Adding a threat
Birks emerging on Tech’s blue line
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HUNTSVILLE -- Since the opening game of the Great Lakes Invitational, Michigan Tech hockey fans have had a front seat to the emergence of sophomore defenseman Dane Birks. Not known for his offense, Birks has shown in recent games that his skating ability is allowing him to add to the offensive rush whenever reasonable.
He has been given the green light by coach Mel Pearson’s staff to use his judgement as far as when to join the rush, and he is enjoying the opportunity, having taken 12 of his 19 shots this season in his last eight games.
“I think the biggest aspect of my game is my feet,” said Birks. “So I think they can trust me, when I jump up into the play, that I will get back in time to play defense.”
At 16, Birks played in 10 games for the Trail Smoke Eaters of the British Columbia Hockey League. The following season, he played in 52 games for the Merritt Centennials, scoring five goals and 20 points. Along the way, he drew the interest of multiple NHL teams as he played his way onto the NHL’s Central Scouting list.
That summer, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the sixth round.
“I met with Pittsburgh once.” said Birks. “I had no idea if I was going to get drafted by them or even drafted at all. [When] my name popped up on the screen, that was one of the best moments of my life.”
Along the way, he also garnered the interest of the Huskies’ then-assistant coach Bill Muckalt, who felt that Birks’ mix of skating ability and puckhandling skills would make him a valuable member of the rapidly-developing blue line corps. He did not come down from Merritt for an official visit, but rather trusted Muckalt’s judgement.
He scored 21 points in 50 games in his final season with the Centennials and joined the Huskies in time for the 2014-15 season, but ineligibility kept him from joining the team on the ice for his first full year in Houghton. The experience of having to watch practices from the sidelines while his teammates ground their way through that record 10-game winning streak to open the season and the school’s first NCAA appearance since 1981 was excruciating.
“That was tough, very tough for me,” said Birks. “I live and breathe hockey so it was hard to see all the guys practicing and playing all the time and I could only skate afterwards.”
Able to redshirt during his first year, he joined the Huskies for real last season as a freshman. He was almost immediately paired with co-captain Cliff Watson, then a junior and the team’s steadiest defensive defenseman.
The pairing was exactly what Birks needed as he had to work very hard just to catch up game speed after missing an entire season. Watson not only showed him the ropes, he helped him adjust to every other aspect of college hockey as best he could.
“If you get the opportunity to play with Cliff, you are going to excel at anything you do,” said Birks. “Being his partner was the best thing for me. He taught me the ropes, took me under his wing.”
This season, Birks has been paired with junior Mark Auk. Unlike the stay-at-home Watson, Auk loves to get involved in the offense as quickly as he can. With Birks as his partner, Auk has been able to channel his inner Brent Burns and get involved immediately.
Birks is proud of the fact that Pearson and his staff feel that he can handle the defensive duties while Auk helps push the offense.
“The coaches have given me the opportunity to be that reliable guy with Mark,” said Birks. “[They are letting me] be that defensive guy and know that they can trust me in any situation.”
Birks scored his first career goal on Dec. 29 against Michigan in the GLI semifinal. He did so by dumping the puck into the offensive zone, continuing to chase it down and then getting to the net where Auk could shoot for a spot where Birks could redirect it into the net.
CHARGING FORWARD
This weekend, the Birks and the Huskies make the trek to Alabama-Huntsville to faceoff with the Chargers for the second time this season. The Chargers currently sit eighth in the WCHA standings thanks to a league record of 7-11-2-0 overall, good for 23 points. They are 7-17-2 overall.
The first time the Huskies saw the Chargers, they were 2-2-0 on the season after sweeping then-No. 20 Ferris State and losing twice to Connecticut. The Huskies won the Friday game 7-3 in a game that featured Angus Redmond’s first career appearance. In the Saturday tilt, the teams skated to a 1-1 tie with the Huskies claiming the second WCHA point on a Reid Sturos shootout goal.
Junior Josh Kestner leads the Chargers in scoring with eight goals and 20 points. Junior Max McHugh is also playing well with eight goals and 16 points.
In goal, junior Jordan Uhelski has stolen the starting job from seniors Matt Larose and Carmine Guerriero. Uhelski is 5-6-2 in 17 appearances with a goals against average of 2.77 and a .904 save percentage.
GAME TIMES
Both games this weekend will start at 8:07 p.m. at the Von Braun Center.