Michigan Tech’s Topi Heiskanen (2), Blaize Richartz (21), Tristan Ashbrook (28) and Chris Lipe (4) celebrate a goal by Logan Ganie (14) during a game against Bemidji State on Friday, Oct. 21, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — With a sweep of the St. Lawrence Saints last weekend, the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team is looking to build off of that success as they head out to face the Bowling Green State Falcons this weekend in Ohio.

The Huskies (4-2-1 overall, 0-1-1 CCHA) essentially blew the doors off the MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Friday as 12 skaters found the scoresheet in a 6-0 victory over the Saints. Saturday, the Saints held the game much tighter, and the Huskies held a 1-0 lead until the final two minutes, where they struck twice to skate away with a 3-0 win and the sweep.

Head coach Joe Shawhan felt that the weekend, especially Friday night, was important in building team confidence.

“I think everybody’s success right now is important to us,” he said. “The more players we have gaining confidence and getting excited about what we’re doing, will kind of fuel, I think, growth within the group.”

Right now, Shawhan is focusing on building the team’s confidence from the ground up.

“Anytime anybody can have success, and feel good about themselves, it helps develop a confidence in what we’re doing as a whole, and adds to the foundation,” he said. “Again, we can hopefully grow moving forward.”

One player whose growth was noticeable on the scoresheet Friday night was freshman center Kash Rasmussen. He came to the Huskies as a physical center with good hands, and those hands have been on display throughout the season before he was able to break through.

“I think Kash has been pretty consistent,” said Shawhan. Last weekend, (he) saw some rewards, but he had a goal disallowed last week, and he had points in the non-conference games. I think he’s been pretty consistent.”

On the other end of the spectrum, co-captain Brett Thorne, a junior defenseman, missed both games against the Saints with an upper-body injury. Without a firm timetable for when he will be back in the lineup, the Huskies are going to lean on some inexperienced defenders like senior Jake Crespi, a converted forward, and junior Jed Pietila, another converted forward, but one who made the transition before coming to Michigan Tech.

Pietila had missed four games and an exhibition match due to injury, and Shawhan felt that he struggled early last weekend, but got better with ice time.

“I think he was okay, he was alright,” said Shawhan. “He was okay. He had to get his feet wet. He started a bit slow and gradually, I thought, he settled in.”

Another veteran broke through on Friday. Senior winger Tristan Ashbrook scored his first goal of the season in the second period. Traditionally, Ashbrook has been a streaky scorer for the Huskies, so Shawhan is hopeful that his goal is the start of a new streak.

“Tristan is kind of a guy that goes in spurts,” Shawhan said. “He’s quiet offensively for a while, and then he’ll get three points in a game and then he’s quiet offensively for a while. So, we’ll see. He’s got to consistently generate scoring chances. He’s got to consistently be involved in scoring chances. If he is, then we’re a better team for it.”

Facing the Falcons

This weekend, the Huskies travel to face the Falcons, a team that is 2-6-0 overall and 1-3 in CCHA play. While the Falcons’ record is not impressive at first glance, that is because they have faced Northern Michigan, Michigan State, No. 18 Western Michigan, and No. 8 Minnesota State to start the season.

The Falcons enter this weekend coming off five straight losses, one to the Spartans, and two each against the Broncos and the Mavericks.

“They played a tough schedule,” Shawhan said. “The record isn’t indicative right now of the team they are. That will change. They have an overall record, and a conference record, but they’ve played Mankato, and that’s always going to be reflective on your record.

“They played Western Michigan, who’s a highly ranked team, a Top 10 team, for sure. They played a schedule probably close to as good as you can play in college hockey.”

Shawhan sees the Falcons as being a big test for the inexperienced Huskies.

“Big test for us, huge test on the road,” he said. “There are a different team at home, as well. They play a more physical brand. Their crowd gets involved. It’s kind of an echoing type of a chamber, their arena. So, I’m looking forward to seeing how our guys respond to that.”

Sophomore Austen Swankler leads the Falcons offensively. He has five goals in his first eight games, along with two assists. Senior Chase Gresock has also gotten off to a fast start with two goals and five points in eight games.

In goal, the Falcons have sophomore Christian Stoever and senior Zach Rose splitting time. Stoever has started five games, sports a 3.96 goals against average and a .887 save percentage. Rose has started three games, sports a 3.25 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.

Norris family tradition

Freshman defenseman Dalton Norris, who has three assists this season, is the third Norris brother to play college hockey. His older brother Coale transferred from Ferris State to finish his college career at Bowling Green, and his brother Josh, who played at Michigan, is currently in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators.