MANKATO — The CCHA standings are jam-packed at the top with two weekends to play, and Minnesota State is in the thick of the race with hopes of a seventh straight MacNaughton Cup.
But the Mavericks made another championship a little more difficult Friday night.
“We kind of shot ourselves in the old foot,” fifth-year senior Lucas Sowder said following the 4-3 loss to Lake Superior State.
Before a crowd of 4,681 at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, the Mavericks fell behind just 32 seconds into the game, had to swap goalies late in the first period and, during a furious third-period push, was unable to solve goalie Ethan Langenegger until too late.
Langengegger made 40 saves, 16 each in the second and third periods for the win, while MSU starter Alex Tracy allowed three goals on 11 shots in the first period before giving way to Keenan Rancier (eight saves on nine shots) with a 3-1 deficit and 5:39 left in the frame.
”Disappointing outcome, but we’re not here to chase outcomes,” coach Luke Strand said. “We didn’t do enough work in the first 15, 20 minutes of the game to expect something different.”
Three times, the Mavericks cut the Lakers’ lead to one goal, including on Evan Murr’s extra-attacker goal with 38 seconds remaining in the game, but they never got the equalizer.
“It seems like we need to get punched in the face first before we get into a game,” said Sowder, who scored the Mavericks’ first goal.
Luc Wilson scored MSU’s other goal, a power-play tally that made it 3-2 midway through the second period. Murr, a freshman defenseman, had an assist for a two-point game, and his D partner Brandon Koch had two assists.
Minnesota State entered its final home weekend of the regular season in a three-way tie for second place in the conference with St. Thomas and Bowling Green, two points behind first-place Bemidji State and five ahead of fifth-place Michigan Tech. Lake Superior State wasn’t out of it either, sitting nine points from the top with 12 points still at stake.
Following Friday’s games, the Mavericks (15-12-4, 11-8-2 in CCHA) dropped to third place, where they’re still tied with Bowling Green. They sit four points behind Bemidji State, one behind St. Thomas and two ahead of Michigan Tech.
The Beavers beat the Tommies 6-5 in overtime to build their first-place lead, while Tech shut out BG 7-0.
Strand said his team can’t spend time scoreboard watching.
“If we’re going to look out the window then we’re going to ask for trouble,” he said. “It felt like we looked out the window and hoped someone else did the job for us.
“At the same time I believe in our guys. I believe we will come back. I believe that we understand the time. We believe in what the moment is right now, and our job tomorrow is to go out and collect points.”
Sowder agreed.
“It’s anyone’s (conference) to take right now,” he said. “Whoever wants it most will get it.”
The Lakers, who still have their sights on an upper-half finish and home ice for the first round of the playoffs, looked like they wanted it more early Friday.
Jared Westcott put back a rebound mishandled by Tracy a half-minute in, and John Herrington made it 2-0 with a shot from the top of the left circle at 7:43.
Sowder cut the deficit in half at 11:24, but, less than three minutes later, Harrison Roy beat Tracy through the legs on an open shot from the right circle for another two-goal cushion.
Strand gave Tracy the hook after that goal. Rancier didn’t allow a goal until Tyler Williams scored with 1:24 left in the game after the Mavericks failed to break out the puck and get Rancier out of his net for an extra skater.
The Mavericks outshot the Lakers 17-5 in the second period and 17-3 in the third. It was a great push, but Langenegger was always there for the first stops. He also caught a few breaks as tips and rebounds bounced over the net or scooted just wide of the goal or out of reach of an attacking player’s stick.
“That’s how hockey is,” Sowder said. “Sometimes you get those lucky bounces; sometimes you don’t.”
The Mavericks and Lakers close out the series at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.