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December 31, 2010

MSU hoping to use tournament to kick off a second-half surge

Mavericks players say team closing to turning the corner

By Shane Frederick Free Press Staff Writer

MANKATO — The Minnesota State men’s hockey team believes it’s on the verge of making a strong second-half run.

“We’re definitely really close,” senior defenseman Ben Youds said. “I don’t think we’re there all the way yet, but we’re really close. You could see that over our last six games.”

Starting today, the Mavericks are going to gauge how close they are to some of the best teams from around the nation.

The Shillelagh Tournament, which begins today in the Chicago suburb of Hoffman Estates, Ill., pits teams from each of the four major college-hockey conferences against each other.

Minnesota State will represent the Western Collegiate Hockey Association against 12th-ranked Notre Dame of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association, 10th-rated Boston University of Hockey East and Brown of the East Coast Athletic Conference.

“It’s about bragging rights, if you think about it,” Youds said, “with four teams from each area of the states and different leagues.”

The Mavericks will play Notre Dame tonight and either BU or Brown on Sunday afternoon.

“Obviously, there are good teams in (the tournament),” Youds said. “We’re preparing for that. We don’t know too much about them, but they’re from all over so we’re getting all different brands of hockey this weekend.”

Minnesota State’s brand?

“We have to play the way we are capable of playing,” said Youds, MSU’s second leading scorer with 14 points. “We have to use our speed and make them play with us.”

Before taking a two-week vacation, Minnesota State closed out the first half of the season by winning four of its last six games. The losses were a pair of close games with the WCHA’s best team, North Dakota, on the final weekend before break.

“We’re looking to pick up where we left off and not start over,” sophomore defenseman Tyler Elbrecht said.

That includes special teams, which have gone from a team weakness to a strength.

Early in the year, the Mavericks struggled on the power play and penalty kill. After scoring eight power-play goals over their first 12 games, they have averaged one a game over their last six games. Over the last five games, MSU has allowed just one power-play goal on 32 kills. Contrast that to the first 13 games of the season when they allowed 16 power-play goals.

“Special teams are where they need to be,” Elbrecht said.

Both Youds and Elbrecht have high expectations for the second half of the season. Including a nonconference series against American International next Friday and Saturday, the Mavericks will play 10 of their final 16 games in Mankato.

“I think, as long as we stay healthy and everybody comes to the rink to work and play their role,” Elbrecht said, “we’re ready to make a good run.”

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