MANKATO — So you’re saying there’s a chance?
The rollercoaster which is the regular season for No. 18 Minnesota State men’s hockey is reaching its final loop. And after a mid-season slump which saw the Mavericks drop seven of eight games, they have a chance of repeating as MacNaughton Cup champions this weekend as last place Northern Michigan rolls into town.
“It’s an exciting time, but you have to keep your focus,” MSU head coach Luke Strand said. “I know the guys want to play more, and you’re ramping yourself into that mode because it’s the stretch time. But, it’s exciting to see the reward of the hard work they put in and come full circle.”
In all honesty, there are multiple scenarios in which MSU (17-9-6, 13-7-4) can clinch its second-straight CCHA regular season championship and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. But, for the sake of convenience, here’s the simplest one to explain.
First, the Mavericks must sweep NMU with a pair of regulation wins. MSU, currently in fourth place with 46 points, would surge to the top with 52 points.
Second, both Michigan Tech and St. Thomas, currently tied for second with 48 points, must suffer a regulation loss in one of their two games this weekend. Tech is set to host and collide with Bowling Green, who can still surge into a top four spot in the standings, for the first time this season. St. Thomas is traveling to face Bemidji State, a place where the Tommies have never won in regulation, only earning a single point on two separate occasions.
The second scenario only matters if MSU can handle business against the Wildcats this weekend. Scoreboard watching does nothing. What happens inside the confines of Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center is the only thing that does matter this weekend.
“Everybody else has got a job to do, and that’s their job. Our job is to go out and play hockey and do it the right way against the opponent that is at hand,” Strand said. “I guess everyone else has got a narrative for what they want to see and say. Our narrative has got to be about Northern and us playing as good a hockey as we can at this time of year. You’re hoping to be basically opponentless when it comes this time here, you want to get revved up to make sure you play the right brand (of hockey).”
While MSU swept the first meeting over the Wildcats in Marquette earlier this season, this second collision brings a different feel. The Wildcats currently sit six points back for the eighth and final spot in the CCHA standings.
They will enter Friday’s game (7:07 p.m. start) fighting to keep their season alive for another weekend. But by Saturday (6:07 p.m. start) NMU could become a team with nothing to lose with the Mavericks looking to take everything.
The Wildcats aren’t the litter of the pack. In fact, Strand was quick to point out that, despite a record of 3-20-1, he sees NMU playing favorable hockey.
“We got our hands full with what we have to get done and how we want to do it,” Strand said. “it’s the old cliche, control your controllables. But it’s really true. We can’t spend any time on something that’s not going to help us day to day.”