No. 4 St. Cloud Sate Men's Hockey Finishes First Half at Miami

*NO. 4 ST. CLOUD STATE at MIAMI*
*OPPONENT*	*LOCATION*	*DAY*	*TIME (CT)*	TV	*RADIO*	*STATS*	*GAME NOTES*
Miami	Oxford, Ohio	Friday, Dec. 9	6:00 p.m.	NCHC.tv	KNSI	Stats	SCSU Notes
Miami	Oxford, Ohio	Saturday, Dec. 10	4:00 p.m.	NCHC.tv	KNSI	Stats	UM Notes

THE MATCHUP

No. 4 St. Cloud State Men's Hockey will finish the first half of its season with a trip to Oxford, Ohio to face Miami this weekend, with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. CT on Friday and 5:00 p.m. ET / 4:00 p.m. CT on Saturday. Fans will be able to watch on NCHC.tv, while Husky Hockey veteran Jim Erickson will have the radio call on KNSI (1450 AM / 99.3 FM).
The Huskies check in at No. 4 in both the DCU / USCHO Poll and the USA Hockey / USA Today Coaches Poll and are coming off a sweep of North Dakota, its first sweep over the Fighting Hawks since 2013 and first at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center since 2001. In its most recent time out, Miami was swept at home by Michigan State, falling 5-3 on Nov. 25 and 4-0 on Nov. 26.

SERIES HISTORY

After a 1-8-2 start to the series, the Huskies are 28-8-2 in the last 36 matchups with the RedHawks since Dec. 30, 2010. Overall, St. Cloud State leads the all-time series, 29-16-4, which dates back to the 1987-88 season. The Huskies have won nine of the last 10 meetings against the two programs, including a sweep at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center last season (Jan. 21-22, 2022) where St. Cloud State set many program and conference records, winning 11-1 and 8-0.
The 19 goals scored set an NCHC and D-I program record for most goals in a series as every skater who took the ice tallied at least one point, led by Nick Perbix's eight point weekend (one goal / seven assists). St. Cloud State's 11 goals and 10-point margin of victory on Jan. 21 matched an NCHC and program record for a conference game. It also marked the 12th time in the D-I era (1987-88) that the Huskies scored 10+ goals in a game. The Huskies can pull even and ahead this weekend on the road against the RedHaeks this weekend, as they are 8-9-3 all-time in Oxford.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST SERIES

In its last time out, St. Cloud State swept North Dakota 7-2 and 6-3 on Dec. 2, scoring six unanswered goals in both games to record its first sweep over the Fighting Hawks since Nov. 1-2, 2013 (3-2 & 3-1 in Grand Forks) and the first at home since Nov. 2-3 2001 (8-4 & 6-1). The Huskies 13 goals were also the most scored in a series against North Dakota since that same 2001 series when it scored 14. On Friday, the Huskies trailed 2-1 but rallied back in the second and third periods, scoring four and two goals, respectively to hang seven on the Fighting Hawks at win 7-2. Senior forward Grant Cruikshank's shorthanded goal at the 10:45 of the second period was the game-winner. On Saturday, North Dakota jumped out to a lead once again, this time taking a 3-0 lead with a second period tally. Senior defenseman Brendan Bushy responded with his second goal of the season just 23 seconds after the Fighting Hawks third goal, shifting the momentum and setting the stage of senior forward Zach Okabe, who netted a natural hat trick in 8:43 minutes of game time, with his third goal coming at the 7:03 mark of the third period to give the Huskies a 4-3 lead.

TOUGH TO SCORE ON

Near the halfway mark of the season, St. Cloud State has made its mark as one of the toughest defensive teams in the country, ranking among the nation's top-15 in numerous defensive categories. The Huskies lead the nation in scoring margin (1.88), save percentage (.930) and shorthanded goals (six), and check in at second in scoring defense (1.81) and 13th in penalty kill percentage (.841). A big piece to the puzzle defensively for the Huskies has been the play between the pipes, as senior goalie Jaxon Castor and junior goalie Dominic Basse have played outstanding while splitting time between the net. Castor, Friday's starter for the season to-date, has produced a 6-2-0 record with a 2.02 goals-against-average and .925 save percentage, marks which each rank 11th nationally. Basse, the Saturday starter, has boasted a 7-1-0 record with a 1.51 GAA and .940 S%, marks which rank second and first, respectively, nationwide.

