Comeback Fuels Mavericks To Three-point Weekend Against SCSU

by Dan Myers
Issue date: 1/18/07 Section: Mens Sports

Oh, what a difference a day makes.

One night after the Minnesota State men's hockey team erased a three-goal third period deficit at No. 4 St. Cloud State en route to a scintillating 6-4 win, neither team could muster a single goal as the Mavs and Huskies fought to a 0-0 deadlock Saturday in the second game of a WCHA home-and-home series at Midwest Wireless Civic Center.

The three points, however, were a major coup for a young Maverick team that looks to be finding their stride at the right time.

First, the win allowed MSU to keep pace in the WCHA standings, where MSU - despite their early season struggles ­- is only two points out of the top five and a home series in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.

The victory gave the Mavericks the advantage in the season series with SCSU, after the teams split a home-and-home series in October.

And perhaps, most importantly, the win finally rewarded the Mavericks with points against a highly-ranked team. After fighting tooth and nail with No. 1 Minnesota three times in the last month - with only one point to show for it - the victory was more than just a moral one.

"The win was an important one," said Mavericks head coach Troy Jutting. "Its one thing to win a game after being down 4-1. But to do it with a young team, on the road … that goes a long way in turning corners and turning those young guys into veterans."

If the Mavericks are to climb back into the home-ice race, they can look no further than Friday's 6-4 win for their season's turning point.

Aaron Brocklehurst's goal at 2:39 of the final period gave the Huskies a 4-1 lead, and with the raucous National Hockey Center crowd into the game, one might understand if the Mavericks began looking to their rematch the following night in Mankato.

But MSU refused to quit.

Mick Berge scored on the power play at 4:38 to narrow the gap to 4-2. Another power play tally, this one from Joel Hanson made it 4-3 at 11:27.

"When you have coached 17 years, you get a feeling," Jutting said, "and when we scored that third goal, you could tell that their goaltender was going to have to make a lot of great saves the rest of the way. They were playing not to lose and we were playing to win."

The Minnesota State goal parade would not end anytime soon, either. Freshman Jerad Stewart tied the score at 15:42, shocking the same Husky faithful that had been jubilant just minutes before.

It may have shocked SCSU as well, which had carried a 15-game unbeaten streak into the contest.

Morin's goal at 16:47 gave MSU its first lead since 1-0 during the first period. It would not relinquish the lead either, as Jon Kalinski put the finishing touches on a masterful victory with an empty-netter with under a minute remaining to ice the win.

Mike Zacharias made 23 saves in net to earn the victory.

The Mavericks carried the momentum from the St. Cloud series into the second game of a home-and-home series with Nebraska-Omaha at the Qwest Center in Omaha.

The 48-hour turnaround concerned Jutting, whose team was coming off emotional weekends against Minnesota and SCSU.

"I was worried we weren't going to be able to get back up emotionally," Jutting said.

Heading into the third period, MSU found themselves in a similar spot: trailing on the road.

The deficit was only one this time, however, and was erased when Joel Hanson tallied his 11th goal of the season at 8:33. Neither team was able to capitalize in regulation and for the second time this season, the two teams played bonus hockey.

But unlike their initial meeting a month and a half ago, MSU was able to take the victory.

Jon Kalinski, who was denied on breakaway attempts in each of his previous five attempts - including earlier in the night - capitalized at 3:29 winning the Maverick Cup for MSU. The win also extended MSU's unbeaten streak against UNO to 11 games.

"It was an emotional win for the team, but especially for Jon," Jutting said. "That goal will go a long ways towards Jon being successful in the future."

Dan Myers is the Reporter Sports Editor