.png)
Friday, December 8
Omaha, Neb.
7:00 P.M. CT
St. Cloud State
at
Omaha
Photo by: Bill Prout
No. 15 St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Finishes First Half of Season at (RV) Omaha
12/7/2023 2:09:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Huskies and Mavericks play at Baxter Arena Dec. 8-9
No. 15 ST. CLOUD STATE at (RV) OMAHA |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
TV / STREAM |
RADIO |
STATS |
GAME NOTES |
| (RV) Omaha | Baxter Arena | Friday, Dec. 8 | 7:00 p.m. | NCHC.tv | KNSI | Stats | SCSU Notes |
| (RV) Omaha | Baxter Arena | Saturday, Dec. 9 | 7:00 p.m. | NCHC.tv | KNSI | Stats | UNO Notes |
THE MATCHUP
- No. 15 St. Cloud State Men's Hockey looks to extend its perfect start to NCHC play this weekend when it hits the road for a conference tilt against (RV) Omaha. The series will take place Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9 at Baxter Arena, with puck drop scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT both games. The series will be streamed on NCHC.tv, while Husky Hockey veteran Jim Erickson and former Husky captain Dave Reichel will have the call over the airwaves on KNSI (1450 AM / 99.3 FM).
- St. Cloud State enters the weekend ranked No. 15 in both the USCHO Top-20 Poll and USA Today / The Rink Live top-20 polls, while the Mavericks are receiving votes in both polls.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Huskies and Mavericks will take the ice for the 46th and 47th times this weekend, with the Huskies holding a 28-16-2 advantage in the all-time series between the two programs. SCSU will be looking to turn its luck around against Omaha, as the Mavericks have beaten the Huskies in four of the last five games. In its only meeting last season, the two teams traded 6-2 results at Baxter Arena, with the Huskies winning on Friday (Feb. 24) and the Mavericks winning on Saturday (Feb. 25). In Omaha, the Huskies are 10-9-1 all-time.
A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST SERIES
- Prior to last week's bye week, the Huskies squared off against B1GÂ opponent Michigan for the first time in St. Cloud. The Wolverines took game, 2-0, in a game that went scoreless for more than 40 minutes before Michigan found the back of the net twice in the game's closing period. SCSU would respond on Saturday, as the Huskies erased a three-goal deficit to earn a tie and shootout win to close the weekend on a high note. Fifth-year forward Kyler Kupka scored both of SCSU's goals in the third period to help mount the comeback, as his extra attacker goal tied the score with nine seconds remaining in the third period. Following a scoreless five-minute overtime, the Huskies outlasted the Wolverines in a shootout following goals from Kupka and senior forward Veeti Miettinen and two stops from senior goaltender Dominic Basse.
PERFECT START TO CONFERENCE PLAY
- St. Cloud State has jumped out to an early lead in the chase for the NCHC Spencer Penrose Cup, as the Huskies have remained perfect through six conference games with sweeps over Miami (Nov. 3-4, 3-2 & 6-0), at Western Michigan (Nov. 10-11, 3-2 & 3-0) and Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 17-18, 2-1 & 6-5). The Huskies 6-0-0 start in conference play is its best start to an NCHC season, surpassing its mark of 4-0-2 in 2018-19, and is its best start to a conference season since starting 7-0-0 in the 2001-02 WCHA season. SCSU's six-game win streak between Nov. 3 and Nov. 18 was its first since winning six consecutive between Nov. 11 and Dec. 9, 2022.
- The Huskies' 18 points is two ahead of second-place No. 1 North Dakota (5-1-0) and five clear of No. 4/5 Denver (4-2-0). In the 10-year history of the NCHC, the average point total of the regular season conference champion has been 55 points. To reach that mark, SCSU would need to average 2.06 points per game in its final 18 conference games.
- SCSU has captured the Penrose three times as a member of the NCHC, winning the title in 2013-14 (48 points), 2017-18 (53 points) and 2018-19 (62 points). SCSU's 62 points in head coach Brett Larson's first season still stands as a league-record point total for a regular season conference champion.
GAME NOTES FROM LAST SERIESÂ
- GAME 1 - 2-0 loss vs. Michigan (11-24-23 in St. Cloud)
- The 2-0 result marked the first time the Huskies have been shutout at home since Nov. 19, 2016 when North Dakota won 3-0 at the Brooks Center.
- SCSU outshot its opponent for the ninth time in 13 games this season.
- Senior goaltender Dominic Basse made 25 saves for the fourth time this season and 31st time in his career.
- Redshirt sophomore Ryan Rosborough (six), senior forward Joe Molenaar (five) and freshman forward Barrett Hall (four) all recorded career highs in shots on goal.
- GAME 2 - 3-3 tie vs. Michigan (11-25-23 in St. Cloud)
- With the tie, SCSU moves to 0-3-1 all-time against Michigan.
- SCSU erased a three-goal deficit for the first time since a 4-3 OT win against Minnesota Duluth on March 4, 2023.
- SCSU outshot its opponent for the 10th time in 14 games this season, leading the shots on goal tally 39-30.
- Fifth-year forward Kyler Kupka matched a career-best with his second career multi-goal game, matching his two-goal performance against Minnesota Duluth on March 3, 2023.
- Senior forward Veeti Miettinen's goal marked the first shorthanded goal of the season for the Huskies and his first career score down a man.
