The Huskies got three goals and four points from alternate captain Ryland Mosley, one goal and five points from co-captain Logan Pietila, and two goals and six points from freshman winger Isaac Gordon in the series to lead the way to the two wins.

Alternate captain Blake Pietila got both wins in net, earning his 24th career shutout on Friday night.

With the wins, the Huskies improved to 17-14-6 overall.

HUSKIES CRUISE TO 5-0 WIN FRIDAY

Michigan Tech forward Henry Bartle celebrates after he scored his first career goal in a CCHA quarterfinal game against Bowling Green State Friday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

It took the Huskies 11:44 to strike, but once they did, they never looked back on their way to a 5-0 win.

With the win, the Huskies put themselves into the position to win their CCHA quarterfinal series on Saturday, which was the goal going into the contest.

“Full credit to our players for the performance tonight, but now that one’s gone,” said Huskies coach Joe Shawhan. “It’s playoffs now. It’s hard putting a team away, ending a team’s season.”

The Huskies controlled the play early, and were eventually rewarded when Logan Pietila attempted to make a pass across the slot. The puck hit Falcons goaltender Cole Moore’s stick and deflected through his feet and in at 11:44 of the opening frame.

The game remained 1-0 into the second period before Gordon found time and space in the slot. He took a pass from Logan Pietila and he fired a quick shot that beat Moore over the shoulder at 10:14.

Looking to add to their lead before the period came to an end, the Huskies did just that when freshman winger Henry Bartle scored his first career goal at 13:09. After junior winger Alex Nordstrom got a shot to the net, senior center Blais Richartz was the first player to the rebound, but he fell down. The puck bounced from him to Bartle, who buried a wrister.

“I mean, (it) feels really good,” Bartle said. “But, we have such a deep lineup, a lot of seniors, ad luckily, personally, a couple of guys got hurt, so I got an opportunity. That’s all you can ask for. (I’m) just trying to work hard and stay in the line up.”

It took the Huskies just 54 seconds to strike in the third period. Gordon got a loose puck off a faceoff to Moore’s left and then fed it over to Mosley in the slot. Mosley turned and fired a shot that slid past a Falcons defender and into the net.

“We’ve got a lot of guys here that play some playoff games and a lot (of them) haven’t gone our way,” said Mosley. “We’ve grown and learned from those, and hopefully we keep it going.”

Co-captain Arvid Caderoth capped the scoring for the Huskies at 3:57 when he batted a rebound off a shot from freshman center Max Koskipirtti past Moore.

HUSKIES BATTLE BACK TO WIN SATURDAY

Trailing 2-0 early, and 4-3 in the second period, the Huskies battled back both times to earn a 6-5 win to eliminate the Falcons.

The game was, by no means, easy, as emotions ran hot and cold throughout the contest.

“Overall, it was a roller coaster,” said Gordon. “I mean, I felt like there’s momentum swinging both ways. Obviously, they were fighting for their lives. So their intensity was hard. They were coming at us for everything they had. I think we kept our emotions kind of steady throughout it.”

With the game tied at 5-5 late, the Huskies were awarded a power play with just 2:45 left.

On the man advantage, the Huskies had several looks early, but nothing was truly dangerous for Falcons goaltender Christian Stoever. However, as time reached the final minute of regulation, freshman defenseman Chase Pietila had the puck at the point. He made a pass over to Mosley, who one-timed a shot that slid through Stoever and in with 1:03 left.

From there, the Huskies held on for the win.

“I thought Bowling Green gave everything they had, blocking shots, transitioning, and burying looks at the net,” said Shawhan. “They have to be proud I’m sure of their of their guys that stepped up. It was coming down to the last shot, and I thought they defended hard. I thought they made life really miserable for us, took away the middle of the ice really well.”

The Huskies trailed 2-0 in the first period before Richartz got them on the board at 13:36, when he got a pass in the low right circle from freshman defenseman Nick Williams. Richartz fired off a quick shot that got through Stoever’s feet for the goal.

Still trailing heading into the second period, the Huskies evened things, and then took the lead in a span of eight seconds.

First, while on the remainder of a late first-period power play, Gordon pulled the Huskies even just 32 seconds into the second when he one-timed a pass from senior winger Tyrone Bronte.

Then, at 40 seconds, the Huskies struck again, this time Mosley was the goal-scorer as he slid a shot between Stoever’s feet quickly.

The Falcons answered back with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart to regain the lead at 4-3.

Bronte evened the game at 4-4 with the Huskies on another power play at 17:39. With Michigan Tech on a two-man advantage, Logan Pietila set him up once, and he missed the net. The second time he received a pass, he did not miss.

“We’re scoring, which is nice,” he said. “We just have to, obviously, keep their scoring down, but I like the way our team is playing. I like the way we’re confident in scoring. Our power play was obviously tremendous tonight, so really happy where we’re at.”

On the ensuing 5-on-4 power play, junior winger Jack Works buried a pass from Gordon to put the Huskies up 5-4 heading into the third period with his goal at 18:40.

The Falcons weren’t done yet, however, as Brett Pfoh scored his second goal of the night to even the game again at 5-5 when he scored on a breakaway.

The Huskies appeared to take the lead at 13:24 when Bronte beat Stoever with a wrist shot. Upon review, however, the goal was overturned.

UP NEXT

The Huskies advanced to the CCHA semifinals with the win. They await the results of the third and deciding game between Lake Superior State and St. Thomas on Sunday evening to determine if they are hosting one semifinal, or if they have to travel.