Huskies hockey travels to take on Falcons this weekend | News, sports, jobs

Michigan Tech forward Isaac Gordon prepares for a showdown during a game against Minnesota State Friday at MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team took a weekend at home on the chin last weekend when they dropped both games to the Minnesota State Mavericks. With a week to focus on their game without the distractions of school, the Huskies have focused on their game this week as they prepare to face the Bowling Green State Falcons.

The Huskies, who are now 6-4 overall and 4-2 in CCHA, will play after the sweep by the Mavericks.

Huskies coach Joe Shawhan felt Saturday's 3-1 loss was in many ways a much better game for his team.

“When I watched it, I was really happy with the way the boys played on Saturday night,” he said. “I think most people probably feel the same way. I think the boys performed great in the game, doing a good job generating attacking opportunities against a good, experienced hockey team with a lot of upperclassmen. I thought we defended well. I thought our guys did a great job breaking the puck out of our zone, both with possession and with cleared exits. I really thought our guys did a really good job.”

That said, Shawhan also admitted that his team needs to do a better job with the man advantage, where the Huskies went 0-for-7 on Saturday.

“Special teams was obviously an issue, something we'll continue to work on, killing penalties, while obviously going 3-for-3 and limiting scoring opportunities, the power play obviously being 0-for-7, and giving up a 'shorty' (short goal) was probably the difference in the match,” he said. “Because we had some chances. We were ahead 1-0. We did very well. Gave up that shorty in the second to tie the game, then had a couple of power play opportunities in the third to take the lead again, and didn't really do much with it.

“It's something we'll continue to work with the guys on, and get their input, and try to figure out, as we're still teaching them and they're still teaching us.”

What Shawhan is getting at is that he wants his staff to be able to put players in positions where they can have success, including on the power play, where the team has been inconsistent so far in the season. The power play is 7-for-41 so far on the season, which is good for 17.1%. The Huskies are scoring 2.4 goals per game so far in the season, and improving the power play should help.

“What's really important is that we, you know, continue to work on a mindset of not what we can do, but what we want to work on,” Shawhan said. “It's the easy and the prudent thing for us to do to put guys in a position where they feel like they can't do anything. That is very important, and I also said that after the match (Saturday). I was talking about it after a match.

“But with that also lies the challenge of giving some urgency to the offensive awareness. You think defense would be more difficult, but it isn't. (In)defense, you don't have the puck on your stick. (Un)attack, there is a lot involved in creating offense. Defense means a lot of struggle, a lot of hard work, but you don't have to do anything with the puck. You just have to (work) until you get the puck. From that moment on you are in violation. So that's what we have to try to get these guys (the assistant coaches) working with our guys.

If there's one obvious player currently struggling with his offense, it's alternate captain Isaac Gordon. Gordon scored 18 goals as a freshman, but didn't score any in his first 10 this season. Shawhan loves his game so much, though, that he feels it's only a matter of time before the second-year winger strikes.

“Well, it's not like he couldn't score goals.” Shawhan said. “I think he hit two posts again this weekend… Gordon will get opportunities. He hits goalposts.

'I think Gordo plays great hockey. It's just a matter of pressure and wanting to do well.”

Shawhan compared his scoring woes to the ones Logan Pietila went through in his sophomore year, in which Pietila didn't score a goal and only had four assists.

“We're making videos with him and looking at things, but he's aware of it and he's getting the puck.” Shawhan said. “He had a solid bar and a goal post this weekend, that happens every weekend. He had two wide open nets, close range with the goalkeeper out.

“He should have five, and he could have eight or nine. Now it's just going to be harder for him because he just has to relax and play and try to do that as best he can.

EXPLORING THE BOXES

The Falcons are 5-4-1 overall and 2-1-1 in CCHA play after a split last weekend with St. Thomas that saw them draw 2-2 on Friday night and then win in a shootout. On Saturday, the Tommies came back with a 6-3 victory.

Sophomore forward Brody Waters leads the Falcons in goals (6) and is tied for the team lead in points (7) with senior forward Ryan O'Hara, who leads the team in assists (7). Junior forward Brett Pfoh is also off to a fast start with three goals and six points.

Sophomore goaltender Cole Moore has played all ten games for the Falcons this season, going 5-4-1 overall with a 2.87 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

GAME TIMES

The opening puck drop for the Huskies and Falcons will take place both nights at 7:07 PM at the Slater Family Ice Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio.