Michigan Tech forward Alex Gillies (9) scores on Michigan State goaltender John Lethemon (31) during the second period of a Great Lakes Invitational college hockey game, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

HOUGHTON — It’s out with the new and in with the old for Michigan Tech (11-9-5 7-6-5-2 WCHA). After a four-game stretch in which the Huskies played three unfamiliar opponents, they are getting back to what they know. Tech is back at home and back in conference play for a two-game series against Alaska, on Friday and Saturday at 7:07 p.m. in the MacInness Student Ice Arena. 

After playing in the GLI and Ice Vegas Invitational, Tech had an off-week to prepare for Alaska. While the tournaments provided good competition — like No. 16 Boston College — the games didn’t mean as much as the remainder of Tech’s schedule. 

Apart from a series with Arizona State on Feb. 16 and 17th, the remainder of Tech’s contests are against league opponents. The Huskies will need to put together a serious win streak in order to gain ground in the WCHA. They sit at No. 5 in the 10-team league, two points behind Bemidji State and four points ahead of Alabama Huntsville. 

The first step to climbing the ranks, would be two wins against Alaska (9-13-2, 7-10-1-1). Tech defeated the Nanooks, who are seventh in the WCHA, twice in their previous meet-up. But after splitting their last series with No. 9 Minnesota State, the Nanooks may have new found confidence. 

“They beat Minnesota State, one of the top teams in the country, 5-0 last week. So they have the ability to shut down a little bit and the ability to score some goals,” coach Joe Shawhan said. 

Alaska will also test some of the skills Tech spent its off time working on, specifically attention to detail. 

The Nanooks have success when they can wait for their opponents to make mistakes. Shawhan has spent the last two weeks working on the little things with the Huskies in hopes of limiting miscues. 

“Offensively they are creative, they skate, they make time and space well in the offensive zone and they make plays where there is not a lot available,” he said. “They are one of the better teams in the league at that actually. If you aren’t aware of your responsibilities, then the puck will end up in the back of the net.”

Alaska is a defense-based team that is led by senior defensemen Justin Woods and Zach Frye. Frye has 18 points on the season and Woods has 16. 

But Tech is looking for strong play from its own defense to stop the Nanooks and to find success in the latter part of the season. 

With Keegan Ford out for the season with an ACL injury, Tech is relying more heavily on its young defensemen. Freshman players like Mitch Meek and Seamus Donahue, who have seen ice time all season, as well as fresher faces like Cooper Watson, who saw his first action in the GLI, and Todd Kiilunen, who has appeared in nine games this season. 

“In the second half of the year you like to say that there are no more freshmen, that they are adjusted, but we need that consistency out of them,” Shawhan said. 

The Huskies need a strong defense, largely to cover up one of their greatest weaknesses. After 25 games Tech still hasn’t found a permanent starting goaltender between Robbie Beydoun, Devin Kero and Patrick Munson. Shawhan said he is no closer to choosing who will play down the stretch.

“In reality, we need our defense to protect our goalies,” he said. “Our goalies need help, they need protection. So, a big deal for those guys is to manage the puck well and make sure they keep defending.”

USCHO.com Top 20 poll

Tech received seven votes in the Top 20 poll this week. The Huskies were ranked No. 16 in the country in the Oct. 16 poll, but fell out of the rankings in November.