College Hockey: Wildcats rally late, beat Tech 3-2 for home ice | News, Sports, Jobs

The Huskies (19-15-3, 14-12-2 WCHA) played their familiar hockey mark – rallying in the third period of a one-goal game. But with the loss, the Huskies are 10-8 in one-goal games this season. The loss also knocked Tech down to 5-9-2 at home.

And it was a game Tech needed to have the chance to host a WCHA playoff series.

“It was a win-win environment. We were at home. We didn't play very well on our ice for any reason all year, " Huskies head coach Joe Shawhan said. "I'm not sure. Maybe we need to explore this a bit more. We seem to be a better team on the road for whatever reason."

Tech got the No. 6 seed with the loss and will visit the No. 3 Wildcats for a second consecutive weekend in the top three streak. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (if necessary).

Saturday was a relief for the Wildcats, as the win was only their second in the past eight games. The Huskies hit the Wildcats in the mouth with an 8-4 victory at the Berry Events Center on Friday.

"There is a lot of emotion in the game. We had a tough stretch, " Northern Michigan head coach Grant Potulny said. “We talked about it before the game. You work all year round at the start of the year to put yourself in a position where you stand a chance of having ice cream at home. Entered your biggest rival, on the road to complete this home ice opportunity. I thought the effort was exceptional. The little things – blocking shots, faceoffs, pucks that are advancing – the things you need to do to win. If you want to win on the road, you have to bring your team's defense. "

Darien Craighead scored the Wildcats' winning goal (18-14-4, 16-11-1) on a tourbillon streak late in Saturday's third game.

The streak began with Nordic goalkeeper Nolan Kent stepping out of his field to play the puck. Michigan Tech's freshman center Logan Pietila also continued with the puck. Kent got there first and tried to drag him onto the ice. Instead, he deviated to Pietila, who turned around heading for the net. He did not see the puck, which slipped to his feet with him in the corner.

"I couldn't see the puck and I thought the puck was just going to slide due to the momentum, it was going to take it", Said Potulny. "I was thinking of my boy what way to lose the game. Immediately after, it is the opposite. "

Wildcats defenseman Rylan Yarmeko took control of the puck, gave it to Craighead, who took him into the technical zone 2 on 1 and stabbed him high in front of the senior goalie Matt Jurusik Huskies. Yaremko and Kent had the assist.

Craighead skated to center the ice and made a flag planting gesture with his stick at the center point of the ice.

"Unhappy goal at the end there", Said Shawhan. “We were going to get that free washer over there. Everyone jumped. The guard shot Pietila. He couldn't find it, otherwise he tapped it. "

Until then, the Huskies had rallied to tie the game. Second-year right winger Tommy Parrottino scored his 10th of the season on a wrist shot just inside the right circle near the lunge.

"We do this several times in practice", Parrottino said play in the neutral zone took the pass from Bliss. "So yes, we already have."

Potulny challenged the game for an offside. The puck appeared to completely cross the blue line just a frame from the video replay before Parrottino's left skate rose from the ice in stride. Earlier and he would have been offside and the goal would be canceled. Potulny's long discussion after the replay review was aimed at making sure he had his time out, he said.

"I didn't say if it was on or off. They told me that the video was inconclusive, so I thought they could not see the video, so I wanted my downtime to be restored. " Said Potulny. "Then after the game I said I just wanted to clarify with you that I was right on this. And they said we could see, we just couldn't say. I & "I said oh, OK – a complete misunderstanding. I wasn't saying if it was on or off. I was saying I wanted to recoup my time out."

The Wildcats took the lead in the second period despite several opportunities for power play.

Senior defender Keegan Ford's night ended prematurely after a major check and a foul in the seventh minute of the second period. A stabilizing presence on the Huskies' blue line, the team felt the impact of his absence, said Shawhan.

"He was great. It changed a lot. He is a special teams artist," Said Shawhan. “Play a lot of roles for us. It was a big deal. It turned out that it was not a key element of the game other than the loss of its presence. "

Minutes before Ford's departure, Wildcats senior center Luke Voltin had a point shot by Brandon Schultz for his eighth of the year. The opportunity to score came from a defensive zone turnover.

Fifty-eight seconds later, sophomore center Garrett Klee put pressure on MTU second-year defenseman Colin Swoyer, who lost an advantage and fell. First year student Andre Ghantous went behind the night, retrieved the puck and barely slipped a shot between Jurusik's closed studs for the head.

Although they scored two goals to lead, it looked like the Wildcats were leaving more on the table as they drew penalties to cancel the five-minute power play. Griffin Loughran went to the penalty area at the same time as Ford's penalty kick. About 15 seconds later, Wildcats defenseman and captain Philip Beaulieu went to the surface for tripping, giving Tech a 4v3 power play advantage.

Later in the second, Huskies rookie Jake Crespi missed a body control and removed his legs from under a Wildcat, and was given a trigger penalty. The Wildcats again threw a power play when Loughran returned the box for interference.

It was a bit of bad luck in the second that saved the Huskies from a worse chance.

But the worst luck came in the third when Pietila failed to locate the puck around his feet with Kent just a few strides from his own crease and a yawning net awaiting the end of the game. Instead, 10 seconds later, the Huskies faced a goal deficit and 1:03 left in the game.

First-year defenseman Brenden Datema scored his first college career goal that gave the Huskies a lead in the first period.

Greyson Reitmeier won the return leg at the 6'5 '' Datema, who intervened in an atomic slap shot that beat the stick side of Kent.

Datema's goal seemed like all Huskies needed to keep going after Fridya's dominant victory at the Berry Events Center.

"Finally obtained by someone without being blocked", Shawhan said of Datema. "It was a quick puck game. Greyson did a great job of getting it to the D before they got a chance to go out and cover it." "

The Wildcats attempted 41 shots in the second period. Of these, 10 were blocked and one struck the post. Jurusik made 14 saves in the second and 26 in total. Shawhan said defensive zone sales had crippled Tech in the second.

"We didn't manage the puck well", Said Shawhan. “I thought our defensemen handled the puck well in the first period. We made our games, we made our clearings. In the second period, we did not. I think it was a lot. They forced turnovers deep inside our area and we were still trying to make games that weren't there. I thank them. They went into certain seams and won a coin. The games were on turnovers in the depths of our area. We were lucky to make games. We just haven't done it. Something you still need to learn with a young team and keep growing. "

After Craighead's green light, the Huskies went into desperation mode. Tech pulled Jurusik and sent Trenton Bliss, who scored a hat-trick on Friday, but the Huskies never found a goal.

Kent made 22 saves in the Wildcats' victory. Potulny said Kent's ability to bounce back on Saturday night after losing 8-4 on Friday was key.

"He did that a bit in the second half", Said Potulny. “He had an interesting year. To start the year, he and John came and went to see who would get more games. We played Mankato before Christmas and he played a great game.

“… At this point it has sort of solidified. I think it affected his mental approach. When he somehow solidified as a guy, it affected his game because he wasn't as mentally hungry or whatever you wanted to say. He had a tough stretch there. Tonight he played really well in a building that was difficult to play. "

Michigan Tech fans said goodbye to the team's five seniors after Saturday's game, including Houghton co-captain and native Raymond Brice, co-captain Alex Smith, Keegan Ford, Todd Kiilunen and Matt Jurusik.

"They were great. They restored our locker rooms and it is extremely important to us", Said Shawhan.

Alaska and Bowling Green are tied at 49 points to take the No. 4-5 seed. The Nanooks welcome Bowling Green. Lake Superior State has won four of its last five games for the No. 7 seed. The Lakers visit Bemidji No. 2 State. Alaska Anchorage took the No. 8 seed and visited Minnesota State WCHA No. 1 champion, who won the MacNaughton Cup after Saturday's 4-1 victory over Bemidji State.

NMU 0 2 1 – 3

MTU 1 0 1 – 2

First period – 1, MTU, Datema (Reitmeier), 17:24.

Second period – 2, NMU, Voltin (Schultz), 4:08. 3, NMU, Ghantous, 5:06. Penalties – NMU, Loughran (draft), 6:57. MTU, Ford (checking from behind the major), 6:57. MTU, Ford (misconduct), 6:57 a.m. NMU, Beaulieu (stumbling), 7:14 a.m. NMU, Sorensen (hanging), 10:14. MTU, Crespi (trigger), 2:15 p.m. NMU, Loughran (interference), 14:47.

Third period – 4, MTU, Parrottino (Bliss, Swoyer), 15:15. 5, NMU, Craighead (Yaremko, Kent), 6:57 p.m.

Shots on Goal – NMU 5-16-8-29. MTU 5-11-8-24.

Potential play possibilities – NMU 0 out of 2. MTU 0 out of 3.

Goalkeepers – NMU, Kent 4-11-7–22. MTU, Jurusik 5-14-7-26.

Penalty-minutes – NMU 4-8. MTU 3-17.

A – 4,053. T – 2:15.

Referees – Robert Lukkason, Brady Johnson. Line judges – Eric Froberg, Jamie Grace.

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