Red-hot Mavericks head into the holidays in need of a break

MANKATO — Few teams in the country have had the marathon first half to their season that Minnesota State has, which finally gets a break heading into holidays after playing on 10 consecutive weekends.

If you count an exhibition against the University of Alberta on Oct. 4, it’s actually been 11 straight weekends of hockey.

“We’ll take the break,” Mavericks coach Mike Hastings said. “Coaches aren’t geniuses. We get greedy. But they’ve put in a lot of work. They’ve put a lot of hay in the barn as far as just finding ways to get points when maybe we weren’t as sharp.”

Just the latest example was this weekend’s sweep of Alabama Huntsville at the Verizon Wireless Center. With the tanks nearly on empty, Minnesota State gutted out a pair of wins over the plucky Chargers, overcoming a first-period deficit each night.

With the finish line to the first half within sight, Hastings challenged his team not to go on break before Sunday.

“That was one of the things we talked about in the locker room, not to check out until these two games were done,” Mavericks forward Bryce Gervais said. “We found a way to get two wins. I think that shows a lot about our mental approach as a hockey team.”

Minnesota State has found several different ways to get points this season. The Mavericks have allowed the fewest shots on goal per game in the country and have a penalty kill in the top-15 nationally. But a toothless power play and some bad puck luck have made scoring a chore most weekends.

MSU suffered from a historic lack of offense; including a span of 213 minutes, 58 seconds without a goal at one point this season — which started the Mavericks’ season 0-4 for the first time in the Hastings era.

But a late comeback against Minnesota on Nov. 14 may have been the season’s turning point.

Just 24 hours after being shutout for the fourth time in 11 games, the Mavericks appeared well on their way to being shutout on the weekend for a second time.

Down 2-0 with under four minutes to play, the Mavericks got one back with the extra attacker to make it a one-goal game. A couple of minutes later, with the goalie pulled again, MSU tied it and sent the game to overtime.

With under a minute left in the extra session, senior forward Teddy Blueger scored off a rush, giving Minnesota State a 3-2 win over their rivals from the north.

It also started a nine-game unbeaten streak that the Mavericks will ride into the second half of the season.

“That was huge,” Gervais said. “Just finding a way, we put two forwards back there, I think that was a really big character-builder for our team.

“We found a way to get two big points.”

Not only did the Mavericks potentially turn their season that night at Mariucci Arena, they did it short-handed. Defenseman Jon Jutzi blocked a shot with his head and didn’t return. Fellow defenseman Jaden Schmeisser blocked a shot with his forearm; the injury was believed to be so serious, Hastings was told Schmeisser had broken his arm.

“I walked into the locker room and I thought I was in bantams,” Hastings said. “I went in and said ‘Has anybody in here ever played defense before?’ Zach Stepan stepped up.”

It’s been a battle to get guys back healthy ever since.

In the second of last week’s 2-2 ties with Bowling Green, injuries forced Minnesota State to dress two forwards at defense.

“We knew we didn’t have two defensemen back there but it didn’t slow us down,” Gervais said. “Those guys back there didn’t play with any hesitation.”

Going forward, the challenge will be to build on a challenging first half that has offered the Mavericks a full season’s worth of injuries and drama.

Hastings said he expects all but one of his players to be back from injury when his crew hits the ice next against Northern Michigan on Jan. 8.

Said Gervais: “We’ve gotta put our foot to the floor when we get back from break and just keep going.”

The post Running on fumes appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Wherever Minnesota State’s Bryce Gervais goes, goals are sure to follow

Historically speaking, Bryce Gervais has always been a goal scorer.

Upon graduation from high school, the Battleford, Sask. native went on to play in the tier II junior A British Columbia Hockey League for the Salmon Arm Silverbacks where he posted 29 goals and 51 points in 58 games as a rookie.

