Michigan Tech’s Arvid Caderoth controls the puck behind the St. Lawrence game on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team earned four of six CCHA points last weekend against the Lake Superior State Lakers at home. While not the outcome the Huskies were looking for going into the weekend, coach Joe Shawhan still feels as though the Huskies made gains.

“Always good to come up with points,” he said. “We came up with points in both games, so it’s always a positive, for sure.”

Shawhan wants the Huskies (6-3-2 overall, 2-2-2 CCHA) to find some consistency in their game. Some players have shown it, like assistant captain Ryland Mosley, senior defenseman Chris Lipe, and senior goaltender Blake Pietila. However, beyond that trio, the rest of the group still has room to grow, and that is what Shawhan and his staff are trying to hammer home in practice and in player meetings each week until it starts to click.

Emergence of Caderoth

One player who appears to be getting the message is junior forward Arvid Caderoth. The third-year forward has chipped in effectively his first two seasons in Black and Gold, but has struggled at points this season to find his way offensively.

Shawhan moved him to wing during the Alaska series, and that seemed to help. This past weekend, he was moved back to center a line that featured freshman Kash Rasmussen and senior David Jankowski. Shawhan felt that trio was, perhaps, the Huskies’ best line against the Lakers.

“I thought that line did a good job for us,” said Shawhan. “The difference in the play of that line, from what we’ve been getting prior to last weekend, could have been the difference in the series.”

Shawhan was pleased to see Caderoth carry over some of his strong play on the wing in his return to the center position.

“He’s really working on some areas that can make the game fun for him, instead of just grinding and defending, which he does so well,” Shawhan said. “Finding ways to play in the offensive zone, and enjoying things in that aspect opens up, that’s the fun part of the game.”

Shawhan had originally moved Caderoth to the wing to improve his puck touches and help him work on getting up the ice faster.

“The difference is him having (the puck) on his stick and going through guys, instead of getting it off his stick, because I feel he has the ability to do a lot,” Shawhan said. “He’s got good reach…but he’s got to have the puck. He has to want the puck. He’s got to demand the puck and do things with it. So, there’s growth.

“He’s on an upward trajectory right now, and we’ll help try to help keep him growing in that regard.”

Lipe’s return

With Lipe back in the lineup after missing the Bowling Green State series due to injury, the Huskies blue line was stronger against the Lakers. The fourth-year defender brings a consistent effort every time he touches the ice, and that is something that Shawhan hopes rubs off on the rest of the defensive corps.

“He’s just a really good player,” said Shawhan. ” I’d take him to pro hockey with me. I think he brings it every day in practice. I think he brings it every game. So I have complete faith in him.

“He’ll jump up into the play, does it at the right time, gets back, doesn’t leave people hanging, has a good understanding and intelligence about the game. So I totally believe in him as a hockey player. I have complete faith and confidence in him.”

Pietila’s record run continues

With his fourth shutout of the season on Saturday, Blake Pietila now has 14 in his career. The senior netminder continues to be a bright spot night in and night out for the Huskies.

He came up with what Shawhan considers a game-changing save in Saturday’s contest.

“I think it was put best by Brent Peterson,” Shawhan said. “He said, ‘Good goaltenders, really good goaltenders make the saves that they should make. Great goaltenders make the saves, like he made in the third period when it was 2-0 on that penalty kill, and he got across to make that glove save.”

Making the saves he should make, and others that perhaps he shouldn’t are just part of Pietila’s game week in and week out.

“There’s no question that he is the catalyst of our team,” Shawhan said. “We knew that going in and there’s no question about it. You talk about another leader that does things the right way, that prepares the right way, performs the right way, has the right mindset, takes responsibility, even when it’s not his, for the play of the group.”

Scouting the Tommies

This weekend, the Huskies hit the road to face the St. Thomas Tommies in Mendota Heights, Minnesota. The Tommies come into the weekend 2-10 on the season and 1-5 in CCHA play, but they have lost their last three games by one goal each night.

“They’re a good team,” said Shawhan. “They should have won, at least, Saturday’s game. They’re high-energy, skilled. They have hard compete. They’re getting good goaltending. They’re playing everybody tough, including Mankato. So, you have to work for everything you get offensively.”

A pair of freshmen are off to great starts in Lucas Wahlin and Ryan O’Neill. Wahlin has three goals and nine points in 12 games. O’Neill has two goals and a team-high seven assists in 12 games. Another freshman, Josh Eernisse, is tied for the team lead in goals with four.

In net, the Tommies are relying on a pair of freshmen in Aaron Trotter and Ethan Roberts. Trotter is 2-8 on the season in 10 appearances with a 3.59 goals against average. Roberts is 0-2 in four appearances with a 4.01 goals against average.