The Free Press, Mankato, MN

College Sports

October 2, 2010

Young Mavericks look to prove rankings wrong

MSU picked to finish 10th in WCHA preseason polls

By Shane Frederick Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — The Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s preseason polls were released on Wednesday, and Minnesota State isn’t getting a lot of love from the league’s coaches nor from the media who cover the conference.

Both polls put the Mavericks in 10th place in what is now a 12-team conference.

“Hopefully, we can take the zero off that 10,” MSU captain Rylan Galiardi said earlier this week.

Today is the official start day of the men’s college-hockey season, and Minnesota State will have two practices at All Seasons Arena.

On Monday, the Mavericks will play an exhibition game against the University of British Columbia at the Verizon Wireless Center, and four days later, they will open the regular season with the first game of a nonconference series against St. Lawrence.

“We’ve got a short period of time to get ready,” coach Troy Jutting said, “especially with a significant number of new, young kids.”

Five of the Mavericks top six scoring forwards are gone from last year’s team and will be replaced by five of the team’s eight freshmen. However, veteran defensive corps and two experienced goaltenders are back.

“I like this team,” Jutting said. “I like our young kids, what I’ve seen of them. There’s going to be a learning curve there. But all of those young kids have been successful in their junior hockey careers. All of them have scored at that level.”

Players have had captains practices since school started in late August, and coaches have been able to work on the ice with their teams for two hours a week over the last two weeks. The team has also had early-morning weight room sessions and even some Sunday yoga.

“By far, it’s the best chemistry we’ve had, off the ice and on the ice since I’ve been here,” said assistant captain Ben Youds, one of three senior defensemen on the roster and last season’s leading scorer. “Captains practices have had the best pace I’ve seen. Everybody comes ready to go.”

Minnesota State finished in a tie for eighth place in the 10-team WCHA last season.

This year, the league’s two preseason polls — the 40th annual Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald coaches poll and the 94X media poll out of Duluth — put the Mavericks ahead of just two teams, Alaska-Anchorage and Michigan Tech, and behind the conference’s two newest teams, Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha.

North Dakota was the overwhelming favorite to win the WCHA in both polls.

Galiardi, the team’s top returning goal scorer (11 goals last season) said the preseason polls really don’t matter much to him.

“From a player’s point of view, (the poll) can be a motivator,” he said. “But we shouldn’t need any more motivation right now. ... We see ourselves as a first-place team. It doesn’t matter where other teams think we’re going to finish.”

Text Only | Photo Reprints
College Sports
  • MSU bball 3/15 2 Top-seeded Mavericks get knocked off by Huskies

    St. Cloud State advanced to the region championship game with an 83-71 victory Sunday, ending the season for the top-seeded Mavericks.

    March 15, 2010 2 Photos

  • xsmall_Schiller, Joe_PE6X7791.JPG Mavericks healthier but still hurting

    Michael Dorr and Eriah Hayes will be back in the lineup, but with six players still out with injury, center Joe Schiller will move to defense.

    November 3, 2011 1 Photo 1 Story

  • xsmall_Lee, Austin_PE6X7812.JPG College hockey gameday

    Minnesota State at Michigan Tech

    6:07 p.m. today and Saturday, MacInnes Student Ice Arena, Houghton, Mich.

    Radio: KTOE 1420 AM TV: None

    November 3, 2011 2 Photos 1 Story

  • Northern Sun to vote on expansion

    Today, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference board of directors will vote on whether to expand from 14 to 16 programs.

    January 19, 2011

  • Gusties ranked 8th in DIII

    The Gustavus Adolphus men’s hockey team is ranked eighth in the country, according to the first U.S. College Hockey Online poll released earlier this week.

    October 28, 2010

  • MSU w hock-9.jpg Sister support: Ariel the latest Mackley to shine for MSU

    Anyone familiar with women’s college hockey in southern Minnesota must know the Mackleys. Since the fall of 2004, at least one of the three Mackley sisters has been skating for Minnesota State or Gustavus Adolphus.

    October 7, 2010 1 Photo

  • msu hockey 10-4-1.jpg Zuck's goal lifts MSU past British Columbia

    MSU's Eli Zuck’s short-handed breakaway goal 100 seconds into the third period stood as the lone goal in the Mavericks’ 1-0 victory over British Columbia before an announced crowd of 2,236 at the Verizon Wireless Center.

    October 5, 2010 1 Photo

  • Young Mavericks look to prove rankings wrong

    The Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s preseason polls were released on Wednesday, and Minnesota State isn’t getting a lot of love from the league’s coaches nor from the media who cover the conference. Both polls put the Mavericks in 10th place in what is now a 12-team conference.

    October 2, 2010

  • gustfb 092510.jpg Clark, St. Olaf run past Gustavus

    St. Olaf halfback Leon Clark cut loose for 134 second-half yards and scored the game-winning touchdown with 29 seconds left to lift his team to a 19-14 victory over Gustavus Saturday.

    September 26, 2010 1 Photo

  • MSUfb 092510.jpg Mavericks get shocked at home

    Concordia upset No. 11 MSU 28-26 in a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game before 4,264 fans. It was the second time in the series history that MSU lost to Concordia.

    September 26, 2010 2 Photos