He improved the following season to a BCHL-leading 42 goals to go along with 33 assists in a season split between Salmon Arm and the Penticton Vees. After winning the RBC Cup as the Canadian National Champions with the Vees, Gervais headed south to Mankato, Minn. to play his college hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

As a rookie for Minnesota State University Gervais played in all 41 games for the Mavericks, posting eight goals and five assists, respectable numbers for a freshman. In his sophomore season in 2013-2014, Gervais emerged as one of the top guns for MSU and was playing his best hockey at the end of the season.

“One thing I try to do before every game is focus on what makes me good,” Gervais said. “Usually if I’m playing physical and with speed I can get to the puck faster which creates more offense.”

Bryce Gervais (center) celebrates with teammates after scoring one of his two goals in a Feb. 14, 2014, game against Alabama-Huntsville at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato. (Photo / Minnesota State University Athletics)

After posting eight points in the first 25 games of his sophomore campaign, Gervais got hot and scored 11 goals and 18 points over the final 16 games to double his goal production from his freshman season, and ended up with 16 goals and 26 points on the year.

With his breakout sophomore season, the expectations for Gervais to produce this season were higher than they were a year ago. He has lived up to, if not exceeded, those expectations as a junior as his success over the second half of last season has had a significant carry-over effect.

Ten games into the current season, Gervais ranks first, not just in the WCHA, but in the NCAA in points scored with 14. His nine goals have him tied for first in the nation with Bowling Green’s Kevin Dufour, and his four power play goals are also tied for first in the country. Consistency has been the theme for Gervais so far this season, as he has been held pointless in just two games, but has yet to be held pointless in a series.

Gervais was named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week after recording his first career hat-trick in a Maverick sweater two weekends ago at Bowling Green. He carried that success into this past weekend when he had a four-point game on Friday night versus Bemidji State with two goals and two assists.

Gervais isn’t just a goal scorer, though. On Saturday night versus BSU, Gervais saw big minutes on the penalty kill, and set the screen for two of Teddy Blueger’s three goals. He also assisted on one of Blueger’s goals, helping his linemate earn his first career hat-trick.

Watching him play, it’s easy to see Gervais’ game is built on speed and tenacity. His greatest asset is perhaps the ability to get into the gritty areas and find himself open.

“I try to find open spaces,” Gervais said. “If I’m not open I try to get open. It also helps when you’re playing with some really skilled play-makers like Matt Leitner or Teddy Blueger, they always seem to get you the puck.”

While his quick start this season will keep him on the radar of college hockey fans and opposing coaches, Gervais is trying to keep his attention on getting the Mavericks further in the postseason. So how can the Mavericks do that?

“Winning our league,” Gervais said. “Making it to the NCAA tournament and not only making it but winning a few hockey games while we’re there which would push us to our ultimate goal, the Frozen Four.”

While the season is still young and there is plenty of hockey left to play, Gervais has established himself as one of the top players in the WCHA this season, and also one of the best in the NCAA.

The post An Emerging Star appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.

Gervais, Huggins lead Minnesota State to WCHA Title Game

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — It took 15 years and five games, but Minnesota State finally has a win in the WCHA Final Five.

The Mavericks scored twice in the second period and two more times in the third in a 4-0 win against Bowling Green Friday at Van Andel Arena.

Minnesota State entered the Final Five 0-4 all-time in the tournament, including an ugly 7-2 loss to Wisconsin last season. It was an experience coach Mike Hastings said played a big part in their win Friday.

“The guys that are here, we’ve talked about trying to make strides as an overall program,” Hastings said in a phone interview. “I think last year’s experience helped us [Friday]. I think we got taught a lesson by Wisconsin. We got off to a better start.”

The victory was the Mavericks’ 25th this season, establishing a new Division I record originally set last season in Hastings’ first year in Mankato. The win also pushed MSU’s unbeaten streak to 12 games (11-0-1), the longest such streak in over a decade.

“From our end of it, it’s important. We kind of want to keep pushing the envelope and make sure we keep moving ahead as a program,” Hastings said.