HAT TRICK OKS

Senior forward Zach Okabe netted the 65^th hat trick in D-I program history for the Huskies, sparking six unanswered goals and a three-goal comeback over North Dakota on Dec. 3. His hat trick came on consecutive goals, giving him the fifth natural hat trick in program history since the 2001-02 season.
Okabe scored the second, third and fourth goals of the game for the Huskies in the span of 8:43 of game time. His third and final goal was a power play goal and the game-winning goal for the Huskies.
It was the second career hat trick for Okabe, who netted his first career hatty in a four goal performance against Minnesota State on Dec. 28, 2019. The four goals were the first four goals and four points of Okabe's career, as he did not register a point in the first 13 games of his career.
Okabe now has two of the last four hat tricks recorded in program history, and two of the five Husky natural hat tricks dating back to the 2001-02 season. He joins Mark Hatrigan (four, 2/15/02 vs. Alaska), Konrad Reeder (12/2/05 vs. Alaska) and Jonny Brodzinski (10/11/14 vs. Colgate) as the only Huskies to produce natural hat tricks over the past 21 seasons.
Of the 45 Huskies to record a hat trick in the D-I era, Okabe is one of 13 Huskies to record multiple hat tricks over their collegiate careers.

BIG SWEEP OVER UND

St. Cloud State was able to get the best of North Dakota in its series at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center Dec. 2-3, sweeping the Fighting Hawks 7-2 and 6-3. The Huskies fell behind each game and came back to score six unanswered goals to win both games of the series.
It was St. Cloud State's first sweep against North Dakota since Nov. 1-2, 2013 (3-2 & 3-1 in Grand Forks) and its first at home since Nov. 2-3, 2001 (8-4 & 6-1).
The Huskies 13 goals are also the most it has scored in a series against North Dakota since that same 2001 series.
It's six unanswered goals were the first time it recorded six straight goals in consecutive games since doing so against Miami on Jan. 21-22, 2022 (11-1, 8-0).

OKABE & PEART EARN NCHC WEEKLY HONORS

Senior forward Zach Okabe and sophomore defenseman Jack Peart each earned NCHC weekly honors following the Huskies sweep over UND, as Okabe was named the Forward of the Week, while Peart was named the Defenseman of the Week
Okabe led the three-goal comeback in St. Cloud State's 6-3 victory on Dec. 3 recording a natural hat trick to lead the Huskies to victory. Okabe recorded his second career hat trick on the 65th hat trick in Division-I program history. Okabe's other hat trick (four goals vs. Minnesota State, 12-28-19) was also a natural hat trick. Since the 2001-02 season, Okabe has two of the five natural hat tricks recorded by the Huskies. For the series, Okabe was +3 on the ice with a power play goal and game-winning goal. His three goals were a part of 13 scored against North Dakota, the most in a series for SCSU against UND since Nov. 12-3, 2001 (8-4 & 6-1). In just 16 games this season, Okabe has already matched a career-high for goals in a season, matching his mark from 2021-22 in 37 games.
Peart produced a five-point weekend, scoring two goals with three assists while producing a +5 mark on the ice. On Friday, Peart scored an extra attacker goal to make the score 4-2 while adding two assists, including one on the game-tying goal. Peart matched a career-high with three points (vs. North Dakota, Dec. 3, 2021) and set a new career-best for +/- at +3. On Saturday, Peart assisted on Okabe's game-winning goal on the power play and added an empty net goal to seal the victory.

