MANKATO — The Minnesota State men’s hockey team was controlling play five-on-five, but spending too much time in the penalty box.
Luc Wilson and the penalty kill made sure it didn’t cost the Mavericks.
MSU went 5 for 5 on the kill and Wilson scored twice, as the Mavericks beat Lake Superior State 2-1 in a CCHA game Friday at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. The Mavericks now have a five-game winning streak and a 10-game unbeaten streak.
“These were one-goal losses a year ago. They just were,” MSU coach Luke Strand said. “These are one-goal wins this year.”
Wilson’s second goal of the game came at 7:21 of the third period and required a great individual effort. Just after entering the offensive zone, he fired a pass off the end boards to himself, which he caught near the right hash marks. He then stickhandled and dove in one motion to tuck the puck around Lake State goalie Rorke Applebee.
Wilson, who scored his second and third goals of the season in the win, was glad to utilize the move in a game.
“I try it in practice all the time,” Wilson said with a laugh. “Keith Paulsen, our assistant coach, in the second period said ‘you may as well try it, their (defensemen) are staying up in the play.’ It was a spur-of-the-moment thing. I threw it off the end wall and was lucky enough to get a Grade-A chance.”
Added Strand: “He’ll make the long indirect (pass) to another player skating into it, he’ll do it to himself. I actually wish he’d kind of do it more sometimes.”
The Mavericks got on the scoreboard first at 12:12 of the first period with Wilson firing a wrist shot home from the slot. Fin Williams found Wilson with a nifty backhand feed to set up the goal.
Adversity hit MSU late in the first, with the Lakers tying the game at 18:15. Will Hillman was then assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for direct contact to the head at 18:42, giving the Lakers a golden opportunity to take the lead.
However, the Mavericks were able to get into the first intermission without surrendering a goal, and then dominated for the first 3:42 of the second to complete the kill.
“Killing (minors) is one thing, killing (majors) is a whole different ball of wax,” Strand said. “We’re lucky we got to split it up.”
MSU killed four more minor penalties the remainder of the game, including three in the third period.
In the final minute, the Mavericks blocked three shots to secure the win, with Campbell Cichosz stopping two.
“The effort shown by our penalty killers throughout that third period was truly incredible,” Wilson said. “If we can continue to hold these leads and feel comfortable in these situations, I think it’s only going to benefit us down the road.”
Shots on goal favored MSU 26-20. Alex Tracy made 19 saves to get his 13th win of the season.
The Mavericks (13-4-2, 8-1-2 in CCHA) finish their series with the Lakers at 6:07 p.m. Saturday at the Event Center.
Follow Kevin Dudley on X @Dudley7Kevin.