Michigan Tech forward Isaac Gordon readies for a faceoff during a game against Minnesota State Friday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team took a weekend at home on the chin last weekend as they dropped both games to the Minnesota State Mavericks. With a week where they could focus on their game without the distractions of school, the Huskies have spent this week focused on their game as they get ready to face the Bowling Green State Falcons.

The Huskies, who are now 6-4 overall and 4-2 in CCHA play after the sweep at the hands of the Mavericks.

Huskies coach Joe Shawhan felt that Saturday’s 3-1 loss was a much better game for his team in many facets.

“On looking at it, I was really, really pleased with the way that the guys played on Saturday night,” he said. “I think most people probably feel the same way. I think the guys executed tremendously in the game, did a good job generating offensive opportunities against a good, veteran hockey team with a lot of upperclassmen. I thought we defended well. I thought our guys did a tremendous job of breaking the puck out of our zone with both possession exits, and cleared exits. I really thought our guys did a really good job.”

Saying that, Shawhan also admitted that his team needs to do a better job on the man advantage, where the Huskies went 0-for-7 Saturday.

“Special teams were obviously an issue, something we will continue to work on, penalty kill, while obviously going 3-for-3 and limiting scoring chances against, the power play, obviously, being 0-for-7, and giving up a ‘shorty’ (shorthanded goal) was probably the difference in the game,” he said. “Because, we had some chances. We were up 1-0. We were doing a really good job. Gave up that shorty in the second to tie the game, and then had some power play opportunities in the third to get to take the lead again, and really didn’t do a whole lot with them.

“It’s something we’ll continue to work on with the guys, and get their input on, and try to figure out as we still learn them and they learn us.”

What Shawhan is referring to is that he wants his staff to be able to place players in positions where they can have success, including on the power play, where the team has been inconsistent to this point in the season. The power play is 7-for-41 to this point in the season, which is good for 17.1%. The Huskies are scoring 2.4 goals a game to this point in the season, and improvement on the power play should help.

“What’s really important is that we, you know, keep working on a mindset of not what we can do, but what we want to work on doing,” said Shawhan. “It’s the easy thing, and the cautious thing for us, to put guys in a position where they don’t feel they can do anything. That’s really important, and that’s what I was saying after the game (Saturday). I was talking about that after a game.

“Now also with that, though, is the challenge of kind of putting some urgency on offensive awareness. You think that defense would be harder, but it’s not. (On) defense, you don’t have a puck on your stick. (On) offense, there’s a lot that goes into creating offense. Defense is a lot of compete, a lot of hard work, but you don’t have to do anything with the puck. You just have to (work) until you get the puck. Then, from that point on, you’re on offense. So, that’s what we have to try to get these guys (the assistant coaches) to work with our guys on.”

If there is one obvious player who is struggling with his offense right now, it’s alternate captain Isaac Gordon. Gordon scored 18 goals as a freshman, but has none in his first 10 this season. However, Shawhan likes so much of his game, that he feels like it is just a matter of time before the second-year winger strikes.

“Well, it’s not that he couldn’t have goals,” Shawhan said. “I think he hit two (posts) this weekend again…Gordon’s getting chances. He’s hitting goal posts.

“I think Gordo’s playing fine hockey. It’s just pressing and wanting to do so well.”

Shawhan likened his scoring issues to those Logan Pietila went through in his second year, where Pietila did not score goal and only managed four assists.

“We’re doing video with him, and watching things on, but he’s aware of that, and he is getting the puck,” said Shawhan. “He had a solid crossbar and a goal post this weekend, every weekend that’s happening. He’s had two wide open nets, from in close range with the goalie out.

“He should have five, and he could have eight or nine. Now it’s just getting harder for him, because he’s just got to relax and play, and try to do that to the best of his ability.”

SCOUTING THE FALCONS

The Falcons are 5-4-1 overall and 2-1-1 in CCHA play after a split last weekend with St. Thomas that saw them tie Friday night, 2-2, and then win in a shootout. Saturday, the Tommies came back with a 6-3 win.

Sophomore forward Brody Waters leads the Falcons in goals (6) and is tied for the team lead in points (7) with senior forward Ryan O’Hara, who leads the team in assists (7). Junior forward Brett Pfoh is also off to a fast start with three goals and six points.

Sophomore goaltender Cole Moore has played all 10 games for the Falcons this season, going 5-4-1 overall with a 2.87 goals against average and a .908 save percentage.

GAME TIMES

Opening puck drop both nights for the Huskies and Falcons will be at 7:07 p.m. at Slater Family Ice Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio.