St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Closes Regular Season with Minnesota Duluth

THE MATCHUP

St. Cloud State Men's Hockey will close the regular season by hosting Minnesota Duluth this weekend at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The series begins with a 7:30 p.m. CT puck drop on Friday and will conclude on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. CT on NCHC.tv (subscription required) and Fox 9 + (tape delay). Saturday's game will serve as Senior Night, with fans encouraged to stay after the game to honor SCSU's six seniors. With the voice of the Huskies Jim Erickson away due to his duties at the Minnesota State High School Boy's Hockey Tournament, Dan Terhaar will be handling the play-by-play commentary on Friday followed by Tori Holt on Saturday. They will be joined by Geno Parrish on color commentary and Olivia Stephes, who will handle the iceside reporting. On the radio, Nick Maxson and Dave Reichel will grace the airwaves on KNSI (99.3 FM / 1450 AM) for the series.
SCSU is coming off a series split with No. 6 Denver as sophomore goaltender Isak Posch buoyed the way for the Huskies in a 2-1 win on Saturday, SCSU's highest-ranked win of the season. The Bulldogs took four out of six conference points against Miami last weekend, winning 3-2 in overtime on Friday before a 1-1 tie and shootout win on Saturday.

NATIONAL POLLS / POST-SEASON OUTLOOK

In an up-and-down season for both teams, SCSU and Minnesota Duluth are no longer receiving votes in either top-20 poll. In the Pairwise, SCSU ranks 32nd while Minnesota Duluth ranks 41st. This weekend will determine the seven-seed in next weekend's NCHC Quarterfinals series.
The Bulldogs (26 points), need just one point to clinch the No. 7 seed with SCSU currently five points back at 21 points. Both teams will be on the road to begin the NCHC Tournament, with the seven seed traveling to either Arizona State or Omaha, while the eight seed will go to Penrose Cup champion Western Michigan.

SERIES HISTORY

SCSU and UMD continues its rivalry with its second meeting of the 2024-25 season in St. Cloud. The Huskies hold a 83-67-11 advantage in the all-time series, but UMD holds a four-game winning streak against the Huskies heading into the weekend. In the last 10 meetings, the two teams are deadlocked at 5-5-0, and SCSU holds a decisive 46-29-7 advantage in games played in St. Cloud. The Huskies are out for revenge after the Bulldogs swept SCSU earlier this season at Amsoil Arena (Jan. 10-11), winning 2-0 on Friday and 5-2 on Saturday. In Saturday's game, SCSU cut a 3-0 deficit to 3-2 with back-to-back goals in a four-minute stretch of the second period, but Duluth responded right back with two goals of their own for the 5-2 result.

SENIOR NIGHT

St. Cloud State fans will have one more weekend to watch the Huskies' six seniors this weekend, as Saturday will serve as Senior Night. Participating in the ceremony will be defenseman Karl Falk, goaltender Gavin Enright, defenseman Josh Luedtke, forward Nick Portz, forward Ryan Rosborough and forward Mason Salquist. Over the past four season, the group have helped the Huskies win more than 70 games, advance to two NCAA Tournaments and capture the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship. Note, Rosborough, a fourth-year junior has one more year of eligibility and can return next season.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST SERIES

