The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team (19-15-5, 12-11-5 WCHA) traveled to Bemidji, Minnesota to face the Bemidji State Beavers (16-14-8, 13-9-6 WCHA) in the first round of the WCHA tournament. A three-goal third period gave the Huskies the 5-3 win Friday night, and a two-goal first period gave Tech the 5-4 win Saturday. The Huskies will face the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks (28-7-1, 22-5-1 WCHA) this coming weekend in Mankato, Minnesota in the second round of the WCHA tournament.
On Friday, March 2, Michigan Tech head coach Joe Shawhan decided to start red-hot senior Devin Kero at goaltender. Sophomore Gavin Gould discovered the back of the net at the 7:20 mark to give Tech their first lead of the series, assisted by senior Joel L’Esperance and freshman Mitch Meek. Bemidji State tied up the game three and a half minutes later. A penalty for checking from behind by sophomore Alex Smith proved to be very costly as the Beavers took a 2-1 lead to end the first period.
A hooking penalty called on sophomore Mitch Reinke started out the second period. The Beavers took advantage of the extra attacker and made it a 3-1 lead for BSU. However, the tables would turn as the Beavers received a penalty for high sticking, and junior Jake Lucchini capitalized to make it 3-2 BSU, assisted by Reinke and senior Mark Auk. With 30 seconds left in the period, the Beavers received a 10-minute game misconduct resulting in the BSU player being ejected from the game.
The Beavers received another 10-minute game misconduct at the 10:45 mark of the third period, resulting in another Beavers player being ejected from the game. Two and a half minutes into the penalty Lucchini netted another goal to tie up the game at three apiece, assisted by Auk and Reinke. Freshman Seamus Donohue turned into a sharpshooter as he scored the game-winning goal with a minute and a half left in the game, assisted by senior Dylan Steman. The Huskies sealed the victory as junior Jake Jackson knocked in the empty net goal to end the game in favor of the Huskies 5-3.
Tech outshot the Beavers 32-25, while Kero made 22 saves in net. Tech was 2-7 on the powerplay, and spent four minutes in the penalty box on two penalties.
On Saturday, March 3, six goals were scored in the third period between both teams. The Huskies were, again, the first on the board as Reinke netted a goal just 41 seconds into the game, assisted by L’Esperance and Lucchini. Three and a half minutes later the Huskies received a penalty for hooking, but Lucchini got the puck, skated down the ice, and beat the goaltender for a short-handed goal to make it 2-0 Tech, assisted by L’Esperance.
The second period started with a hooking penalty assessed to Donohue. The Beavers would capitalize on the man advantage to get on the board, making it 2-1 Tech.
The third period scoring frenzy started from a penalty assessed to the Beavers for charging, as freshman Justin Misiak nailed a puck to the back of the net to make it 3-1 Tech, assisted by Auk and Reinke. Just over two minutes later L’Esperance put Tech up 4-1, assisted by Lucchini and senior Dane Birks. Bemidji countered two and a half minutes later as they made it 4-2 Tech.
An empty net goal by Auk at the 18:32 mark sealed the deal for the Huskies, assisted by Steman. Bemidji came close scoring two more goals before the end of the game, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Bemidji State outshot the Huskies 37-25, while Kero made 33 saves in net. Tech went 1-2 on the powerplay, while the Huskies spent ten minutes in the penalty box from five penalties.
“It means so much for our young guys to win a playoff series,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “It sets a bar for the program going forward and every guy played a big part in this one. We want to keep playing, and I think we can play with anybody at this point in the season.”
The Huskies will travel to Mankato, Minnesota for a showdown with the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks to see who will move on to the WCHA tournament championship game. Game time is set for 8:07 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and if needed Sunday as well. The Mavericks swept the Huskies in Mankato earlier this year by scores of 3-1 and 5-3. The Mavericks swept the Alaska Nanooks (11-22-3, 9-17-2 WCHA) in the WCHA tournament first round by scores of 8-2 and 6-2.
In other WCHA tournament first round games the Bowling Green Falcons (22-10-6, 17-6-5 WCHA) defeated the Ferris State Bulldogs (14-23-1, 11-16-1 WCHA) by scores of 2-1 in overtime and 5-2.
The Northern Michigan Wildcats (23-13-3, 19-7-2 WCHA) defeated the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers (12-23-2, 10-16-2 WCHA) 7-1 Friday. The Chargers got the best of the Wildcats 3-2 Saturday, but the Wildcats came back and won 5-2 Sunday.
The Wildcats will host the Falcons in the other WCHA second-round matchup.
