Michigan Tech forwards Tristan Ashbrook (28) and Jack Works (29) celebrate a goal scored by Ashbrook against Bowling Green State on Saturday, Feb. 11, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — With a hard-fought split at No. 12 Minnesota State last weekend the No. 11 Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team got the opportunity they were looking for a chance to play a winner-takes-all game for the MacNaughton Cup on Saturday night.

On Friday, the Huskies shutdown the Mavericks, 2-0, to set up the Saturday contest. Despite falling behind 2-0 on Saturday, the Huskies stormed back with a penalty shot goal and a shorthanded tally to even things just 20 seconds before the Mavericks struck again to regain the lead and hold on for a 3-2 win and the trophy outright.

Thanks to the split, the Huskies finished the regular season with a record of 22-9-4 overall and 15-7-4 in CCHA play, which put them just two points behind the Mavericks, who finished with a 21-12-1 overall record and 16-9-1 record in conference play.

While the end result was not what the Huskies were looking for, coach Joe Shawhan felt that the team did a very good job of accomplishing most of what they were hoping to.

“Going in there, we wanted to give ourselves a chance to play for a title on Saturday,” he said. “The guys did a great job, from the goaltender on out, in doing that. On Saturday, something on the line, we wanted to really play our best. We wanted to play a really good hockey game, our best game, and I thought we played a good hockey game.

“Mankato was good in the second period, for sure. They’re always good in the second period. But, I thought we played a really good game and gave ourselves a chance. So I’m very pleased with how we played.”

The Huskies got a very strong effort both nights from senior goaltender Blake Pietila, who earned CCHA Goaltender of the Week honors, and freshman winger Kyle Kukkonen, who earned CCHA Rookie of the Week honors in the process.

Kukkonen, who scored a goal each night, has seven goals in his last eight games and nine goals in his 13 games since Jan. 7 against Boston University. His 16 goals lead the Huskies, and his 24 points are second only to alternate captain Ryland Mosley.

“He’s (Kukkonen) a shooter, and he’s getting himself in positions to be able to get a shot, to get a look at the net,” Shawhan said. “With him, it’s just a percentage. If he gets enough looks at the net, he’s going to score.”

Shawhan likens Kukkonen to another prolific Huskies scorer in recent memory, Alex Petan, who found ways to score timely goals throughout his career in Black and Gold.

“Alex Patan was a shooter, and having an outstanding playmaker with him will only improve his offensive numbers,” said Shawhan. “With Petan, he had Tanner Kero. With Kooks, this year, he’s got Logan Pietila.”

With the team down 2-0 on Saturday, senior winger Tristan Ashbrook worked himself into a position to draw a penalty shot, which he then scored on to help jumpstart the Huskies’ offense.

Shawhan feels that the goal was just another in a list of moments throughout the season where he can point to the attitude and the heart his group has night in and night out.

“I’m deeply respectful of the collective heart of our group,” he said. “Their heart seems to have one heartbeat. It’s really a pleasure. I’ve learned a ton from them, in that regard.

“If there’s no quit in one, there’s no quit in any of them. I believe that this group is as close to being one as you can be as a team. I’m grateful to the group, for sure.”

Shawhan feels that so much of that effort and resiliency comes from the efforts of his group of seniors, from the Pietila twins to Brett Thorne, from Jake Crespi to Parker Saretsky, and everyone in between.

“That goes a long way to the seniors, who have all had outstanding years, every single one of our seniors,” Shawhan said. “I would say led by Parker Saretsky all the way through. He’s been everything that we could ask for, in a performer, in a leader, in everything. He’s been everything that we could ask.

Then you go to Jake Crespy, who’s out of position, and having the year, the impact, that we hoped that he’d always have, because that’s the talent that he has. He found that at a different position. (Chris) Lipe has been a solid performer for us. Logan Ganie, he’s had an outstanding year for us, and would have played this weekend, but came up with an injury. Tristan Ashbrook has been incredible in the second half. He’s been a great second half. Obviously, you have the Pietilas (who have both been strong). I’m probably leaving somebody out. I might not be, but (what an) outstanding group.”

Scouting the Tommies

The Tommies finished the season with a record of 11-21-2, but were 10-14-2 in CCHA play, and had a shot at a home playoff spot heading into their final series of the season against Bemidji State, had they won both games. Since Jan. 13, the Tommies have beaten the Huskies, Bowling Green State, the Mavericks, Northern Michigan, Lake Superior State and the Beavers.

They also beat Ferris State twice this season, so they have beaten everyone in the CCHA at least once.

After losing to the Huskies in Houghton on Jan. 13, they came back the next night and scored with less than four minutes left to win, 3-2.

Junior forward Mack Byers leads the team with 16 goals and 24 points in 34 games. Freshmen forwards Josh Eernisse and Lucas Wahlin have also been strong. Eernisse has 14 goals and 21 points, while Wahlin has six goals and 21 points.

In between the pipes, freshman Aaron Trotter has started 30 of the 32 games he has played in, going 11-19-2 over that span. He has 2.98 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.

Shawhan has been impressed with how quickly the Tommies, under the tutelage of coach Rico Blasi, have grown into a tough opponent for everyone in the CCHA. He feels the Tommies work extremely hard, which makes them a tough opponent for anyone they face.

Game times

Friday night’s contest is set to begin at 7:07 p.m. at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Saturday’s game is set to start at 6:07 p.m. Should the teams need a third game to decide a series winner, Sunday’s contest will start at 5:07 p.m.