargo-Moorhead (NAHL)

Comments: He was considered the top goalie in the state of Minnesota by a wide margin last season, which was both a blessing and a curse. It brought on a lot of positive accolades, but also brought on a fair number of detractors. So far, he's been proving those detractors wrong in Fargo-Moorhead this season. Lee is excellent at using his big frame to really take away the lower half of the net, similiar to Dan Tormey.


Ben Youds, D, 5-10 175, Shoots right, DOB: 04/20/88, Brooklyn Park, Minn., Shattuck-St. Mary's (prep)

Comments: There might be some concerns about Youds coming straight from Shattuck to MSU, with no stop in the USHL, but Youds is ready to play at the NCAA level. He's a fast skater, and an excellent powerplay quarterback. He's also improved defensively since committing to the Mavericks a year and a half ago.

The best part about the signing period is that the coaches can now speak publicly about these players. Hopefully we'll get some comments from coach Jutting about his newest recruits soon.

Previewing Alaska-Anchorage

The WCHA may say that we're rivals, but there's nothing but love between Mav Hockey Nation and the excellent UAA Fan Blog. And even though this weekend's series won't feature two of the best teams in the WCHA, that doesn't mean it can't be the best blogged about series in the WCHA.

In the spirit of glasnost, I wrote a preview of Minnesota State for the UAA Fan Blog, while Donald, proprietor of the UAA Fan Blog, previewed the Seawolves for us. Enjoy.

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Offense

If you look to UAA's stats you'll find some
information about where scoring will likely come from
this weekend. In 05-06 UAA's upperclassmen virtually
disappeared from the stat line. So far it doesn't
appear that will be the case this season. Key
contributions from senior Justin Bourne (3g-7a),
junior Merit Waldrop (0g-6a) and senior captain
Charlie Kronschnabel (2g-3a) are making Seawolf fans
forget the 05-06 offensive horror show. All three of
these key upperclassmen have rededicated themselves to
working hard and so far it seems to be paying off.
Yet to make a scoring impact but noneless still an
offensive threat is hard charging junior Chris Tarkir.
Additionally, senior defensemen Chad Anderson (2g-4a)
and Mark Smith (2g) have contributed at critical times
for UAA's offense.

Last year during the second half of the season Coach
Shyiak more than once referred to Jay Beagle as the
best player on the ice for UAA. In the first 8 games
this season this sophmore has already eclipsed last
years totals with his 4g-3a scoreline. Jay was the
WCHA offensive player of the week following his
excellent series against rival UAF in Squarebanks.
There is much unproven but also much potential among
the freshman class this season. Paul Crowder has real
nice numbers after the first 8 games with 3g-4a.
Crowder is strong on the puck and unlike so many D-1
players has an excellent backhand and has earned a
regular spot on the PP. Josh Lunden is another
contributor from the freshman class with 2g-1a so far
this season. Josh is a strong skater who can work the
boards as well as find room for himself in front of
the net. He also plays on the PP. Another excellent
freshman for UAA is Kevin Clark who has the grit and
heart of a Ken Linseman with great puck handling
skills and very good anticipation. Kevin has missed
more than a little bit of game time having received
two CFB's (with game misconducts) as well as a
benching by Coach Shyiak for a selfish slashing
penalty he took in 1st period of Saturday's win vs.
Bucky this past weekend. If Clark can manage to stay
on the ice this weekend he will likely be an offensive
force with which to be reckoned. He's got great
vision and anticipation. Lastly, is freshman Jared
Tuton who is a converted defenseman moved up to wing
and really made his presence felt in a physical way
this past weekend against Wisconsin. I don't know if
anyone in D1 counts hits but I'd guess Tuton was at
the top of that chart this past weekend.

Defense

As the season goes on the defense will become a key
strength this season for UAA. If you wipe out the 9-0
abberation against MTU then UAA's goals against
average would be a respectable 2.71. The Seawolves
have held their opponents to 3 goals or less in 5 of
their 8 games so far this season. Upperclassmen
Anderson, Smith and Beaverson have keyed that effort
with their steady defensive play. Sophmore Mat
Robinson has matured greatly from his first season and
in my eyes is the most difficult defenseman to "beat"
in UAA end. He seems to always come out with the puck
and I've yet to see anyone get around him with either
speed or deke. He's got excellent hands and is a
fantastic passer. Shane Lovdahl is a solid stay at
home defensman with an absolute rocket of a slapshot.
Freshman Nils Backstrom is both rugged and speedy as
well as having great vision. In 05-06 one of the
weaknesses of UAA's defense was it's inability to move
the puck out of its own zone. From what I've seen
this season that is becoming one of the strengths of
this team. If Chad Anderson doesn't have a pretty end
to end rush at least once both nights I'll be
surprised. 6ft 5in Luke Beaverson also takes
opportunities to skate and could surprise the Mavs
with his skating abilities and offensive contributions
(1g-2a).

There is speed all through the Seawolf lineup and the
only team I've seen so far this year that was
comparable to UAA skating-wise has been UNO (the
Badgers being close as well). UAA also has size and
strength to compliment that speed with 9 players 6ft
2in or above (not including the goalies who are also
both over that height). They look to be equally
comfortable on any size sheet of ice due to that
factor. This is not your fathers Oldsmobile. The
hitting game is something that Coach Shyiak wants to
use to key the team offense and so far this season the
forechecking game has looked great. This is a
hard-checking fast-skating crisp-passing squad which
is something new to UAA fans. I'm particularly
impressed with the improvements in the passing game.

