Michigan Tech won a home weekend sweep in a series against Minnesota State on Jan. 16 and 17, earning a 3-1 win on Friday night followed by a 4-1 victory on Saturday. The series was Michigan Tech’s first home game in six weeks, and the Huskies improved to 16-8-2 overall and 11-3-2 in conference play, while the Mavericks fell to 12-8-5 overall and 8-6-3 in conference action.
Minnesota State struck first during Friday’s opener when Jordan Ronn scored in the opening period. The Huskies made a comeback in the second period when Max Koskipirtti tied the game on a four-man rush. Carson Birnie gave Tech its first lead midway through the third period, and Carson Latimer sealed the victory within the final seconds.
Saturday night, Michigan Tech took control early and kept up their momentum. Luca Fasciano scored the first shot midway through the first period through an individual rush effort. Kalem Parker made another goal before intermission giving the Huskies a 2-0 lead. Isaac Gordon extended the advantage early in the second period. Minnesota State broke through late in the third period on a goal by Fin Wiliams, but Latimer again shot the final goal to finalize the 4-1 win.
Michigan Tech head coach Bill Muckalt praised his team’s effort throughout the weekend. During a postgame interview on Friday, he highlighted the strong play of the defensive line of Tom Leppa, Carson Birnie, and Matthew Van Blaricom, calling them “unbelieveable” and pointed to their growth in skill and chemistry. Muckalt also stated, “I thought that the crowd was a real boost for us.”
Despite Tech’s strong victory in the series, Muckalt said Minnesota State pushed hard. On Saturday, goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz blocked a personal best of 46 shots, and was described by Muckalt as “the difference in the hockey game.”
With the season’s progression, Muckalt said that the win is “obviously a huge weekend for us. I think we are improving as a hockey club,” noting that five or six teams appear to be in the running for the league title. Looking ahead to an upcoming rivalry matchup, he emphasized the importance of continuing to play with pride, energy, courage and discipline. Bartoszkiewicz said the team’s focus remains on continuing “doing the little things right.”
The sweep marked another successful home weekend for Michigan Tech as the Huskies continue to build momentum entering a key stretch of conference play.
