MANKATO, Minn. — The No. 16-ranked Michigan Tech hockey team fell 3-1 at No. 12 Minnesota State Friday at the Verizon Center. Justin Misiak scored early in the third to tie it at 1, but the Mavericks scored a pair of goals in the final 5:00 to secure the victory.

“The game was there for us tonight,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “It shows that we can play with some of the best teams in the country. What we want to make sure is that we’re learning from these types of games, how to show good poise down the stretch and how to make quality plays late in the game.

“We just played a team in their building that’s as good as any team in the country. I don’t walk out feeling scared. I don’t walk out feeling dominated. I don’t walk out feeling intimidated. I walk out feeling disappointed that we didn’t have the ability to make some key plays down the stretch.”

The home team got on the scoreboard only 1:59 after puck drop when Marc Michaelis banged in a rebound from Ian Scheid and Zeb Knutson.

After a scoreless second period, Misiak scored his third of the season as he stepped out of the penalty box and ripped a wrist shot over the glove of Connor LaCouvee 3:29 into the third. The goal was unassisted as Misiak picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and went 1-on-1 with his defender before the quick shot.

MSU (4-2-0, 2-1-0 WCHA) scored on a delayed Tech penalty on another rebound off the stick of Knutson 14:48 into the third.

Immediately after the penalty expired, the Mavericks made it a 3-1 lead on a goal by Brad McClure with 3:07 left.

Tech (4-3-1, 2-2-1-1 WCHA) had a late power play and pulled Patrick Munson, but two of the final three shots were blocked before they got to the net while the other one was wide.

MSU outshot Tech 33-18 in the game with 16 coming in the second and 11 in the third. Munson had his third 30-save game of the season.

The Huskies other quality scoring chances came in the first and second. In the opening period, Joel L’Esperance had a one-timer out front that just sailed high on the power play. Raymond Brice had a steal in the offensive zone later in the frame but his shot was gloved down by LaCouvee. Keegan Ford hit the crossbar late in the first, also on the man advantage.

In the second, Misiak stole a bad pass from goaltender LaCouvee behind the net and found Seamus Donohue out front. MSU defenseman Jack McNeely came up with the big play and blocked Donohue’s shot from going into the open net.

Tech’s penalty kill was 3-for-3 and the power play was 0-for-5.

Saturday’s game is at 8:07 p.m. as the two teams wrap-up their only WCHA series of the regular season.