BOSTON — Thanks to a workmanlike effort, the Minnesota State Mavericks will get the chance to play for the program’s first national championship.
Five different players scored goals for the Mavericks and goaltender Dryden McKay earned his 38th win of the season to propel Minnesota State to the national title game with a 5-1 victory over Minnesota in Thursday’s second national semifinal at the TD Garden.
The Mavericks enjoyed a territorial advantage for much of the game and outshot the Gophers 32-17. That said, things were hardly as easy for the Mavericks as the final score may have indicted. Minnesota State fell behind early 1-0 before rallying in the second to take a lead it didn’t relinquish.
The Golden Gophers scored on their first shot of the game at 11:00 of the first period. After a neutral-zone turnover by the Mavericks, Minnesota’s Matthew Knies finished off some tic-tac-toe passing with Bryce Brodzinski for the only goal of the opening period.
The Mavericks, however, kept coming hard and controlled play, something that finally paid off at 7:22 of the second. Benton Maass came down from the blue line below the goal line. He wrapped the puck around the left post, far side on Minnesota netminder Justen Close.
At 13:31, the Mavericks took their first lead, again on a wraparound. This time it was Reggie Lutz swinging around the right post as Close was scrambling in the crease.
Early in the third, Minnesota State built the first two-goal cushion of the game when Ondrej Pavel put the perfect tip on Jack McNeely’s shot from the point. David Silye then delivered the knockout punch for the Mavericks with 6:43 remaining, picking the top corner of the net on a pretty shot from the slot.
Brandon Furry’s empty net goal with 1:08 remaining accounted for the final score.
With the win, Minnesota State advanced to the program’s first national title game where it will meet Denver, a 3-2 overtime winner over Michigan in Thursday’s first semifinal.
Full story to come.