Michigan Tech forward Alex Nordstrom celebrates after scoring in the second period of a game against Bemidji State Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — With a loss in regulation on Friday and in overtime on Saturday, the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team came out of a bye week and dropped five out of a possible six points in a sweep at the hands of the Bemidji State Beavers during Winter Carnival weekend at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

With the losses, the Huskies fell to 15-11-2 overall and 11-7-2 in CCHA play.

HUSKIES FALL IN OVERTIME SATURDAY, 6-5

Despite a hat trick from Winter Carnival Most Valuable Player Elias Janssen, who scored all three of his goals on the power play, the Huskies fell in overtime to the Beavers, 6-5.

“Congratulations to Bemidji,” said Huskies coach Joe Shawhan. “They came in here and brought the game where a lot of our players didn’t want to go. That’s what we’re going to have to resolve. (It) comes from our forwards not being able to stay above the play, and our ‘D’ (defense) giving a lot of gap. We’re going to have to defend a lot harder than that if we’re going to have any success at all.”

The Huskies forced overtime despite having to kill off a major penalty just before the midpoint of the third period when junior center Stiven Sardarian was called for contact to the head after a lengthy review.

The Huskies defense held the Beavers to just one goal on the advantage when Kasper Magnussen scored his third goal of the weekend at 9:39, which broke a 3-3 at that point.

Michigan Tech was awarded two power plays after that call was made, and Janssen scored on both of the advantages to tie the game at 4-4 and at 5-5.

“Our record after a week off is pretty hideous,” said Shawhan. “I think it’s because our guys really just enjoy that time off, and it’s the grind, that everyday grind, of the attention to detail in the game (that) they don’t relish. I thought Bemidji brought it there this weekend. But, saying that, I thought there was resiliency. I thought our guys got a little bit energized in the second half of that game.”

HIs first came at 13:42 when he crashed hard to the net and buried a shot after getting a pass from freshman defenseman Rylan Brown.

The duo hooked up again at 19:39 of regulation. The Huskies had pulled goaltender Derek Mullahy for an extra attacker before earning a power play. On that advantage, Brown again found Janssen, this time at the top of the crease and Janssen tipped the pass from Brown over Beavers goaltender Mattias Sholl’s shoulder and in.

Janssen’s first goal of the night came on another power play in the opening frame. He got to a rebound off a shot from alternate captain Isaac Gordon and he buried it at 8:06, putting the Huskies ahead for their only lead of the night.

The Beavers scored the next two goals to take a 2-1 lead before sophomore center Max Koskipirtti evened things at 12:58 with a one-timer on another man advantage.

However, the Beavers struck again on a power play of their own before the period came to a close.

The Huskies evened the game for the second time when senior winger Alex Nordstrom scored his first career goal at home at 16:07 of the middle frame. He find space behind the Beavers’ defense, took a pass from alternate captain Chase Pietila, and skated in alone, burying a wrist shot over the glove of Sholl.

In overtime, both teams had scoring chances before Jackson Jutting scored on a wrist shot from the left circle to seal the win at 3:27.

Sholl finished with 21 saves. Mullahy and freshman goaltender Ryan Manzella combined for 28 saves.

HUSKIES FALL ON FRIDAY, 5-3

Coming off their final bye week of the season on Friday, the Huskies scored three times in the third period. However, the Beavers also scored three in the same period, and they held on to earn a 5-3 win.

The Beaves led 2-0 heading into the final frame.

“Nothing really positive to say,” said Shawhan. “I thought we played like we practiced the last two weeks. What I’ll say is it’s typical of us after a bye week. We see it every bye week. We tried different things to try to get the team to compete and pay attention to detail during those bye weeks. We didn’t practice well. (We) tried to force a little bit yesterday and try to get a little attention to detail.

“We got out-competed. We got outplayed. Not that the guys don’t work hard. I say all the time it’s learning the game. We got, I thought, dominated in every part of the game.”

The Huskies pulled within one at 3:53 of the third period, when sophomore forward Owen Baker scored on a rebound off an initial shot from junior center Stiven Sardarian.

The Beavers scored the game’s next three goals, and Shawhan was forced to use his time out to settle the troops and pull Manzella from the net in order to go to Mullahy. Mullahy stood his ground over the game’s final 9:31.

Junior defenseman Matthew Campbell pulled the Huskies back within three with a power play goal at 12:27. Baker earned an assist on the play, as did sophomore forward Henry Bartle, who finished his night with two assists.

The Huskies got one more back at 17:52 when Pietila scored from near the blue line through traffic. Sardarian picked up an assist on the play.

“They backed off a little bit and we got a couple of goals late,” said Shawhan. “I thought we gained a little bit of momentum there for, for the next night.”

Shawhan pulled Mullahy with 50 seconds remaining, but the Huskies could not add to their goal total before the night ended.

Bemidji State scored twice in the second period to break a scoreless tie. Noah Quinn and Eric Martin scored at 11:50 and 17:51, respectively.

In the third period, Jere Vaisanen, Magnussen, and Jake McLean all scored in a stretch of 2:03.

Manzella and Mullahy combined to make 21 saves. Sholl made 26 saves for the Beavers.

UP NEXT

The Huskies hit the road next weekend to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for a series with the Augustana Vikings.