David Archambeau/For the Gazette Michigan Tech forward Alex Nordstrom controls the puck in the offensive zone during the first game of the CCHA quarterfinal series against Bowling Green State on Friday, March 8, at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team is in the midst of its best run of the season, with seven wins in their last eight games, and five wins in a row. They are the current Mason Cup champions, and they are excited for the next challenge, which will be the No. 1 Boston College Eagles Friday afternoon in the opening round of NCAA Regional play in Providence, Rhode Island.

The other regional semifinal will feature the Wisconsin Badgers and the Quinnipiac Bobcats.

The Huskies, who are making their third straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, had to go through a lot of growing pains to get to this point.

“We’ve talked about it all year long, it took us a little while to find ourselves,” said Huskies coach Joe Shawhan. “I still think a lot of it was self imposed and internal. One of the lessons that we all try to learn is staying in the moment, and just what’s going on is what’s going on, instead of outside perception.

“I know that the team felt the pressure, and in some ways, I think it was detrimental to, it held back our growth, by living in the perceptions of what we were supposed to be, versus what we really were in any given moment. Once we just played, and guys removed some of those barriers of we were failing, or whatever, things started falling into place.”

In the early portion of the season, as the Huskies got off to a very difficult 0-4-2 start and then followed that up with a better November, where they went 6-2, Shawhan felt that things slowly started to change, but not as quickly as those on the outside looking in wanted it to. Eventually, around Winter Carnival, things finally solidified for the Huskies, who have been outstanding since.

“We took less steps backwards, and started making some pretty good gains going forward,” he said. “But, to grow, you have to be open-minded, and willing to change, and stay out of our own way. I think we got to that point where it was led by the seniors, for sure, where they wanted to have a good year.”

The Huskies’ sizable senior class includes true seniors, a pair of fifth-years, and even a three-year player in Levi Stauber. All of them have found a way to contribute when the team needed something from them.

“They wanted to have a good year, and you know what, they deserve to have a good year,” said Shawhan. “They’ve been incredible for four years, for us, some five, Levi three. But, you deserve what you get. Those guys deserve to put their best foot forward, leave it all on the ice, and walk away with no regrets. I’m happy that they were able to do that, and find success on the way, find a bond that they’ll always have with their teammates.”

Of course, it hasn’t just been the seniors who have led the way. The Huskies have found a line in senior center Blais Richartz, junior winger Alex Nordstrom, and freshman winger Henry Bartle that is now getting on the scoresheet every weekend, and even created the tying goal in the CCHA championship game against Bemidji State.

“That was the play,” said Shawhan. “We didn’t play the rush as well as we would like to have played it. Coming the other way in transition, Chase (Pietila) made a desperation play that knocked the puck loose, that started the transition the other way. In that desperation, I think that Bamidji was on their toes, because every indication of that play, just inside the blue line, was that they were going in on a 3-on-1. Chase was able to knock that puck away, and get it up for the line rush. Then we transitioned it quickly.

“Bartle’s been playing very well for us. Nordy’s been playing very well for us. They transitioned it quickly, and Nordy got a good shot on goal. So, the play that Chase made was incredible, and then the play that Nordy made, the poise to find Chase coming in late on the rebound, was equally as incredible, because he could have just jammed it right back into the goaltender, and that play is over, but the goaltender was down playing Nordy. He quickly fed an awkward pass that he had to make, quickly fed that pass over to Chase, and I thought that Chase picked up a rebound, but Nordy made a great play to him.”

Nordstrom is exemplifying what Shawhan means when he talks about how the Huskies are coming together as a group.

“Good things, they don’t always happen to good people, but it sure brings joy when good things do happen to good people,” Shawhan said. “Nordy comes with a positive attitude, and it takes one year, two year, three years, just like Jed (Pietila) a year ago. He’s continually pushing and then gets set back a little bit, doesn’t dress or has to earn it again.

“Then to work himself into a position where he’s been such an integral part of our team, and then to make a play. He’s not just killing ice time. He’s not just eating minutes. He’s making plays, as are so many guys.”

SCOUTING

THE EAGLES

The top-ranked Eagles come into the NCAA Tournament in the midst of one of the best seasons in program history at 31-5-1 overall. They beat Boston University to win the Hockey East Championship on Saturday, 6-2.

The Eagles are led in scoring by freshman forward Will Smith, who has 23 goals and 67 points in 37 games. He is a first round pick of the San Jose Sharks. Sophomore forward Cutter Gauthier leads the team in goals (35) and has 59 points in 37 games. He was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers, but had his rights traded this season to the Anaheim Ducks.

Freshman Gabe Perreault has been very good, scoring 18 goals and 57 points in 32 games. The son of former NHLer Yanic Perrault, Gabe is a first round draft pick of the New York Rangers.

The fourth big young player for the Eagles is freshman forward Ryan Leonard, who has 27 goals and 54 points in 37 games. The younger brother of NHLer John Leonard, Ryan is a first round draft pick of the Washington Capitals.

In goal, freshman Jacob Fowler has been outstanding, going 29-5-1 with two shutouts in 35 appearances. He has a 2.19 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. He is a third round pick of the Montreal Canadiens.

GAME TIME

The Huskies and Eagles will faceoff at 2 p.m. Friday at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island, which is the home of the American Hockey League’s Providence Bruins.