Minnesota, recognized for its frigid, depressing, endless winters skilled one other whiteout on Friday evening. Though it wasn’t due to the climate, it occurred as a result of a sold-out, standing room solely crowd packed into the Mayo Clinic Well being System Occasion Middle in Mankato, MN to look at the Mason Cup Championship sport between the Minnesota State Mavericks and the St. Thomas Tommies (MN).
The battle for CCHA’s high spot began shortly with a ton of pace and physicality between the groups within the first interval. Minnesota State established early dominance in each ends of the ice and had a 10-2 shots-on-goal benefit to start the competition. Nonetheless, Tommies goalie, Jake Sibell turned away every of these photographs. On the finish of the primary interval, MSU would retain the SOG lead (12-8), however the rating was nonetheless nonetheless tied at zeros.
The second interval began in related vogue with each groups displaying a bodily presence whereas rushing from one finish to the opposite. The refs, I’m assuming, didn’t wish to get their whistles chilly as a result of they stored them of their pockets, even after blatant penalties by each groups. Hooking, interference, a number of situations of tripping. It was if the zebras have been simply saying “play on, boys.” Often, I don’t thoughts that, however rattling, there have been some apparent and egregious missed calls that ought to have had a ref elevating their arm.
I digress. Tommies RW, Matthew Gleason, began the scoring with an unassisted purpose at 6:56 of the second interval. A couple of minutes later… Minnesota State Middle, Luigi Benincasa would rating the equalizer shortly after an offensive zone faceoff and an help from Left Winger, Rhett Pitlick. The purpose got here simply 10 seconds right into a Minnesota State energy play.
Pitlick would get one other help later within the interval throughout a mad scramble in entrance of the Tommies web and a Kaden Bohlsen purpose. Minnesota State now claimed a 2-1 lead. Nonetheless, Liam Malmquist of the Tommies would circle the online later within the second and rip a shot into the online to convey the rating even earlier than the tip of the second interval may tick off the clock.
The rating would stay at deuces till simply over midway by the third when Mavericks defensemen, Evan Murr, would one-time the eventual game-winner previous Sibell to provide the Mavs a 3-2 lead and the whiteout of followers one more reason to leap from their seats and breakout the Olé’s. Murr would get an help from Ralfs Bergmanis on the tally. Senior captain, Josh Groll would add an empty-netter after displaying nice endurance as he stood solo on the high of the left faceoff circle with three Tommies defenders in between him and the purpose.
Junior Mavericks goalie, Alex Tracy would cease 29 of 31 photographs on purpose within the win for the Mavericks. Tracy, already named the CCHA Goaltender of the Yr, CCHA Participant of the Yr, CCHA Scholar-Athlete of the Yr, four-time CCHA Goaltender of the Week and two-time CCHA Goaltender of the Month posted a .942 save proportion this season and 1.41 GAA, the nationwide chief in each classes. He’s a Hobey Baker finalist, hoping to develop into the second Mavericks goalie to be named the highest NCAA participant in three years after former Mavs netminder, Dryden McKay received the award in 2022.
For the Mavericks, already winners of the CCHA Common Season MacNaughton Cup, Friday evening’s victory introduced their third Mason Cup Championship residence to Mankato prior to now 4 years and extra {hardware} for second-year Mavericks Head Coach, Luke Strand. Over the previous ten seasons in D1 school hockey, no different group has received extra video games than Minnesota State.
The work for the Mavericks (27-8-3) shouldn’t be but full after incomes an automated bid to the NCAA event which begins subsequent week. The choice present to disclose the 16 groups within the bracket is ready for Sunday, March 23 at 2 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
