David Archambeau/For the Gazette Michigan Tech winger Trevor Kukkonen celebrates after scoring his first career goal in the second period of a game against Northern Michigan Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.

By DAVER KARNOSKY

dkarnosky@mininggazette.com

HOUGHTON — With a 3-0 win on Friday and a 6-3 come-from-behind win at home on Saturday, the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team opened their defense of the Mason Cup with a pair of victories over their rivals, the Northern Michigan Wildcats.

Fifth-year goaltender Derek Mullahy earned both wins for the Huskies, who improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in CCHA play with the victories.

HUSKIES WIN AT HOME SATURDAY

Despite scoring just 32 seconds into the contest Saturday night at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena, the Huskies had to climb back from a 3-1 deficit to earn their second straight win.

Huskies coach Joe Shawhan felt that his team fell behind, even though they scored almost immediately after the opening puck drop, due to a sense that things were going to come easy.

“Even in the first period, it’s one of those things, because we started so well, and everything was coming easy,” he said. “I mean, as far as scoring chances, we get that early goal kind of exercising our will, and then they score, and then at that point, now guys are thinking, ‘OK, we’re going to have a big night offensively.’ I think we got away from our game. We still only had them at six scoring chances in the first, but three of them ended in our net, two on the power play. So, very proud of the boys for the resilience.”

The Huskies’ early tally came off the stick of sophomore winger Lauri Raiman, who found the net from the right circle. Freshman center Tom Leppa and alternate captain Chase Pietila both earned assists after both of them had scoring chances before Raiman’s shot found the net.

From there, however, the Wildcats responded with two power play goals from Grayden Slipec at 7:15 and again at 12:21. The first came right off the face off that started the advantage, the second came from a nearly identical spot on the ice deeper into that advantage.

The game remained 2-1 in favor of the Wildcats until Medrick Bolduc got behind the Huskies’ defense and scored on a backhand deke at 18:53.

Michigan Tech needed a response, and it came in the form of senior winger Marcus Pedersen just 1:10 into the middle frame. Pedersen hustled up the ice to join the rush, and shortly after he crossed the blue line, he took a pass from junior forward Stiven Sardarian. Pedersen rushed to the net and beat Wildcats goaltender Ryan Ouellette for the tally.

“In the locker room, we all wanted to get back,” Pedersen said. “They had two powerplay goals, obviously, and we felt like we were pushing hard 5-on-5, and had more chances. We just wanted to get that quick one to get us back into it. That pass by Stiven was the perfect time when I was by that guy. I got a good look at it coming into the second period.”

Pedersen added a pair of assists later in the contest.

“Even if it wasn’t me scoring the goals (it is fun to help out),” said Pedersen. “Leppa’s line played really good today, as well. They’ve been good for a while. I don’t care who scores as long as I’m helping us win. If I score, that’s positive, but I’m going to do everything I can for us to win.”

Leppa’s line struck again in the late stages of the second when junior winger Trevor Kukkonen scored his first career goal from the slot on a wrist shot off a feed from freshman center Logan Morrell.

“It was awesome,” he said. “I (have been) getting a lot of chances in the last couple games, so it felt really good. Got a couple pucks in the slot, and the first one happened to go in, so it was great.”

Kukkonen struck again to seal the game in the final second when he scored the Huskies’ second empty net goal of the night.

“I’d be absolutely remiss if I didn’t mention, and really praise, the example that we’re getting out of Leppa and Kukkonen and Lauri Raima,” said Shawhan. “I am so happy for them.”

Sardarian scored a goal of his own, his fourth of the season, 6:51 into the third period to put the Huskies ahead for good. Sophomore center Max Koskipirtti picked up the first assist, and Pedersen the other.

Koskipirtti added an empty net goal of his own at 19:00, when he fired a shot from near the Northern Michigan bench into the net. Pedersen and alternate captain Isaac Gordon both earned assists on the play.

Mullahy finished his night with 14 saves to earn the win. Ouellette made 37 for the Wildcats.

HUSKIES SHUTOUT

WILDCATS FRIDAY

MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Huskies began CCHA play with a 3-0 shutout of the Wildcats Friday at the Berry Events Center. Mullahy made 24 saves to earn the victory in net.

“We played a good complete game tonight,” Shawhan said. “We got contributions from everybody that dressed. We challenged some players and they answered the bells. Derek made some big saves early until we got the offense going.”

Leppa opened the scoring 12:12 into the game when he flipped in a rebound from right in front of the net for his first NCAA goal. Freshman defenseman Rylan Brown took a shot from the point that bounced off the back wall. Kukkonen got a piece of it before Leppa put it home. It was the first NCAA points for Kukkonen and Brown.

Tech scored a pair of power play goals in the second period. Sophomore defenseman Matthew Campbell setup Sardarian for a redirect in front of the net for a 2-0 lead 3:24 into the second. It was Sardarian’s third of the season and 12th of his career.

Koskipirtti found some time and space and was able to pick his spot and fire the puck under the goalie’s blocker at 6:04 of the second. It was Koskipirtti’s second of the season and sixth of his career from freshman winger Elias Jansson and alternate captain Isaac Gordon.

The Huskies dominated the second, outshooting NMU 17-5. The Wildcats pushed in the third and pulled the goaltender with 2:55 left. They also got a late power play but Mullahy only had to make one save down the stretch and earned his first win as a Husky and second career shutout.

Mullahy stopped nine shots in the first, five in the second, and 10 in the third. Ouellette made 38 saves as the Huskies outshot the Wildcats 41-24.

Tech was 2-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

UP NEXT

The Huskies finally leave the Upper Peninsula for the first time this weekend as they travel to face Ferris State in Big Rapids.