The Michigan Tech hockey team defeated the Northern Michigan University Wildcats 2-0 Friday night. Freshman goaltender Angus Redmond had his first shutout Friday night, stopping 19 shots in his first career start and earning himself recognition as the WHCA Rookie of the Week. “I think maybe we found a goalie,” said head coach Mel Pearson. “I’ve been practicing really hard and just waiting for my opportunity,” said Remond. “I didn’t expect to play right away, but it felt good to finally get the call tonight…. I couldn’t have done it without the guys in front of me. They were blocking a lot of shots so my night wasn’t too difficult.”
Friday was Hall of Fame Night where Michigan Tech honored the Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2016, which included the entire 1975 NCAA National Championship hockey team as well as individual players Brent Peterson and Scott White. The 1975 team finished with a 32-10-0 record, defeating the University of Minnesota 6-1 to take home the third national title in school history. Peterson was a left wing for the Huskies from 1991-1995. He appeared in 158 career games with 80 goals and 64 assists. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1993 Supplemental Draft appearing in 53 NHL games over a three-year span. White played for the Huskies from 1985-1989 and appeared in 154 games.
From 1994-1999 he served as an assistant coach to the Huskies. He boasts 20 goals and 73 assists and was drafted by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1986 NHL Draft. He is currently the assistant general manager for the NHL’s Dallas Stars. “It was important to get a win in front of the 1975 team,” Pearson said. “I really respect what the team did playing in three straight national championship games. They’re so important to the history of Michigan Tech hockey, the university, and the Copper Country. They’ve laid the foundation for us and it was important for us to send them home proud of this program.” Sophomore forward Jake Lucchini was first to score at 8:28 into the game on a power play. This brought the Huskies to a 1-0 lead and was Lucchini’s second goal of the season and ninth of his career.
Sophomore forward Jake Jackson brought the Huskies to a 2-0 lead with 3:44 left in the game with an unassisted goal. Jackson rushed the zone and beat his defender on the outside. This was his first goal of the season and second of his career. Redmond shutout the Wildcats all night long, tallying eight saves in the first period, six in the second, and five in the third. “The building was packed and that’s always something we thrive on…It makes it easier for us playing Northern,” Lucchini commented on the home match against the Wildcats. On Saturday night in Marquette, special teams seemed to be the way to play.
The Huskies swept the Wildcats winning 5-1 Saturday night with all goals scored either shorthanded or on a power play. Redmond again showed up to play boasting 29 saves for the night. The game was heavy with penalties, with a combined total of 65 minutes on 20 calls for the two teams. In less than a five-minute span, junior forward Dylan Steman, senior forward Tyler Heinonen, and senior forward Brent Baltus all scored in the first period. Steman’s goal was his second of the season and sixteenth of his career. “That first goal was huge. To get that early lead on a good goaltender was big. And then we were able to capitalize on our power play chances moments later to get them on their heels,” Pearson commented.
Heinonen added the second goal four minutes later with assists from freshman forward Alex Smith and freshman defenseman Mitch Reinke. Just forty seconds after that Baltus buried a goal, his first of the year and sixteenth of his career with assists from junior defenseman Mark Auk and Redmond.
At 12:14 into the second, Reinke hit a goal from inside the blue line giving the Huskies a 4-0 lead. Reinke was assisted by senior defenseman Shane Hanna and freshman forward Gavin Gould. Senior forward Michael Neville tacked on his second goal in the last three games, bringing the Huskies to a 5-0 lead. “You’ve got to go on the road and you’ve got to show up and you’ve got to play good teams and you know you’re going to have to kill some penalties and find a way to win… and I think it builds some character in your team,” said Pearson. Just 50 seconds into the third period the Wildcats scored on Redmond with a two-man advantage.
Northern outshot the Huskies 30-23. “Thanks to all the fans who traveled down here. We have some of the best fans in college hockey and they’ve really helped us through this tough road schedule to begin the season,” Pearson commented. Pearson also congratulated the Michigan Tech football team for their big win over Ashland Saturday, saying, “Congrats to Tom Kearly, I’m glad to see he’s back on the sideline and doing well… so congrats to him and the football team for a big victory today too. We’re happy to see that.” The Huskies will be back on the road for a nonconference series against the Michigan State Spartans on Nov. 4-5.
