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Tech hockey beats Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio Michigan Tech scored two goals in the final 5:04 to secure a 3-1 win over Bowling Green Friday at the newly-named Slater Family Ice Arena. The Falcons took the lead in the second period, but the Huskies scored three straight to win their second game in a row and improve to 11-7-3 overall and 10-3-2-1 in the WCHA.

“It was a total team effort tonight,” Tech coach Mel Pearson said. “They’ve been hot lately and tonight’s win starts with our defense. We blocked a lot of shots, had a good penalty kill, and Angus played well in net.

“I also like the way we finished the game. We didn’t give them any scoring chances late and continued to play hard.”

Knotted up at one with the clocking winding in the third period, Tech was called for a slashing penalty with 6:17 left. On the ensuing penalty kill, Reid Sturos had a rush to the net that BGSU goaltender Chris Nell steered away.

Moments later, Nell left the puck for his defenseman behind the net, but Jake Lucchini swooped in, stole the puck and buried a backhanded shot over the to top of Nell with 5:04 left to put Tech up 2-1. For Lucchini, it was his sixth goal of the season-tying him for the team lead-and his first career shorthanded tally.

“They got crossed up, and I just tried to force the turnover,” Lucchini said. “I got it on my backhand and got it to the net as quick as I could. I knew the goalie was probably down, so I just tried to get it up over his shoulder.”

BGSU (8-9-2, 7-5-1-1 WCHA) was called for a penalty with 2:05 remaining and the Huskies again capitalized to make it a two-goal game. Alex Gillies dug the puck out of the corner, feeding it out front. It tipped off Tyler Heinonento the point, and Mitch Reinke fired a shot that rebounded out to Gillies who put in his second of the season.

The Falcons pulled their goaltender late but didn’t register a shot on goal.

For Tech, it was the second win in a row over the Falcons in Ohio and inched the Huskies one point closer to Bemidji State in the WCHA standings after the Beavers tied with Lake Superior State Friday, and later won the shootout.

Stephen Baylis gave the home team a 1-0 lead 6:50 into the second period.

Matt Roy tied it up with his second goal of the season with 2:41 left in the middle frame. He took a long wrist shot from the top of the zone that was screened out front by Joel L’Esperance. Lucchini and Chris Gerrie were credited with the assists on the power play goal.

Tech was 6-of-6 on the penalty kill, including killing off 40 seconds of 5-on-3. The Huskies were 2-for-4 on their power plays.

Angus Redmond had 25 saves to pick up his 10th win of the season, stopping 12 shots in the first period alone. L’Esperance and Chris Leibinger blocked three shots each as the Huskies as a team had 18 total blocks.

Tech outshot Bowling Green 36-26 even after the Falcons held a 12-8 advantage after the first 20 minutes. The Huskies have outshot opponents now in 11 straight games.

The two teams wrap up their only series of the season on Saturday (Dec. 10) night at 7:07 p.m.

“We put ourselves in real good position to have a fabulous weekend and really put a statement to this first half of the year,” added Pearson.

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