As an added bonus, with just two points separating the two teams, the MacNaughton Cup will be on the line, at least through the end of Friday night’s contest.

The Huskies, who are 21-8-4 overall and 14-6-4 in CCHA play, have 47 points on the season. They enter the weekend having had a week off to rest. The Mavericks, who enter the weekend 20-11-1 overall and 15-8-1 in CCHA play, have 49, and are fresh off a split with the Bemidji State Beavers.

Huskies coach Joe Shawhan said that his group has spent the past week working to remain mentally sharp for the task at hand.

“I think that we focused on trying to stay mentally sharp,” he said. “I think the guys were attentive to what we were doing. Not knowing how our performance will be on Friday, I do think, going forward, it will prove to be beneficial to us.

David Archambeaul/For the Gazette Michigan Tech forward Tristan Ashbrook celebrates a goal during a game against Minnesota State. (David Archambeaul/For the Gazette)

“It allowed us time to really go into a good review session of everything we do, and bring some attention to detail.”

That attention to detail was something that got lost during the Friday night game of Winter Carnival weekend, when the Huskies dropped a 5-2 game to the Bowling Green State Falcons. However, other than that, the Huskies have been on an incredible run since they lost 8-1 to now-No. 5 Western Michigan. The Huskies are 10-2-1 over that stretch, including wins over Arizona State, No. 9 Boston, St. Thomas, Ferris State, Northern Michigan, Bemidji State, and Bowling Green.

Over that same stretch, the Mavericks have beaten Northern Michigan, Arizona State, Lake Superior State, Ferris State, St. Thomas, and Bemidji State. They are 10-2 over that stretch.

Shawhan feels his team has done a great job of going toe-to-toe with the Mavericks through the second half.

“I think the guys have done a great job,” he said. “We’ve only lost a couple of games since Christmas. In the second half, we’ve been able to hang in the race against a team that isn’t losing to anybody, against a team that is playing extremely well.

“We’re playing for a title on the weekend, so I think it’s great. I think it’s absolutely great that it gives our guys excitement, it gives the community excitement, gives all of us a good positive feeling.”

Last season, when the Huskies closed their season with the Mavericks, they knew what their fate was. They were going to finish second, it was just a matter of playing the games. This season, with the top seed still on the line.

“You knew you weren’t catching Mankato. Mankato walked away with it,” said Shawhan. “So, it was kind of a maintenance trip, where this year, there’s been something on the line for us, and against the top teams in the league.

“We’ve just gone through Northern Michigan, Bemidji, Bowling Green, St. Thomas was playing great in the second half, and Mankato. We’ve gone through the heat of the schedule, and come out, and we’ve performed in it.”

Shawhan feels that the Huskies have proven themselves this season.

“I think we’re battle-tested,” Shawhan said.

The Huskies’ coach does not mince words about how he feels about the Mavericks.

“Mankato is a tremendous team,” he said. “They do just an incredible job. From the way they play, is just off the charts, their competitiveness, and their attention to detail, and their self sacrifice.”

Shawhan also feels the Huskies have learned a lot of lessons from the Mavericks.

“I think we have an element of that as well,” he said. “We have, over time. That’s why we’ve had success.

“The thing with Mankato, and the thing with us, we hope, is that you have to fight for every inch of the ice. If you leave areas uncontested, that’s just puck advancement. So, every inch of the ice has to be contested, which means you have to have guys working together and supporting and recovering and fighting inside position, because every bit of ice is contested. If you’re not, and if (you let that team) beat (you) to the puck on a more consistent basis, that team’s going to have the advantage.”

Scouting the Mavericks

The Mavericks are led by junior forward David Silye, who has a team-high 20 goals and 34 points in 32 games. He also has 10 power play goals. Shawhan feels that he will be in the discussion at the end of the season for CCHA Player of the Year.

Junior defenseman Jake Livingstone has also been very good, scoring seven goals and 28 points in 32 games. Classmate Akito Hirose might be the best all-around defender in the conference. He has 21 assists and 24 points on the season.

Two more forwards have had strong second halves for the Mavericks. Senior Ryan Sandelin has 13 goals and 25 points in 31 games. Senior Brendan Furry has eight goals and 21 points.

All five of the Mavericks’ top scorers are upperclassmen, and all five have had large roles for Minnesota State throughout their careers, which is part of what makes them all tough players to play against, according to Shawhan.

If there is a chink in the Mavericks’ armor, it is in goal, where sophomore Keenan Rancier has had his ups and downs as he plays through his first full season as a starter. He is 14-8-1 in 26 appearances this season with a 1.89 goals against average and a .912 save percentage.

Game times

Friday night’s contest between the Huskies and the Mavericks is set to start at 8:07 p.m. Saturday’s game is slated to start at 7:07 p.m.