Shane Frederick
Leivermann ready to bring the Force to Mankato
Corey Leivermann is out to prove that he’s no novelty act.
The future forward for the Minnesota State men’s hockey team wants to show people that the fact that he’s from Mankato and played at West High School is nowhere near the top of the list of reasons why the Mavericks coaches like him.
“I don’t want to be satisfied just being there,” Leivermann said.
So far, he looks the part of a legitimate, if not promising, college prospect.
Leivermann, who will make his commitment to MSU official today when he signs a National Letter of Intent, is in his second season with the United States Hockey League’s Fargo Force.
The Force has two other players, forwards Matt Leitner and Chase Grant, who will sign with Minnesota State today, too.
Leitner is the Force’s team captain and leading scorer, while Leivermann and Grant are assistant captains.
Leivermann ranks second on the team in scoring with five goals and six assists in 11 games and played what he says is his best hockey game to date on Friday.
That night, he scored two goals, assisted on two others and got in his first fight as a junior player.
“It was a pretty good game,” Leivermann said. “I got my first hat trick — they gave me the puck — but then they changed one of the goals to someone else. ...
“The fight? The guy was slashing me halfway down the ice asking me to go. I didn’t want to fight, but he hit me up high, and when I turned around, he had already dropped his gloves. ... It was a good first fight.”
The Force was playing without Leitner that night because he was off competing for the U.S. Junior Select Team at the World Junior A Challenge in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
On Sunday, he scored the game-winning goal in the tournament’s championship game against Canada West and finished the week with a goal and four assists.
“(Leitner’s) a pretty big playmaker,” Leivermann said. “He sees the ice as well as anyone, and he’s got great instincts. He’s probably one of the best kids I’ve played with.”
Leitner is the Force’s leading scorer with six goals and seven assists in seven games. Grant has two goals and two assists in 10 games.
“(Grant) is one of those guys who goes out and battles every shift and does what it takes to win,” Leivermann said.
Leivermann said he’s made great strides in his game since his days as a Scarlet.
“In one year (of junior hockey), the thing that’s changed drastically is my skating. I’ve worked so hard to get it to where it needs to be.”
Leivermann verbally committed to Minnesota State during his senior year at West — nearly two years ago now.
While there is still plenty of excitement about being the first Mankato native to skate for the Mavericks, he said it will be just as satisfying to be playing at MSU with two of his Force teammates.
“It’s been a fun ride,” he said. “We talk about it every day. We’re all looking forward to going there together next year.”
Shane Frederick is a Free Press staff writer. Click here to access his college hockey blog or e-mail him at sfrederick@mankatofreepress.com.
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