National Hockey League teams play exhibition games to give young players a chance to showcase what skills they bring to the table as they try to make the big club. Most veterans use exhibition games to tune themselves up for the season. Other veterans, like the youngsters, use exhibition games to either earn a job with the club they are completing for at that moment, or for another team.

In the college game, teams are already set, at least as far as roster spots go. So, veteran players use exhibition games to tune up, and everyone else uses exhibition games to prove they are deserving of more ice time in games that matter.

On Saturday, the Michigan Tech Huskies took on the Northern Michigan Wildcats in an exhibition game, with the Huskies emerging 4-3. The Huskies scored two power play goals, which coach Joe Shawhan liked a lot, but they also gave up three goals in the game, something that he was less enthusiastic about.

Three players that Shawhan really enjoyed seeing play were junior defensemen Viktor Hurtig, Kasper Vaharautio, and Oliver Bezick.

“I thought that Viktor Hurtig and Kasper Vaharautio were phenomenal in the game,” he said. “You saw what Kasper does. He took it on about the last 10-12 minutes and said, ‘They’re not getting this puck off the wall,’ and ended the hockey game.

“I thought their compete level was extremely high. I thought Ollie Bezick played a pretty good game back there on defense. Other guys competed, but overall effectiveness in the game, I thought those guys really emulated what we’re trying to, what we’re trying to get across.”

In similar fashion, Shawhan was really impressed with what both senior forward Alex Nordstrom and sophomore forward Lauri Raiman did with limited ice time.

“Up front, I really liked what we saw out of, and it always comes to this, Nordy (and) Lauri Raiman,” said Shawhan. “Those guys are trying to get in the lineup. They’re trying to stay. They see new guys come every year. They play the game the right way. Drew penalties in the third period.”

Shawhan went on to continue to discuss why Nordstrom is a key piece for the Huskies again this season.

“Nordy drew a few penalties,” Shawhan said. “He did a lot for us. We need him. We need Nordy. Nordy is the same guy as Ray Bryce, one of our coaches now. I mean, those guys win you hockey games, which I think they did. They drew the power plays that, two times in a row, that got us those power play goals.”

Shawhan feels that once he and his staff get the rest of the team to understand how hard players like Nordstrom work for each shift they earn, the Huskies will be much better off for it.

“That’s just what I like,” said Shawhan. “I just think, over my time, and, very fortunately, we’ve won a lot of games in the last 10 years when I’ve been here. I think when we get the locker room to respect and appreciate the way that some guys I’ve named play, it’ll help their game. It’ll help the game.”

Shawhan feels that that level of work ethic that players like Nordstrom and Vaharautio possess, pays tremendous dividends.

“At the end of the year, they’re not like, ‘Well, why didn’t I develop? Well, what do you want us to do?’ We want to keep working at it, keep competing,” he said. “It starts with compete. Tanner Kero was a great pro, and is still a great pro, because he had great offensive ability. But, not only that, he had great defensive ability. When he got to the NHL, he was a guy that they could call up on a budgetary status, play anywhere in the lineup, penalty kill, and be able to play on your power play.

“That’s what has given him the career that he’s had, because you got the (Connor) Bedards and you have all those guys. But Tanner’s made a really good name for himself because of his IQ, his competitiveness.”

Shawhan, in his post-game comments, pointed out a few veteran players that he really hopes learn from the examples being set by Nordstrom and Vaharautio. He feels like fifth-year forward Blaise Richartz and senior winger Marcus Pedersen could both compete harder on pucks and use their size and strength to their advantage.

“What I really want to see is a couple guys just take the opportunity,” he said. “I thought that I’m looking for more out of Blaise. I’m looking for more out of (Henry) Bartle. I’m looking for more out of Petey (Pedersen). I’m looking for them to impact the game a little bit with their size and strength.

“The guys that impacted the game were the guys that really played a deliberate hockey game and weren’t letting the game come to them. They’re trying to dictate the game themselves.”

With the start of the regular season coming this Friday, those players will have to prove they want to remain in the lineup ahead of players like Nordstrom and Raiman.