Of course in goal Nathan Lawon looks to have
stabilized his game after a couple of early season
chinks were put in his armor. His performances vs.
Bucky last weekend were very solid and I'd expect the
same thing this weekend. Backup Jon Olthuis proved
himself capable of winning and will be a more than
serviceable replacement if needed. In terms of
special teams the PK has been very good and the PP has
respectable numbers. Overall the team is ranked 11th
in the nation in combined special teams.

Past season have shown flashes of potential but I
don't remember a UAA team that has had this much
chemistry in the last decade. The bottom line is that
Maverick fans should see a team that bears little
resemblance to past Seawolf teams. Coach Shyiak talks
about the season as a series of steps up and forward.
This weekend they'll be looking to grab some WCHA
points to take a step up the WCHA standings and
forward to more respectability.

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Thanks again to Donald for the excellent preview. It should be a good weekend of hockey.

Hobey Watch: Travis Morin

(I keep trying to convince myself that last weekend didn't really happen, but it's not working. I'll write about it eventually though.)

Nobody else seems to want to do it, so I guess I will. I think it's time to start creating some buzz for Travis Morin for the Hobey Baker award. Odds are that he won't win it, since Minnesota State isn't a great team this year, but he at least deserves to be part of the discussion.

Here's a look at some of his numbers:

4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points in 8 games. An average of 1.63 points per game.

Tied for 13th in the country in scoring. Six of the players ahead of him play in either College Hockey America or Atlantic Hockey.

Second in the WCHA in overall scoring, and only one point behind Minnesota's Tyler Hirsch.

Second in the WCHA in conference scoring with 7 points, behind only Andreas Nodl. Leads WCHA in points per conference game.

Tied for 8th in the country with 9 assists.

Scored in all 8 of Minnesota State's games, which is currently the second longest consecutive point streak in the country, and one game shy of his own record of scoring in 9 straight games, set last year.

Recorded multi-point games in his last four games.

Plays on the top powerplay and penalty kill unit for Minnesota State.

Co-captain of the Mavericks.

Nunn Commits to Mavericks

Garry Nunn, a 5'9" 170 lbs. forward who plays for the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL, has committed to Minnesota State Mankato. Nunn was born on November 10th, 1989, meaning he won't celebrate his 17th birthday until next Friday.

Despite his young age, Nunn is already a veteran at the Jr. A level. He broke into the league as a 15 year old, playing two games for Cowichan Valley in 2004-2005. Last year, he was picked up by Victoria and played the entire season there, scoring 13 goals and 18 assists for 41 points. That may not seem like a lot, but is actually pretty impressive for a player that young.

This season, he is off to a good start with first place Victoria. This season, he is third on his team in scoring(behind two 20 year old players), and has 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 18 games.

The sources I've talked to say that Nunn has an excellent skill set, but sometimes tends to play on the perimeter too much and doesn't compete in the trenches.

Previewing Bemidji State

Minnesota State will be looking to avenge last season's sweep at Bemidji when they take on the Bemidji State Beavers this weekend at the Midwest Wireless Center. The Beavers are off to a slow start so far this season, with an 0-3-1 record, and an 0-1-1 record in conference play. Don't let the record fool you. The Beavers started the season with a series at top ranked Maine, where they were swept, and after splitting an exhibition series with Canadian school Regina, the Beavers had to travel to Niagara, who is one of the top teams in the CHA, where they lost on Friday night, and then tied on Saturday night. A large portion of this Bemidji team returns from the past two seasons when the Beavers won the CHA and played in the NCAA tournament.

The Beavers are led by senior forward Luke Erickson, who has four goals and an assist so far this season. His four goals is even more impressive considering that Bemidji has only scored 8 total goals in their four games. That means Erickson has had a hand in over half of Bemidji's goals this season. If the Mavericks keep the defensive pairings from last week, expect to see Steve Wagner and Brian Kilburg on the ice whenever Erickson is.

The Beavers haven't found consistent lines yet. One name that may look familiar to Maverick fans is Bemidji winger Chris McKelvie, who is the brother of former Maverick Ryan McKelvie. McKelvie didn't play in the Maine series, but played both nights against Niagara, so hopefully he'll be in the lineup again. Sophomore center Travis Winter is a former high school teammate of Maverick defenseman R.J. Linder.

In goal, Bemidji splits time between two goalies. Senior Layne Sedevie usually starts on Fridays while junior Matt Climie gets the start on Saturdays. Last Friday, Sedevie started against Niagara, but gave up 3 goals on his first four shots, and was pulled for Climie after just 5 minutes.

For the Mavericks, it sounds like Mike Zacharias is still taking things slowly with his groin injury, so expect Dan Tormey to start both games in goal. Freshman Jason Wiley missed last weekend due to injury, and there's been no word on how long he'll be out. Hopefully he returns to the ice this weekend. If not, expect James Gaulrapp to play in his spot again.

This weekend should be a good test for the Mavericks. The Beavers aren't a pushover by any means, but playing at home, these are two games that the Mavericks are capable of winning. After two tough losses last weekend, this should be a good chance for Minnesota State to regain some confidence before they head back to WCHA play.

Keys to the Game

1. Score a first period goal- By now, most Mavericks fans know the statistic: MSU has been outscored 12-0 in the first period this season. That has to change. If Bemidji has a lead after the first period, that will give them a huge boost of confidence.

2. Cover the points on the penalty kill. Last weekend against North Dakota, the forwards sagged back a little too much, allowing North Dakota to fire shots from the point and get traffic in front of the net. If the Maverick forwards can stop those shots from the point, and allow Dan Tormey to see the puck, their penalty kill should be much better.

3. Control Luke Erickson. Bemidji lacks some of the depth that the Mavericks previous opponents had, so if they can shut down the Beavers' top offensive player, they should be able to keep Bemidji's offense in check.