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MANKATO, Minn. -- The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team fell in the championship game of the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI), for the fourth straight year, 6-3 to the Lake Superior State Lakers at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Monday after coming away with a 2-2 tie and shootout win against Michigan a day earlier.
On short rest, the Huskies have little time to digest their holiday tournament efforts before they head out to face the Minnesota State Mavericks, who currently sit third in the WCHA standings, two points behind the Huskies.
Coach Joe Shawhan described his team's effort throughout the GLI as average, but liked what he saw from freshman forward T.J. Polglaze and co-captain Jake Lucchini. Lucchini had a key shootout goal in the game against the Wolverines.
"I thought that Jake Lucchini and T.J. Polglaze played a good game against Lake State and the rest of it was very average," he said of his team's play.
Goaltender Robbie Beydoun made 38 saves against Michigan and another 38 saves in the loss against Lake Superior State. It appears that Shawhan will continue to stick with the sophomore.
"I thought Robbie Beydoun did fine," Shawhan said. "He got beat on some shots that he hasn't been getting beat on, but I expect him to rebound and play well. I like the way he's playing, even in that game (against the Lakers), he gave us a chance. We got out-chanced substantially in that game."
Shawhan would like to take more of an inside-out approach when looking to conference games that lie ahead.
"I think we have a lot of work to do on (many aspects) of our game that've been exposed recently," he said. "Our focus is just going to be to work on one player at a time and start with those we think are closest to getting on board and make an impact for us (while) trying to bring others along.
"I don't think we (can) solve everything all at once. In the last four games, a lot has exposed us with the two against Alabama-Huntsville and the two games last weekend (showing) us some things that we need to focus on as a staff. (We need to) try to play to our strengths and try to find guys that are the closest to being productive."
Coming together as a team on and off the ice is something that Shawhan would like to see more of. He felt like the team was closer to being there earlier this the season.
"The biggest thing that we have to work on (is) our overall compete level as an entire team," said Shawhan. "We enjoy playing a game that's soft, that's freewheeling and trades scoring chances. I don't think that's a conducive game (with) the team that we have."
Shawhan feels the Huskies need to build their offense off a strong defensive posture.
"Instead of realizing that our offense is going to have to come off of a good defensive structure, we've gotten very individualistic," he said. "I think what we have to do is we have to get more team-oriented. We have to have more team chemistry. We have to pull together more as a group when it's needed, much like a family. We have to put the emblem on the front of the jersey before the name on the back of the jersey."
To start the second half of the season, the Huskies travel to Minnesota State. The Mavericks are 14-5-1 overall and 9-3-0 in WCHA action, giving them 27 points. They are a real challenge for the still-growing Huskies, especially when they are in the Verizon Center.
Junior winger Marc Michaelis leads Minnesota with 12 goals and 23 points. Junior center Parker Toomey is also off to a strong start with nine goals and 22 points.
"It's going to be a hard weekend to start with," Shawhan said "Any success that we're going to have to have is going to be in the low-scoring verity, because if we get into a shootout, that's not going to bode well for our chances."
The Mavericks boast a strong power play that is clicking at 22.2 percent. That number goes up to 26.7 percent in WCHA contests.
"When you're in Mankato, you're going to take penalties," said Shawhan. "That's just just the way that officiating in Mankato has always been, much different then anywhere else in the league. Regardless of what happens, we have to play above (that). Our style of play, effort and execution has to become (our goal) this weekend."
The Mavericks like the second period, where they have scored 31 goals thus far and hold a plus-16 advantage in goals over their opponents.
"Right now, I think we have to worry about the defensive side of the puck," Shawhan said. "Right now, we're playing a very offensively-minded game and it's not generating any more opportunities for us. It's actually going the other way, and we have to get our players to realize that."
GAME TIMES
Opening faceoff for both nights is 8:07 p.m. at the Verizon Center for the Huskies and Mavericks.