
Photo by: Jason Soria
St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Ready for NCAA Tournament Meeting with Minnesota State
3/22/2023 12:08:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Huskies and Mavericks will play Thursday in Fargo regional
No. 6 ST. CLOUD STATE vs. No. 10/9 MINNESOTA STATE |
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OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
TV / STREAM |
RADIO |
STATS |
GAME NOTES |
Minnesota State | SCHEELS Arena | Thursday, March 23 | 4:00 p.m. | ESPNU | KNSI | Stats | SCSU Notes | UND Notes |
THE MATCHUP
- Following its NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship last weekend, No. 6 St. Cloud State Men's Hockey will make its 17th NCAA Tournament appearance at the 2023 NCAA Fargo Regional on Thursday. The Huskies open the tournament with a first round matchup against No. 10/9 Minnesota State at the SCHEELS Arena in Fargo, N.D. Puck drop for the game is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. CT on ESPNU with Roxy Bernstein and Ben Clymer on the call. On the radio, Husky Hockey veteran Jim Erickson and former Husky captain Dave Reichel will have the call on KNSI (1450 AM / 99.3 FM).
- St. Cloud State is the 2-seed in the tournament, while the Mavericks enter as the 3-seed. In the national rankings, SCSU is ranked No. 6 in the Pairwise ranking, the DCU / USCHO Poll and the USA Hockey / USA Today Coaches Poll, while Minnesota checks in at No. 10 in the Pairwise and DCU / USCHO Poll, and No. 9 in USA Today Coaches Poll.
SERIES HISTORY
- One of the longest rivalries in program history, the Huskies and Mavericks will meet for the 135th time on Thursday and just the second time in the NCAA Tournament. SCSU can pull even with MSU with a win, as the Mavericks hold a slight advantage, 61-60-13 in the all-time series. The Huskies have won nine of the last 10 games dating back to November 2011 and a 32-19-6 mark since the two programs transitioned to Division-I competition. Earlier this season, SCSU swept its regular season series against Mankato, winning 3-2 and 4-3 at the Brooks Center on Oct. 21-22. Senior forward Grant Cruikshank, still new to the Huskies at the time, led the Huskies to the sweep over the Mavericks, scoring three goals and two assists while contributing to both game-winning goals.
- In the only postseason meeting between the two schools, SCSU pulled out a thrilling 5-4 victory on April 8, 2021 in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal game, vaulting the Huskies to its first ever National Championship game appearance. Current Huskies Spencer Meier, Kyler Kupka and Joe Molenaar scored in the game, while former Husky Nolan Walker's epic tip off a shot from the blue line with under a minute remaining sealed the SCSU victory.
FROZEN FACEOFF CHAMPIONS
- Last weekend, St. Cloud State won its second NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship, beating North Dakota and Colorado College at the Xcel Energy Center. SCSU came back twice to beat No. 17 North Dakota, 3-2, in overtime in the semifinal game. Down 1-0 and 2-1, SCSU scored two equalizing goals before being lifted by a Zach Okabe goal in the extra frame for the victory. The "International Line" led the way for the Huskies, as Okabe, Jami Krannila and Veeti Miettinen combined for all three goals and seven points overall. Miettinen's three points (1-2-3) are the most points scored by a Husky at the NCHC Frozen Faceoff, surpassing a mark of two points which was set numerous times.
- In the championship game, senior goalie Jaxon Castor stopped all 17 shots from Colorado College to become the second goaltender to record a shutout in the championship game. Krannila, Grant Cruikshank and Kyler Kupka found the back of the net for the Huskies to record its second Frozen Faceoff title. The championship appearance continued a streak of semifinal success for the Huskies, who are an NCHC record 6-0 in Frozen Faceoff semifinal games, advancing to the title game in 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2023, with championships in 2016 and 2023.
NCAA TOURNAMENT REGULARS
- This weekend, the Huskies will make their fourth trip to the NCAA Tournament under head coach Brett Larson and fifth consecutive trip to the big dance. The five straight trips to the NCAA Tournament is tied for the longest active streak in the NCAA (with Thursday's opponent Mankato). Larson is the first St. Cloud State head coach in the D-I era to lead the Huskies to NCAA Tournament berths the first four seasons a tournament is played (no tournament in 2020 due to pandemic). In 16 NCAA trips, the Huskies are 8-17 overall with Frozen Four appearances in 2013 and 2021. The Huskies 24 wins so far in 2022-23 marked the 17th time in its 36-year history as a Division-I program St. Cloud State has won 20 or more games.
ELITE OFFENSIVE TRIO
- St. Cloud State has been led by a trio of elite goal scorers this season, as senior forward Grant Cruikshank (22 goals), senior forward Jami Krannila (21 goals) and senior forward Zach Okabe (17 goals) combined 60 goals is the fourth-most of any trio of skaters in the NCAA Tournament.
- Cruikshank's 22 goals rank fourth in the nation this season and are the most by a Husky since Joey Benik scored 23 in 2015-16, while Krannila's 21 scores ranks seventh in the NCAA. The last time two Huskies had 20+ goals in a season was 2015-16 (Joey Benik – 23, Patrick Russell – 20), while only one time have three Huskies score 20+ goals in the same season (1989-90).
- Krannila's goal in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship game gave him 40 points on the season, as he is the first Husky to reach that mark since Patrick Newell (46) and Blake Lizotte (40) did so in 2018-19.
- The trio's top-three combined 60 goals are the most by three Huskies in the same season since 2007-08 when Ryan Lasch (25), Garrett Roe (18) and Andreas Nodl (18) combined for 61. The mark is also the ninth best mark by a trio of Huskies in program history.
EXPERIENCED HUSKIES
- St. Cloud State brings a wealth of experience to the NCAA Tournament, as 11 Huskies have played 100+ games and four have skated in 150+ games. Graduate Defenseman Brendan Bushy leads the way for the Huskies with 176 games played, ranking in a tie with Easton Brodzinski (2017-22) for the most career games played in program history. Bushy's 176 career appearances are the third-most of any skater in the NCAA Tournament this season
- The 11 Huskies with 100+ games leads the NCHC, leading North Dakota who have eight. Among the 27 athletes on SCSU's roster, 15 have played in at least one NCAA Tournament game, 12 have made NCAA Frozen Four appearances, and 10 played in the 2021 NCAA National Championship game for the Huskies.
- St. Cloud State's 225 points this season from 12 seniors and graduate students is the most among any team in the NCAA Tournament this season.
- Additionally, three Huskies – Bushy, senior defenseman Spencer Meier and senior forward Micah Miller – captured their first NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship in their third title game appearance (2019, 2021).
WHERE THE HUSKIES RANK
- With St. Cloud State's known experience, many Huskies rank near the top of all active skaters in the NCAA Tournament in numerous statistical categories.
- Senior forward Grant Cruikshank, who earned a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four last season with Minnesota, leads all NCAA Tournament skaters with 19 power play goals while ranking second in goals (59) and shorthanded goals (five).
- Senior forward Jami Krannila 52 career goals ranks fifth among NCAA Tournament skaters, while his 107 points ranks sixth.
- Senior forward Zach Okabe's nine game-winning goals ranks first in a six-way tie.
- Junior forward Veeti Miettinen's 16 power play tallies ranks third among all NCAA Tournament skaters, while senior forward Micah Miller's five shorthanded goals ranks second.
- Senior forward Kyler Kupka leads all Huskies with four points (2-2-4) in NCAA Tournament games, a mark which ranks fifth among NCAA Tournament skaters.
Players Mentioned
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