- The Husky senior recorded his 10th goal of the season, marking his fourth consecutive season with 10 or more goals in a season.
- Miettinen becomes just the ninth Husky to record four consecutive seasons with 10 or more goals, joining Chris Scheid (1987-91), Tim Hanus (1988-92), Jeff Saterdalen (1988-92), Dave Paradise (1993-97), Jason Goulet (1995-99), Ryan Lasch (2006-10), Garrett Roe (2007-11) and Easton Brodzinski (five seasons, 2017-22).
- Senior goaltender Dominic Basse was solid in net, making 27 saves, the fifth time this season and 31st time in his career he has made 25 or more saves.
- Freshman forward Tyson Gross recorded two assists in the game to mark his first career game with multiple assists and his second game with multiple points.
- The Miettinen brothers tallied points on the same goal for the second time this season, with Veeti Miettinen tallying the goal both times. The second period score marked the first time Verner Miettinen recorded the primary assist on his brother's score.
PENALTY KILLERS
- The Huskies have been especially strong on the penalty kill this season, killing off 43-of-51 penalties for a mark of 84.3 percent, which ranks third in the NCHC and 16th in the NCAA.Â
- SCSU is 6-2-0 when their opponent fails to score on the man advantage, as their play with a man down has helped spur its 6-0-0 start to conference play.Â
- The Huskies killed off 13 consecutive penalties between Oct. 21 against Alaska and Nov. 17 against Minnesota Duluth, helping their penalty kill percentage rise from 80 percent (12-15) on Oct. 20 to the 84.3 percent mark it stands at today.
- Senior forward Veeti Miettinen scored the Huskies first shorthanded goal of the season against Michigan (Nov. 25), helping spark a three-goal comeback to earn a tie and shootout win against the No. 14-ranked Wolverines.
MIETTINEN TAKES NEXT STEP, NEARS 100-POINT MILESTONE
- Senior forward Veeti Miettinen has played especially well over the Huskies last five series, recording nine goals and 11 points with a +4 mark on the ice in 10 games since Oct. 20. Miettinen leads the Huskies in both goals (10) and points (14) while ranking fourth and 14th in the NCHC in those categories, respectively.
- The Husky forward scored in six consecutive games between Oct. 20 and Nov. 11, the longest scoring streak by a Husky since Ryan Lasch produced the same mark in the 2007-08 season (Oct. 27 - Nov. 23, 2007).
- Miettinen scored his 10th goal against Michigan on Nov. 25 to become just the ninth Husky to record four consecutive seasons with 10 or more goals. He joins Chris Scheid (1987-91), Tim Hanus (1988-92), Jeff Saterdalen (1988-92), Dave Paradise (1993-97), Jason Goulet (1995-99), Ryan Lasch (2006-10), Garrett Roe (2007-11) and Easton Brodzinski (five seasons, 2017-22) as the only Huskies to score 10+ goals in four seasons.
- Miettinen has powered the Huskies power play unit through the first half of the season, scoring five of the team's 11 goals on the man advantage. The Husky senior's five power play goals ranks third in the NCHC and seventh nationally, while the SCSU's team mark of 19.3 percent (11-57) ranks fifth in the NCHC and 26th in the NCAA.Â
- Miettinen scored twice in SCSU's 6-5 win over UMD on Nov. 18, marking the sixth time in his career he has produced a multi-goal game. He recorded both game-winning goals in each of SCSU's wins over Western Michigan (Nov. 10-11), which were his 10th and 11th career game-winning goals, moving him to seventh all-time in program history in game-winning goals. He currently sits a four-way tie with Tim Hanus (1988-92), Garrett Roe (2007-11) and Joey Benik (2012-16).
- For his career, Miettinen is nearing the 100-point club as he currently has 43 goals and 54 assists for 97 points. When he reaches the 100-point mark, he would be the 39th member of SCSU's 100-point club and the second this season after fifth-year forward Zach Okabe joined the club on Nov. 18.
BASSE STRONG IN NET
- Senior goaltender Dominic Basse has solidified his spot as the mainstay in net for the Huskies through the first half of the season, as he has started all 14 games this season. He has produced an 8-5-1 mark with a 2.31 goals-against average and .908 save percentage with an NCAA-leading three shutouts.Â
- Basse is one of six to produce three shutouts this season, as he joins Ryan Bischel (Notre Dame), Freddie Halyk (Denver), Kyle McClellan (Wisconsin), Ludvig Persson (North Dakota) and TJ Semptimphelter (Arizona State).Â
- The senior netminder has improved his career numbers drastically since transferring into St. Cloud. In two seasons with Colorado College, he produced a 3.21 GAA and .891 S%, but after 33 games with the Huskies, his career marks now stand at 2.80 GAA and .899 S%.Â
- In SCSU games alone, Basse has produced a mark of 19-10-3 with 2.31 GAA and .910 S%. Among career records, his 2.31 GAA ranks third in program history while his .910 S% ranks eighth.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's HockeyMen's Hockey Postgame Press Conference 3-8-25
Sunday, March 09
Men's Hockey Postgame Press Conference 3-7-25
Saturday, March 08
Men's Hockey Postgame Press Conference 2-22-25
Sunday, February 23
Men's Hockey Postgame Press Conference 2-21-25
Saturday, February 22
