Rankin is big part of Mavs' success

Hard work pays off after early benching

By Shane Frederick
Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — Rob Rankin knows how his opponents feel about him.

They all share the same sentiment. "I think everybody I've ever met has said (the same thing) about me," Rankin said. "'I hated playing against you.' But once you get to know me, I'm not such a bad guy."

Once he's on your team, anyway.

Rankin, a gritty and speedy forward for the Minnesota State men's hockey team, plays the role of the gnat for the Mavericks.

An annoying, biting gnat.

He swarms to puck carriers, banging them into the boards, and buzzes around those without the puck, driving them bananas.

He uses his legs to race opponents to loose pucks and his arms to push and pull - and occasionally hook and hold.

Rankin is considered one of the Mavericks' top penalty killers. He also has three goals and three assists on the season and is tied for the team lead in penalty minutes with 34.

"He plays right on the edge," teammate Jake Brenk said. "He's an in-your-face hockey player."

Brenk knows from experience.

In high school, Brenk's Breck and Rankin's Holy Angels teams squared off against each other a few times.

"We threw our punches," Brenk said. "He was playing like he does now. I thought he was playing over the edge. I didn't like it."

And now?

"I love playing with him," Brenk said.

Coach Troy Jutting called Rankin's play "critical to our success" and said the junior probably had his best weekend as a Maverick in last weekend's series split against No. 2 Wisconsin when he filled in on a checking line and matched up against some of the top forwards in the country.

"When you don't like to play against him, you know he's on the ice," Jutting said. "That's when he's creating things and when he's causing problems for the other team."

Rankin said his style developed as he tried to prove people wrong.

Although he's now 6 foot tall and weighs 180 pounds, Rankin said his growth spurt didn't come until he was a junior in high school.

"Everybody said I was too small, not fast enough and not strong enough," he said. "So I worked on that. ... If I'm not on the edge, I'm not going to be effective as that type of player."

Rankin's style hasn't always helped the Mavericks, though.

Jutting sat Rankin for two games after he took three penalties - including an unsportsmanlike conduct call and a 10-minute misconduct - in a game against Minnesota-Duluth on Oct. 22.

"Sometimes I lose my head," Rankin said.

It's only natural that Rankin's style of play is going to lead to some time in the box. Jutting doesn't mind that, as long as the penalties aren't dumb or dangerous.

"It's tough to be a great penalty killer when you're in the box," Jutting said.

Rankin said he learned his lesson. Since the benching, he has nine penalties but just one in the last four games.

"I think Robbie's playing better because he's understanding the importance of his role on our team," Jutting said, adding that he would like to see more goal scoring added to Rankin's repertoire.

Rankin said he's also getting more comfortable because he's finally found a home.

Last season, Rankin was playing on his fourth team in as many years.

After graduating from Holy Angels, the Eagan native played college hockey at for Michigan Tech for one season. He left the U.P. after his freshman season and played junior hockey in Topeka, Kan., for a season before transferring to MSU, where his sister played women's hockey.

"I think he's settling in," Jutting said.

Forgive the Mavericks' opponents if they don't celebrate that bit of news. Nobody loves a gnat.