SCSU is coming off a series split with No. 6 Denver after arguably its best performance on the season in a 2-1 victory on Saturday. Sophomore goaltender Isak Posch was remarkable in net, stopping 38 of 39 shots while only allowing a power play goal to lead the Huskies to its highest-ranked win of the season. Scoring for the Huskies in the victory was sophomore forward Daimon Gardner and sophomore forward Verner Miettinen. The win in regulation in Denver was the first for the Huskies since a 6-2 win on Dec. 12, 2015 in Magness Arena.
NOTES FROM LAST SERIES:
GAME 1 - 3-1 loss at Denver (2-28-25)
- In the loss, SCSU moves to 2-15-0 when its opponent scores first, 2-10-0 when tied after the first period, 0-11-1 when trailing after two periods and 6-10-1 when outshot by its opponent.
- Senior forward Nick Portz's third goal of the season set a new career-high for a season, surpassing his mark of two in each of his freshman, sophomore and junior campaigns. He scored for the first time since Oct. 25 against Augustana when he found the back of the net twice.
- Junior forward Ethan AuCoin notched his second assist and fifth point of the season with the primary assist on Portz's score.
- Junior defenseman Mason Reiners recorded his third assist of the season to match his career-high for a season from his three assists last season.
- Sophomore goaltender Isak Posch's 38 saves marks the second time this season and third time in his career he has made 35 or more saves.
- Senior forward Mason Salquist went 13-12 in the faceoff dot, marking the 18th time in 31 games he has won 10 or more faceoffs.
GAME 2 - 2-1 win at Denver (3-1-25)
- With the win, St. Cloud State improves to 54-61-7 all-time against Denver and 26-35-3 against the Pioneers in Denver.
- The win in regulation in Denver was the first for the Huskies since a 6-2 win on Dec. 12, 2015.
- SCSU improves to 11-3-1 when scoring first, 10-2-0 when leading after the first period, 11-1-0 when scoring after the second period, 7-10-1 when outshot by its opponent and 9-5-0 in one-goal games.
- Sophmoore goaltender Isak Posch made 38 saves, marking the third consecutive game he has made 35 or more saves in a game. He allowed one or fewer goals for the sixth time this season and 11th time in his career while lowering his season goals-against-average to 2.09.
- Sophomore forward Daimon Gardner scored his fifth goal of the season in the first period, as he found the back of the net for the first time since Jan. 18 vs. Arizona State and has now scored a point in three of the last four games.
- Sophomore forward Verner Miettinen netted his fifth goal of the season and set a new career-high for goals in a season, surpassing his four from his freshman campaign.
- The goal was Miettinen's ninth career goal and 40th career point.
- Sophomore forward Barrett Hall recorded his team-leading 15th assist of the season with the primary assist on Miettinen's goal.
- Sophomore forward Tyson Gross continued his hot stretch of play with the primary assist on Gardner's goal, recording his 14th assist of the season. Over the last 19 games since Dec. 6, Gross has produced 17 points (6g/11a) for 0.89 points per game.
- Freshman defenseman Colin Ralph recorded his seventh assist of the season.
- Senior forward Mason Salquist went 13-8 in the faceoff dot, marking the 19th time in 32 games he has won 10 or more faceoffs.

STATE TOURNAMENT WEEKEND
It's state hockey weekend down at the Xcel Energy Center, a weekend every hockey fan in Minnesota looks forward to. The TV and radio voice of the Huskies Jim Erickson will step away from his normal duties to call all 14 games this weekend. Of the 12 Minnesotan's SCSU has on its roster, seven have played in the famed Minnesota High School Boy's State Tournament and four have won state championships.

Gavin Enright, Farmington: 2016 AA
Daimon Gardner, Warroad: 2022 A
Barrett Hall, Gentry: 2021 A State Champions
Josh Luedtke, Minnetonka: 2018 AA State Champions
Jack Reimann, Blaine: 2019 AA
Mason Reiners, Edina: 2018 AA, 2019 AA State Champions
Gavyn Thoreson, Andover: 2022 AA State Champions, 2023 AA

POSCH'S IMPACT

Sophomore goaltender Isak Posch is back from missing 14 games due to a lower body injury, and its no surprise that SCSU has won two of its last three games and is 2-3-0 since his return. The sophomore netminder was a serious contender for the Mike Richter Award and potentially the Hobey Baker Award before his injury ahead of a Dec. 6 game derailed his season for 14 contests.
Posch has been named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for a league-high four times this season and was also named the NCHC Goaltender of the Month in October. In 18 starts, Posch has produced an 11-7-0 record with a 2.09 goals-against-average and .931 save percentage. His S% leads the NCHC and ranks seventh in the nation, while his 2.09 GAA ranks fourth in the NCHC and 15th nationally.
If the season were to end today, his save percentage would tie Jase Weslosky's mark from 2007-08 as the school record for a single season, while his GAA would rank third all-time in program history.
In seven games in October, Posch earned a mark of 6-1-0 with a 1.58 goals-against-average, .946 S% and two shutouts to earn conference goalie of the month honors. The Husky sophomore led the conference save percentage (.946) and total saves (193) and shutouts (two), equaling the mark of all other NCHC netminders combined. He was one of only four goaltenders in the nation to have two shutouts in October, while ranking in the top-10 nationally in saves (third, 193), save percentage (fifth, .946) and goals-against-average (1.58). He has also anchored the Huskies' penalty kill unit, turning away 17 of 18 power play chances for their opponents in October.
Posch most recently earned his fourth goalie of the week honor after making 76 saves on 80 shot attempts in a series split on the road at No. 6 Denver. Posch made 38 saves in both games, including a 2-1 win on Saturday to record SCSU's highest-ranked win of the season. Of the four goals allowed, only two were full strength goals, as Posch helped SCSU hold DU's nationally second-ranked power play unit at bay over the weekend, stopping 80 percent (8-for-10) of Pioneer power plays.

