Following back to back wins against Lake Superior State last weekend, #2 Minnesota State Mavericks (7-1-1 overall, 4-0-0 WCHA) will host the Ferris State Bulldogs (1-8-0 overall, 0-4-0 WCHA) this weekend. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. EST Saturday and 4:07 p.m. EST Sunday.

Minnesota State’s recent history against Ferris State has been that of domination. Dating back to 1993, Minnesota State owns a 23-8-2 record against the Bulldogs, and at home in Mankato, they hold a 12-1-1 record.

Minnesota State forward Cade Borchardt is leading his team in scoring this season (5-8-13) and has earned WCHA forward of the week honors. He will look to continue his excellent play this weekend in his team’s home series against Ferris State.

Borchardt’s play this season was not one many would have predicted, yet his play has been nothing short of fantastic.

“I wish I could tell you I knew it was going to happen, you hope for freshmen to take a step as a sophomore,” Hastings said. “What I’ve seen is there’s a lot of times that you have a freshman that goes out and has a good freshman season and has a proverbial tendency to have a little bit of a sophomore slump. Cade was the opposite of that.”

Borchardt’s improvement from his freshman to his sophomore season is evident. On both ends of the ice, Borchardt has improved, by doing so, he has received ample amounts of praise regarding his play.

“He came in at unbelievable shape and really from game one, has been an impact player for us,” Hastings said. “Whether that’s offensively, but equal or more important for us, he’s become one of our top penalty killers.”

Minnesota State has not played a home game since December 19th, this upcoming weekend the Mavericks return home.

“The energy through our first two days here coming back from the series up at Lake State was very energetic,” Hastings said. “Sleeping in their own beds, getting in a routine, their back in school now, it’s a little closer to the norm which is what we’ve all been begging for.”

That norm Hastings is referring to is something many athletes have not been able to achieve due to the pandemic. With many games being postponed, players never know when they will hit the ice. Fortunately for Minnesota State, playing games in their home arena will only benefit them.

This weekend will mark the first time Minnesota State will play on back-to-back weekends of games barring any postponements. At this time, only nine games have been played. Typically Minnesota State has usually played double.

“With COVID and everything else going on in the world right now, it’s disappointing when we don’t get to play, but at the same time we are grateful when we do get the opportunity to play and have a season,” said senior defensemen Dallas Gerard. “You just take the good with the bad and try to make the best out of every situation if we can play or we can’t play.”