After a scoreless first period, the Mavericks got on the board early in the second, taking advantage of a 3-on-2 into the Falcons zone when Matt Leitner saucered a backhand pass to Chase Grant in front, who stuffed in his ninth of the season at 3:52.

Bryce Gervais got the second assist on the first goal but was just getting started. Nine minutes later it was his short-handed forecheck that put MSU ahead by two.

After a Max Gaede elbowing penalty put the Falcons on their third power play of the game, BGSU goaltender Tommy Burke left the puck behind his net for Falcons defenseman Ralfs Freibergs. But Gervais won a race to the puck, raced to the front of the net and slipped the puck into the net before Burke could cover the post.

The goal was Gervais’ 16th of the season and 11th in his last 14 games. He has seven goals and four assists in his last six games and the goal Friday was his third short-handed goal of the season, tied for fourth-most in the country.

“He’s doing things Monday through Thursday that’s allowing him to have the success he’s having right now,” Hastings said. “Doing all the hard work, scoring a short-hander, he’s blocking shots, he’s playing with speed and pace. He’s become somebody who is hard to play against because of his want-to.”

MSU scored on another odd-man rush midway through the third period to open up a 3-0 lead. Sophomore center Teddy Blueger intercepted a pass at the Mavericks’ offensive blue line then floated a pass to Johnny McInnis at the right post, who one-timed a shot over Burke’s glove for his 21st of the season with 9:13 left in regulation.

In between, the Mavericks stifling penalty kill kept the Falcons off the board. Ranked sixth in the country entering the game, MSU went 6-for-6 killing penalties and was able to capture momentum from each kill. They finished the day a plus-1 with Gervais’ shortie.

“I thought it was a difference-maker in the game,” Hastings said. “Anytime you can win that special teams battle and be a plus-1 in the game, that can be the difference.”

Gervais sprung Leitner free for an empty-netter with 1:32 left in the game, Leitner’s 12th goal and 43rd point of the season.

Overshadowed by Gervais’ offensive effort was Cole Huggins in goal. He stopped 13 shots in each the first and third periods and 36 in all for his sixth shutout of the season, also a new school record. The win improved him to 20-7-1 on the year.

“He said he wanted to play better than he did last Saturday [a 5-4 OT win for MSU against Northern Michigan],” Hastings said. “I thought he went out and gave us an opportunity to get a lead, one, and two, to not only sustain it but increase it. You need to have your goalie do that this time of year if you want to move on.”

The win boosted MSU’s chances of making the NCAA Tournament as an at-large team. A loss to BGSU would have almost certainly ended their season, but the win moved the Mavericks to 11th in the Pairwise Rankings. With 11 other games to be played Friday and handful more on Saturday, Hastings said he would rather not leave their tournament hopes to chance. A win in the Broadmoor Trophy game Saturday against either Ferris State or Alaska-Anchorage would deliver an automatic bid into the NCAAs, which begin next weekend.

“We’re not in. So we’ll see what happens tonight,” Hastings said. “Our margin for error over the last month-and-a-half hasn’t been much and it’s no different right now.

“We have a group of seniors excited about what was put in front of them today. I think the guys have done a good job on focusing on what they have control of. They did that tonight and they were rewarded for it. We’ll have to go right back to ground zero and go to work in the morning.”

Dan Myers’ Three Stars

1 – Bryce Gervais

Gervais’ goal to put the Mavericks up by two was a crushing blow for Bowling Green. Down one and on the power play, BGSU had a chance to tie the score midway through the game but Gervais’ effort was a game-changer. He also had two assists.

2 – Cole Huggins

Huggins made 36 saves, several of them of the underrated variety. He was especially important in the first period, stopping 13 shots and keeping the game scoreless through one period.

3 – Teddy Blueger

This could have gone to any number of Mavericks but Blueger’s heads-up defensive play and sweet pass to set up MSU’s third goal sets him apart. A second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013, Blueger has quietly put up 20 assists this season.

The post Mavericks Down Falcons, Make History appeared first on Minnesota Hockey Magazine.