FRESHMAN PHENOM

Freshman forward Austin Burnevik is off to a scorching hot start to his collegiate career, recording a team-best 13 goals and 12 assists for a team-high 25 points in 31 games.
The Ham Lake native has twice been named the NCHC Rookie of the Week and leads all NCHC freshmen in points (25) while ranking second in goals (13). Among NCAA freshmen, Burnevik's 13 goals rank fifth and are just three off of the NCAA lead at 16, while his 25 points rank 12th.
On SCSU's all-time freshmen scoring list, Burnevik's 12 goals rank 17th and are the most since Easton Brodzinski had 14 in 2017-18, while his 25 points are four away from entering the top-20.
In SCSU's 38-year D-I history, a freshman has lead the team in goals twice and in points four times. No Husky freshman has ever led the Huskies in goals and points, something Burnevik could be the first to do.
Freshmen to lead SCSU in goals:
- Mark Hartigan (1999-00), 22 goals
- Jonny Brodzinski (2012-13), 22 goals
Freshmen to lead SCSU in points:
- Lenny Esau (1988-89), 39 points
- Matt Cullen (1995-96), 41 points
- Andreas Nodl (2006-07), 46 points
- Veeti Miettinen (2020-21), 24 points

UNDERCLASSMEN PRODUCING IMMEDIATELY

St. Cloud State's underclassmen have paced the Huskies all season. Freshmen and sophomores have accounted for 47 of 70 goals scored (67.1 percent) and 125 of 183 points (68.3 percent) this season.
SCSU's top-four leading scorers - Austin Burnevik (13-12-25), Barrett Hall (7-15-22), Tyson Gross (8-14-22) and Verner Miettinen (5-12-17) - are all first- or second-year players. Burnevik's 13 goals lead all NCHC freshmen and rank fifth among all freshmen nationally.
Additionally, sophomore goaltender Isak Posch was a serious contender for the Mike Richter Award before missing 14 games due to injury. In 18 games this season, Posch has produced a 11-7-0 mark with a 2.09 GAA, .931 S% and two shutouts. Posch was named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List, was named a Hobey Baker Award candidate and has been named NCHC Goaltender of the Week a league-best four times.

GROSS' BREAK OUT

After scoring just five points in SCSU's first 13 games of the season, sophomore freshman Tyson Gross has produced 17 points (6g/11a) for 0.89 points per game in the last 19 games since Dec. 6. He has a point in 11 games in that 19-game stretch, and two points in five of those contests.
The Husky sophomore produced a career-best three assists, all primary helpers, against Colorado College on Feb. 21. He became the first Husky in more than a season (Verner Miettinen vs. Omaha on Jan. 26, 2024) to record three assists in a game.
Gross had a breakout performance against Omaha (Dec. 6-7), scoring four goals and one assist for five points while earning NCHC Forward of the Week honors.
Gross scored two goals in each game to record his first two career two-goal games, while becoming the first Husky to have back-to-back two-goal games since Kale Kossila on Dec. 11-12, 2015 (two goals, three goals).

St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Closes Regular Season with Minnesota Duluth

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ethan AuCoin

Austin Burnevik

Gavin Enright

Karl Falk

Daimon Gardner

Tyson Gross

Barrett Hall

Josh Luedtke

Veeti Miettinen

Verner Miettinen

Nick Portz

Isak Posch

Colin Ralph

Jack Reimann

Mason Reiners

Ryan Rosborough

Mason Salquist

Gavyn Thoreson

Saint Cloud State University Athletics

St. Cloud State Men's Hockey Closes Regular Season with Minnesota Duluth

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ethan AuCoin

Austin Burnevik

Gavin Enright

Karl Falk

Daimon Gardner

Tyson Gross

Barrett Hall

Josh Luedtke

Veeti Miettinen

Verner Miettinen

Nick Portz

Isak Posch

Colin Ralph

Jack Reimann

Mason Reiners

Ryan Rosborough

Mason Salquist

Gavyn Thoreson

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