MORE ON THE GOALIE TANDEM

Easily the most asked question heading into the season for St. Cloud State was who would start between the pipes. Through 16 games, senior goalie Jaxon Castor and junior goalie Dominic Basse have put up near identical numbers in six starts each.
Castor has got the nod in the first game of each of the first four series, and is 6-2-0 with a 2.02 goals against average and .925 save percentage, marks which ranks 11th nationally. Prior to this season, Castor played in 20 games and made 12 starts for the Huskies in three seasons, posting a mark of 6-8-0 with one shutout. He's logged 1329:59 of ice time between the pipes in his career, and holds a 2.62 GAA and .901 S%.
Basse, the October NCHC and HCA Goaltender of the Month and a 2019 sixth-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, joined the Huskies after two seasons with Colorado College and has started the second game of each series. He is 7-1-0 on the season with a 1.51 GAA and .940 S%, including a pair of shutouts. His GAA (1.51) ranks second nationally, while his .940 S% leads the NCAA. With the Tigers, Basse produced a 10-26-3 mark with a 3.21 GAA and .891 S% in 41 games and 39 starts.
The pair are replacing five-year starter David Hrenak, who set numerous program marks in 146 games played from 2017-22, including wins (82) and shutouts (14) while ranking second in saves (3,370).

CRUIKSHANK'S OFFENSIVE EMERGENCE

St. Cloud State senior forward Grant Cruikshank has been an offensive juggernaut through the first 16 games of the season, as he leads the team in goals (12) and points (19), while ranking fifth in assists (seventh). Among national leaders, the fifth-year senior transfer ranks third in goals (12) and 19^th in points (19).
His is currently on an eight-game points streaking, recording a goal or assist in every games since Nov. 4 at Denver.
He earned NCHC Forward of the Week honors after leading SCSU to a sweep of No. 2 Minnesota State by recording five points (three goals / two assists).
Cruikshank's hot start to the season - 10 goals in 12 games - was the best start by a Husky since Ryan Lasch scored 10 goals in the first 11 games of the 2007-08 season.
Cruikshank played a big part in the Huskies 4-3 overtime win over Denver on Nov. 4, as he scored a third period goal to make the score 2-2, then assisted on junior forward Veeti Miettinen's game-winning goal in overtime.
In SCSU's win over Minnesota State on Oct. 21 (3-2), Cruikshank helped lead a comeback, scoring the game-tying goal late in the second period before assisting on the game-winning goal early in the third period. In the Oct. 22 victory (4-3), Cruikshank scored the game's first goal, a shorthanded goal, assisted on the team's second goal, then scored the game-winning goal with less than four minutes remaining in the game. It was his first goal of either kind as a Husky, and fourth of either kind overall in his career.
The fifth-year senior scored six goals in five consecutive games between Oct. 2 and Oct. 22, a scoring stretch not seen by an SCSU skater since Judd Peterson did so from Oct. 15-29, 2016. He was the first Husky to score six goals in the first six games of a season since Matt Hendricks and Nate DiCasmirro both did so to open the 2001-02 season. Since 2001-02, Cruikshank is one of 10 Huskies to record a 5-game or more goal streak, and the first since Veeti Miettinen did so in the 2020-21 season.

No. 4 St. Cloud Sate Men's Hockey Finishes First Half at Miami

NO. 4 ST. CLOUD STATE at MIAMI

OPPONENT

LOCATION

DAY

TIME (CT)

TV

RADIO

STATS

GAME NOTES

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dominic Basse

Brendan Bushy

Jaxon Castor

Grant Cruikshank

David Hrenak

Veeti Miettinen

Zach Okabe

Jack Peart

Nick Perbix

Saint Cloud State University Athletics

No. 4 St. Cloud Sate Men's Hockey Finishes First Half at Miami

NO. 4 ST. CLOUD STATE at MIAMI

OPPONENT

LOCATION

DAY

TIME (CT)

TV

RADIO

STATS

GAME NOTES

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Dominic Basse

Brendan Bushy

Jaxon Castor

Grant Cruikshank

David Hrenak

Veeti Miettinen

Zach Okabe

Jack Peart

Nick Perbix

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