Thank you Seniors!

Watching a season come to an end is always difficult.  A loss is hard to accept no matter when it occurs, but last Sunday's loss was particularly painful as the Mavericks' season came to an end just over three minutes into the Game-3 overtime period of the WCHA play-off match up between SCSU and Minnesota State.  The final score was SCSU 3 - MSU 2.

Heading into the overtime period only five penalties had been called throughout the game.  However, the trend of no-calls, or lack-of-calls, was about to change.

MSU's Joe Schiller was given a boarding penalty that put St. Cloud on the power play.  While the call might have been justified it was still hard to fathom, because no one wants to see a game---or a series---decided by a penalty call.

Both teams were fighting fatigue and while MSU faithful remained hopeful, most knew exactly what the call meant... the end of the 2009-2010 season.  More than that, the end of several collegiate hockey careers. 

Seven MSU seniors will graduate this year:  Zach Harrison, James Gaulrapp, Nick Canzanello, Jason Wiley, Geoff Irwin, Kael Mouillierat and Jerad Stewart.  All of whom have been a huge asset over the last several years in various ways.  Here's a look at their numbers from the last four years.

Kael Mouillierat- 144 GP, 49 G, 43 A, 92 Points
Geoff Irwin- 143 GP, 32 G, 52 A, 84 Points
Zach Harrison- 152 GP, 26 G, 44 A, 70 Points
Jerad Stewart- 144 GP, 28 G, 24 A, 52 Points
Jason Wiley- 104 GP, 22 G, 13 A, 35 Points
Nick Canzanello- 120 GP, 5 G, 21 A, 26 Points
James Gaulrapp- 91 GP, 8 G, 16 A, 24 Points

All of these guys have played an integral role in the success of the Mavericks over the last four years.  I've sat through some amazing games that wouldn't have been possible without their efforts.  They logged a ton of ice time as freshman and I'm assuming that next year's incoming recruits will be forced to do the same.  If the 2010-2011 recruits are able to show the same heart and work ethic demonstrated by these seven seniors, we are in for a real treat.

Thank you Seniors!  You will be missed.