Joel L’Esperance (11) of Michigan Tech skates by Alabama Huntsville’s Brennan Saulnier in Tech’s 4-2 loss to the Chargers, Saturday, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. David Archambeau/ Daily Mining Gazette)

MANKATO — No. 16 Michigan Tech is a team going through some growing pains.  

No. 12 Minnesota State is a team that doesn’t allow room for error. 

That’s a recipe for a tough matchup as the Huskies hit the road this weekend for two games against the Mavericks.  

Michigan Tech (4-2-1) is coming off a two-game split against Alabama-Huntsville at home, where the team had difficulties defending the power play. The Chargers scored on four of seven power-play opportunities in the two games and revealed a weakness that could hurt the Huskies going forward.  

Minnesota State (3-2-0) excels at the power play, so head coach Joe Shawhan is looking for his team to grow and step up to the challenge.  

“This could be the best power play we will see all year,” he said. “[Minnesota State has] a lot of different looks that they throw at you, with a lot of different personnel in and out of different formations. It is a concern.” 

Minnesota State has converted 30.4 percent of power-play opportunities this season while limiting their opponents to just 13.6 percent. In Tech’s last game, the team went an uncharacteristic 0 of 8 on the power play. In their first six games, the Huskies scored on 38 percent of their chances.  

The Huskies and the Mavericks are certainly familiar with each other. They played seven times last season, ending up at an even 3-3-1.  

Their last series was a sweet one for the Huskies, as they won two of three games in the WCHA semifinals, before eventually beating Bowling Green State in the championship game.  

But playing on Minnesota State’s home ice is a challenge, Shawhan said. The Maverick’s boast a high-energy fanbase that makes for a tough environment. Tech lost both road matchups to the Mavericks early last season.  

“I can’t remember winning on the road there in my time here. It would be huge for us in a lot of respects, especially after they knocked off the No. 2 team in the country,” Shawhan said, referring to Minnesota State’s two wins over Boston, earlier this season.  

“We are going to have to have a high level of energy to compete with them in their own rink.” 

In addition to working toward better penalty kill, the Huskies are also figuring out things in the net. Junior Patrick Munson, who transferred from Denver, started the first six of Tech’s games before freshman Robbie Beydoun got the nod in Tech’s last contest. But after Alabama-Huntsville tied up the game at 1-1 in the first period, Munson replaced him.  

“The only reason I took Robbie out was because it was his first game and he hadn’t gotten settled in, in my opinion,” Shawhan said. “I just didn’t know if he was rattled or not. In retrospect, I should have left him in and let him grow through it.” 

Beydoun will have plenty of opportunities to grow, as Shawhan said Tech fans can expect to see him in goal more as the season progresses.  

This will be the 64th matchup between Tech and Minnesota State, and the Mavericks hold a 35-20-8 advantage over the Huskies.  

The puck drops at 8:07, for both Friday and Saturday’s games.