Michigan Tech forward Carson Latimer skates up the ice with the puck during an intrasquad game Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.(David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Saturday morning at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena was one filled with familiar sounds. Pucks hit the boards, sticks and netting, and the Pep Band performed many of their classic pieces as the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team held an intrasquad game as part of the inaugural George McCarthy “Meet the Hockey Huskies” community mixer.

The Huskies had 13 new freshmen, and five new transfers to debut, along with three new coaches, including head coach Bill Muckalt. The game ended in a 4-4 tie, triggering a three-round shootout, which was won by Black, thanks to shootout goals from both junior center Max Koskipirtti and sophomore defenseman Rylan Brown against Gold goaltender Bryant Lee, a sophomore.

For Muckalt, and his new staff, which includes Tyler Shelast and newcomers Benton Maass and L.J. Scarpace, it was a chance to throw players into more of a game-type situation.

“Early on, we’re through about two weeks, 10 sessions of being on the ice with the guys and getting to know the faces, the numbers, positions, habits, details and in the game,” said Muckalt. “We’re a bunch of new players, new staff. I liked some of the foundation. You could see some of the systems out there. I thought the passing was relatively good. I liked the pace of play. It was just a good opportunity for us to evaluate through some video, teach, and build on some things that we did well, and clean some stuff up and some areas where, obviously faceoffs, and what have you to, to get ready.”

With 18 new faces between the freshmen and the transfers, Muckalt admitted that he and his staff are still getting used to the players, just as the players are getting used to the staff.

“It’s a feeling out process,” he said. “You can see what players have chemistry. You rep things in practice, you have purpose to the drill design, and what you want to work on. Then, all of a sudden, it’s like you take the gloves off, or the training wheels off, and you go play, and you can see a lot of good things from some guys.”

When asked about who immediately jumped out at him, there was one name that came up quickly, a transfer from Lindenwood, which was where Muckalt coached last season.

“I was really, really pleased with the goaltending,” Muckalt said. “I was really pleased with some of the defending. I thought Jack Anderson had a great game, and then a lot of forwards really, really had strong outings on both sides.”

Anderson, a senior, picked up an assist in the second period when he took a pass from sophomore forward Tom Leppa while in the right circle. He made a quick pass into the low slot and sophomore forward Elias Janssen tipped it home to tie things at 2-2.

Eight and a half minutes later, Anderson crashed the net hard and tipped a pass from freshman forward Carson Birdie past sophomore goaltender Ryan Manzella to give Gold a 3-2 lead.

Black actually jumped out to a 2-0 lead with two goals in just over a minute as freshman forward Ryan Abraham scored at 4:18 with a wrist shot right off a faceoff. Then 62 seconds later, junior forward Lauri Raiman made it 2-0 when he crossed the slot and wristed a shot off the post and in.

For Lee, a Houghton native, the two goals came just after he stepped into the game.

“He’s been fantastic in practice,” said Muckalt. “He’s won some of the small-area games and made some big time saves. (It was a) tough way to start, one goes back bar, another one post and in. That’s the hard part coming in goaltending sometimes, but then I think he settled in, made some key saves, and held it together.”

Newly minted captain Isaac Gordon got Gold on the board two minutes before Janssen tied it. He was trying to make a cross-ice pass that deflected past Manzella.

“It’s definitely, definitely interesting,” Gordon said about all the new faces. “It’s like almost a whole new team. But, I think a lot of the guys are gelling well together, and I think the stuff that we’ve done so far for team building and that sort of stuff, has really helped with our chemistry. Everyone’s hanging out together. Everyone’s doing homework together. All (of us are) hanging out after practice. So I think it’s going in the right direction.”

Senior forward Trevor Kukkonen, who also played for Gold, agreed with Gordon about how quickly team chemistry is coming along.

“For me, I think it’s just, I’m excited,” he said. “A lot of the new guys are fitting right in. It’s good to be back and trying to kind of pass on what I’ve learned throughout the years.”

With so many new faces, Kukkonen knows ice time will be at a premium.

“With a big roster like this, we’re all pushing each other,” he said. “We’re all trying to win for the Huskies, and just being part of the group, no matter who you are, you matter. That’s going to be a big part that all of us can play. Everybody’s going to be able to fill those roles.”

The third period was a 10-minute 3-on-3 session, and Black outscored Gold 2-1 in the frame.

Freshman forward Brayden Boehm scored the first one for Black on a penalty shot in the first minute when he beat Lee with a wrist shot to a similar spot where Raiman scored.

Then, 3:20 later, freshman defenseman Braden Pietila drove around junior forward Owen Baker and scored.

Just 3:10 after that, freshman forward Rylan Gould took a lead pass from Janssen, skated in alone and roofed one over Manzella’s glove to tie the game at 4-4 for Gold.

Gould, Gordon and senior forward Stiven Sardarian played together on a line for Gold, and Muckalt liked what he saw from the trio.

“Obviously, Stiven is skilled. He can make plays. He’s creative,” said Muckalt. “Gordy skates, makes plays, can shoot it, and he’s got a high motor. Then, Rylan has got skills. He just really thinks the game. He has a high hockey IQ, and good players seem to like playing with good players. I liked their game.”

Muckalt also liked Koskipirtti and sophomore forward Carson Latimer, a transfer from the University of British Columbia. He also mentioned freshman center Teydon Trembecky and Abraham.

“I thought Max Koskipirtti was really good,” Muckalt said. “I thought Latimer on Gold probably didn’t get what he deserved on the scoresheet, but he created a lot of chances, for sure.

“I noticed Trembaky and Abraham. I thought they were solid.”

In all, all the new faces had a chance to show what they could do in the game. Freshman forward Reid Daavettila did not score in his first experience wearing a Huskies’ sweater, but being on the ice at the MacInnes was a dream come true.

“I always grew up watching them, so that was always my dream school,” he said. “It’s been unreal practicing so far.

“The leaders in the locker room have been great with making everyone feel comfortable, so it’s been good.”

The Huskies first official games will come on Oct. 3 and 4 when they travel to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers.