Michigan Tech’s Kyle Kukkonen makes a pass during a game against St. Lawrence Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team, on the strength of a pair of shutouts by senior goaltender Blake Pietila, earned a sweep of the St. Lawrence Saints, 6-0 Friday and 3-0 Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Freshman winger Kyle Kukkonen led the way offensively for the Huskies (4-2-1 overall) with two goals and two assists on the weekend. Assistant captain Ryland Mosley also had a strong weekend with a goal and three assists.

Kukkonen leads Huskies to 3-0 win Saturday

Through the game’s first 24 minutes Saturday, the Huskies and Saints (3-4-0 overall) were scoreless. Neither team could gain much of an advantage.

That all changed when Kukkonen blocked a shot from a Saints defender at the left point in the defensive zone.

After he blocked the shot, Kukkonen exploded out of the defensive zone, skated the puck into the offensive zone, and found Mosley as he crashed the net. Mosley redirected the pass past Saints goaltender Emil Zetterquist at 4:56 of the second period.

For Mosley, the goal was his third of the season, to go along with six assists. All nine points have come over the last six games.

“I just want to help the team win,” he said. “It feels good chipping in and getting some goals. When you’re playing with Logan (Pietila) and (Kukkonen), it’s pretty easy to just put your stick on the ice and they’re finding it.”

The two teams traded chances from that point forward. The Saints, who surrendered three goals through the game’s first 40 minutes Friday, did a much better job of playing the Huskies aggressively, especially in the defensive zone, which made it tough for the Huskies to attack.

“I thought St. Lawrence worked really hard, and had pushes at different points in the game,” Shawhan said. “They were in the game, and I think our guys really did a good job of staying above their checks, making them go through numbers, and making them manage some ice.

“We got some timely scoring, so (I’m) happy with the win.”

The game remained 1-0 in favor of the Huskies into the late stages of the third period. The Saints earned a power play with just under four and a half minutes to go. With 3:06 left, coach Brent Brekke called his timeout and pulled Zetterquist.

The move gave the Saints their best scoring chance when a pass out of the corner to Blake Pietila’s left bounced off a Huskies defender and hit the post to Pietila’s right. Shortly after that, however, the Huskies were able to extend their lead.

Senior defenseman Chris Lipe picked up the puck in the corner to Pietila’s right and fed it up to Mosley. Mosley found Kukkonen streaking into the neutral zone. He fired a long shot that found the empty net at 18:10.

Just 23 seconds later, junior winger Jack Works wired a wrist shot from the left circle over Zetterquist’s left shoulder to extend the lead to three.

Works, a transfer from defending national champion Denver, feels he is still adjusting to his new surroundings.

“It’s definitely a bit of an adjustment,” he said. “I’m starting to feel more comfortable now. I think just the more games you play, and the more we kind of get to play together as a group, I think it’s just gonna keep getting better.”

Blake Pietila made 18 saves to earn his 13th career shutout.

Huskies power to 6-0 win Friday

The Huskies scored three times in the first two periods and then added three power play goals in the third period en route to a 6-0 victory over the Saints on Friday. Twelve different Huskies racked up at least a point in the win.

“It’s good for them, it’s good,” said Shawhan. “I’m very proud for them. I think every chance that individuals have to feel good about themselves is a good thing.”

Freshman Kash Ramussen, who picked up his first career point on senior winger Tristan Ashbrook’s goal 1:32 into the second period, scored his first career goal on the power play 1:21 into the third.

He was trying to get the puck over to co-captain Arvid Caderoth, but the puck bounced off a Saints defender and into the air. Doing his best baseball imitation, Rasmussen batted the puck out of the air and past Zetterquist.

“Parker (Saretsky) passed to me down the wall, and I tried to hit Arvid,” Rasmussen said. “The puck popped up in the air, and (I) just took a swing at it and it went in.”

Saretsky also had a strong night for the Huskies. He also assisted on Ashbrook’s goal, and later scored a power play goal from the top of the right circle, putting the Huskies up 5-0 3:46 into the frame.

With three points on the night, he nearly doubled his point total for the season.

“It’s good to have those early and get the confidence going,” he said. “(I am) just looking to bring it every day and keep building off this start.”

The Huskies opened the scoring 17:13 into the game when co-captain Logan Pietila found the back of the net with a rebound off a shot from assistant captain Ryland Mosley.

Almost three minutes after Ashbrook made it 2-0, senior Jake Crespi gathered up a puck in the offensive zone, skated it out into the high slot and beat Zetterquist with a wrist shot at 4:28.

Senior defenseman Chris Lipe capped the scoring with a power play goal at 12:03 of the third period.

Blake Pietila made 18 saves to earn his 12th career shutout.