Michigan Tech forward Isaac Gordon forces St. Thomas goaltender Aaron Trotter to play the puck during a game Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau/For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON — Saturday night, the No. 19 Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team came into their game with their rivals, the Northern Michigan Wildcats, on a six-game winning streak with a chance to pull within two points of CCHA-leading St. Thomas. Sixty minutes later, the Huskies found themselves still five points back.

The Huskies, who had won Friday’s contest 8-2 at the Berry Events Center in Marquette, thought they scored their first goal of the night during a 5-on-3 power play, but that goal was called back. They did score not long after, during a one-man advantage.

It was a key learning moment for a team that features 12 freshmen, eight of which see ice time nearly every game and three others who have been in and out of the lineup throughout the season.

“Give Northern credit,” said Huskies coach Bill Muckalt. “They played hard. I thought a critical point in the hockey game was getting that goal overturned, I guess, for goaltender interference. We scored right after, but we had a five-minute power play, so that would have put us up 2-0.

“We didn’t get that separation.”

From there, things did not improve, as the Huskies (17-9-2 overall, 12-4-2 CCHA) took multiple penalties in a row in the middle frame.

“I thought penalties in the second period cost us,” Muckalt said. “(There) was a retaliation penalty. That was a penalty. We lost the stick on the ‘PK’ (penalty kill). They made a seam play. Give credit to them. Then, I thought, in third period, we were a real good team. I thought we controlled the play. We turned a puck over, and we just had a turnover after we turned it over the first time with a puck touch, and then, probably, a backcheck that we would want back. They got hands that are net on a rebound opportunity. That was really the difference in the hockey game.”

The Wildcats played with a hunger, and the Huskies failed to match that intensity.

“That’s hockey sometimes,” said Muckalt. “We were firing all cylinders. We jumped them Friday night. Saturday, the pucks weren’t going in around the net. We had plenty of chances to score. We didn’t capitalize on those chances.

“Give their goalie credit. They were desperate. They were hungry. But, we just weren’t sharp around the net.”

At the same time, the Huskies’ top line of senior forward Stiven Sardarian, alternate captain Max Koskipirtti, and captain Isaac Gordon continued its hot run. Sardarian had two goals and five points on the weekend, Koskipirtti had four assists, and Gordon had a goal and two assists.

“I love our leaders,” Muckalt said. “The culture is really good. They’ve done a really good job with our group. Obviously, ‘Stiv’ drives us offensively. Max was outstanding Friday night. ‘Gordo’s’ been unbelievable.”

At the same time, the Huskies are getting production out of a second line in freshman forward Teydon Trembecky, sophomore forward Elias Janssen, and freshman forward Noah Reinhart. Trembecky scored three goals and one assist, Janssen had a goal and three assists, and Reinhart had two goals and two assists.

“It’s not just Teydon, it’s that line,” said Muckalt. “I thought Elias Jansen, Noah Reinhart, they’ve been fantastic here for a couple weeks in a row. We kind of challenged them a little bit, and they’ve been good. We showed them some things on video, but they’re playing the right way.

“Teydon’s got such a great release, and Noah is doing a lot of really good things. They seem to be moving the puck well between them.”

At the same time, the Huskies’ defense has solidified around the play of alternate captains Jack Anderson and Joe Prouty, two seniors who joined the Huskies this season after playing last year for Muckalt at Lindenwood.

“We need guys to step up,” Muckalt said. “They’ve been defensive stalwarts. Our PK’s been so good all year. (They’ve) done a really good job. They embrace it. They have no problem doing whatever is necessary to help the team win. I think that defines them as players. They are team guys. They are glue guys.”

The Huskies need to all be chipping in as the team has eight games remaining on their schedule starting with this weekend at St. Thomas.

“We have eight games left,” said Muckalt. “We control our own destiny. We’ve certainly made it more difficult for ourselves with letting some points slip away Saturday, but (there’s) a lot of hockey left.

“There’s 24 points up for grabs for every team here remaining in our conference. Everybody’s played 18 games. We play St. Thomas and Augustana, Lake State, Bowling Green to finish it out. We have a week off in between one of those series, but it’s all about just Friday night right now, and we have to continue to put our best foot forward.”

Scouting the Tommies

The No. 15 St. Thomas Tommies come into this weekend 16-7-3 overall and 13-3-2 in conference play after a weekend sweep of Lake Superior State, 7-4 and 5-0.

Fifth-year forward Alex Gaffney leads the Tommies in scoring with 13 goals and 30 points in 26 games. Senior forward Lucas Wahlin has also been very good, leading the team in goals (18), while currently second in scoring (29 points) in 24 games.

Freshman forward Lucas Van Vliet is making his case for CCHA Rookie of the Year. He has 10 goals and 29 points in 25 games this season.

Between the pipes, the Tommies have split senior Aaron Trotter and sophomore Carsen Musser. Trotter has played in 10 games, starting eight. He is 6-2-1 overall with a 2.11 goals against average and a .924 save percentage. Musser has started 13 games, going 7-4-1, with a 3.34 goals against average and a .879 save percentage.

Game times

The Huskies will get their first look this weekend at the Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. Friday night, the two teams will face off at 8:07 p.m. Saturday, the two teams will be back at it at 7:07 p.m.