×

Michigan Tech hits the road to face Bowling Green

David Archambeau/Daily Mining Gazette Michigan Tech celebrates a goal against Lake Superior State at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Nov. 12.

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — After earning a split at home against the WCHA-leading No. 13 Bemidji State Beavers, the second-place Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team heads back out on the road this weekend to face off against the third-place Bowling Green Falcons.

In a battle of two of the stingiest defenses in college hockey, the Huskies and Beavers played to a virtual standstill last weekend with the Beavers winning Friday’s game 3-1, and the Huskies taking Saturday’s game, 2-1.

The loss for the Beavers on Saturday was their first in WCHA and third in their four games overall. While the Huskies would have liked to get both games, winning one was a positive.

“It wasn’t a must-win situation on Saturday, but it was a very important game,” said Huskies coach Mel Pearson. “Given the fact that we lost Friday’s game, I think that coming back and putting in a good effort Saturday was very important.”

In Friday’s contest, the Huskies gave a good effort, but at times, it appeared to be disjointed at best. Part of the problem was the short week the Huskies had to prepare after returning home from a 12-day, four-game trip to Alaska.

Another issue with Friday night’s game was the fact that the Huskies went 0-for-5 on the night the power play. To make matters worse, on an advantage in the second period, the Beavers struck shorthanded.

“There were some things we didn’t get to work on,” said Pearson. “One of those things, we didn’t get to work on much was the power play, and I think that it showed in the game.”

One player Pearson’s staff was happy with throughout the weekend was assistant captain Mike Neville. Tasked by Pearson with improving his offensive output as a senior, Neville has set a new career-high in goals already thanks to a pair against the Beavers.

The first came on a breakaway on Friday, where he skated in from center ice and beat Beavers’ goaltender Michael Bitzer over the glove. Saturday night, Neville’s one-timed slapshot from the high slot proved to be the game-winning goal.

“Mike has always been good on faceoffs and blocking shots and penalty killing,” said Pearson. “Sometimes you have to ask more of yourself and come out of your comfort zone a little bit, maybe. He has and good for him.”

Neville attributed his recent success to playing alongside linemates Reid Sturos and Jake Jackson, who missed the entirety of the Alaska trip.

Saturday night marked the return of sophomore Mason Blacklock to the Huskies’ lineup. Playing alongside Chris Leibinger and Alex Gillies, Blacklock assisted on Leibinger’s goal in the first period.

“They did a great job,” said Pearson. “You could just see the energy that Mason brought, just with his speed, and [Leibinger] can skate. We fed off the energy they brought.”

The Falcons come into this weekend with a record of 8-8-2 overall and 7-4-1-1 in WCHA play. Picked to win the conference in the preseason polls, the Falcons have gone 2-2-2 on home ice and 6-6-0 on the road thus far.

Much of the Falcons’ predicted success revolved around the return of junior goaltender Chris Nell. Nell has been decidedly pedestrian, however, going 6-6-2 overall with a 2.64 goals against average and .884 save percentage.

Freshman Ryan Bednard came in and played well last Saturday against Lake Superior State. He stopped 26 of 28 shots the Lakers sent his way to earn his second victory of the season.

Junior Mitchell McLain leads the Falcons in scoring with a team-high 10 goals and 20 points. What makes McLain truly dangerous is that he scores in bunches, as he did Saturday night, when he put up a hat trick. He has six goals and nine points in his last five games.

GAME TIMES: Game times for this weekend are 7:07 p.m. both Friday and Saturday night at the BGSU Ice Arena.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today