Mav fans travel to the Frozen Four for the first time

As game time approaches, Maverick fans are roaming the streets of Pittsburgh and taking in the city before the biggest moment the Minnesota State hockey program has seen to this day.

From students, to families, to professors, everyone is making the trip to PPG Paints Arena to watch the Mavericks take on the St. Cloud State Huskies in the semifinal showdown. While some are flying into Pittsburgh, others are driving the 14 hours to watch the Mavs have a chance at a National Championship.

No matter who they are or how they got here, they all had one thing in common.

The Mavericks are going to win.

Senior forward Jake Jaremko’s parents flew into Pittsburgh yesterday with just one thing to focus on while they’re here, the Mavericks winning.

While mom dad was a little more cautious about the game predicting a 4-2 Maverick win, mom was far more confident with a 5-0 prediction saying, “I believe in Dryden!”

Associate of accounting professor Byron Pike made the trip to cheer on the team and some of his students. “I’m confident [about the game],” Pike said. 

Some students took a charter flight filled with Maverick fans from MSP Airport this morning, one of them being Jarrett Mescher, a marketing promotions intern for the Maverick athletics program.

“Part of the reason I came to mankato is for an opportunity like this,” Mescher said. “[I’m most excited about] being able to see this team from day one since I was here, and now being able to see them in Pittsburgh and pursue a National championship.”

Mescher is coming out to support his old hockey friend and senior forward, Walker Duehr, as well as Reggie Lutz, who Mescher befriended through Duehr, as well as classes in the Sport Management program at MSU.

“I’m as optimistic as possible…I think we’re going to see a physical game with a 4-1 [Maverick] win,” he said.