PREVIEW: Top-Ranked Huskies Host No. 9 Minnesota State
No. 1 MICHIGAN TECH vs. No. 9 MINNESOTA STATE | |
Dates | Friday-Saturday, Nov. 21-22, 2014 |
Times | 7:07 p.m. | 7:07 p.m. |
Location | Houghton, Mich. | John MacInnes Student Ice Arena |
Radio | Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ (Dirk Hembroff) |
Online Audio | Pasty.net |
Video Stream | wcha.com/men/mtu/tv.php |
Game Notes | Michigan Tech | Minnesota State |
Live Stats | CollegeHockeyInc.com |
Live Tweeting | Twitter.com/mtuhky |
Tech's Record | 10-0-0 | 8-0-0 WCHA |
MSU's Record | 7-3-0 | 5-1-0 WCHA |
FAN INFORMATION | |
Tickets | BuyHuskiesTickets.com SDC Ticket Office (906-487-2073) |
Prices | $17 Reserved $15 General Admission $10 Youth (age 3 - grade 12) Free - First 750 Michigan Tech Students with ID $5 Michigan Tech Students (after 750) |
Parking | $5 Lots 23, 24, 32, UP Health System Lot |
Arena Info | John MacInnes Student Ice Arena |
THIS WEEKEND'S NOTES
THE SERIES
In a meeting of top 10 ranked teams, No. 1 Michigan Tech hosts No. 9 Minnesota State at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. each night.
HUSKIES RANKED
Michigan Tech climbed four spots to No. 1 in this week's USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls. The Huskies entered the polls at No. 17 on Oct. 27. They were ranked No. 9 on Nov. 3 and No. 5 on Nov. 10. The last time Tech was ranked No. 1 was 1976.
UNDEFEATED
• The Huskies (10-0, 8-0 WCHA) are the only remaining undefeated Division I college hockey team and are off to the program's best start in the 94th season.
• The 10-0 start is the best in college hockey since the 2008-09 season when Air Force won its first 13 games. Michigan Tech also had 10-game winning streaks in 1977-78 (11 wins), 1975-76 (11), 1970-71 (16), and 1961-62 (20).
MINNESOTA STATE
• Minnesota State is 7-3-0 overall and 5-1-0 in the WCHA. The Mavericks are coming off a bye week after sweeping Bemidji State Nov. 7-8. Other wins are over Nebraska Omaha, Minnesota Duluth, Bowling Green State and a sweep of Alabama Huntsville.
• The Mavericks were picked first in both the preseason media and coaches' polls. Bryce Gervais (9-5=14) and Matt Leitner (2-10=12) lead the offense. Stephon Williams (7-1-0, 1.95 goals against average, 90.1 save percentage) is the top goaltender. Leitiner was the media's pick for WCHA Player of the Year
SERIES INFORMATION
• Minnesota State leads the all-time series 28-16-6, dating back to 1996. The Huskies are 12-11-3 at home against the Mavericks. Tech has won only one of the last seven games in the series.
• The two teams last met in the final regular season series of 2013-14 at the Verizon Wireless Center. MSU was ranked No. 17 and won 3-0 Friday (March 8). The two team team's tied 1-1 Saturday (March 9). Shane Hanna scored the only Husky goal on the weekend. Pheonix Copley had 29 saves Friday and 25 Saturday.
AGAINST THE MAVS
David Johnstone (1-5=6), Blake Pietila (1-1=2), Tanner Kero (2-1=3), Alex Petan (2-0=2), CJ Eick (1-1=2), and Shane Hanna (1-0=1) have scored against the Mavericks.
NOTES FROM LAST WEEKEND
• Tech's hasn't lost to Bemidji State since Oct. 22, 2011 and are on an eight-game unbeaten streak. The two teams meet again Feb. 6-7 for the annual Winter Carnival series.
• Tanner Kero had four points on the weekend. Friday, he assisted on Alex Petan's game winner midway through the second period. Saturday, Kero assisted on Tech's second and third goals and sealed the win with an empty net tally.
• Jamie Phillips improved to a nation's best 10-0. He stopped 68-of-71 shots on the weekend. The Winnipeg Jets draft pick had 35 saves Friday and 33 Saturday. Phillips ranks third in the nation in save percentage (.957) and fourth in goals against average (1.20).
• Alex Petan has a goal in three straight games. All three have been game winners, ranking him third in the nation.
• Tyler Heinonen has a goal in four of the last five games. He is second on the team with four goals and has a point in five of the six games he's played. Heinonen David Johnstone rank sixth in the nation with three power play goals each.
• CJ Eick scored Tech's first shorthanded goal of the season on Friday. Eick has scored twice shorthanded last year and now has nine career goals.
WHERE TECH RANKS IN THE NATION
• First in scoring margin (2.20)
• Second in scoring defense (1.20)
• Second in penalty kill percentage (94.2)
• Matt Roy is second in blocked shots (31)
• Cliff Watson is sixth in blocked shots (27)
• Alex Petan is third in game winning goals (3)
• Tyler Heinonen and David Johnstone are sixth in power play goals (3)
COACH PEARSON
Mel Pearson is in his fourth season as Michigan Tech's head hockey coach in 2014-15. His record with the Huskies is 53-58-15. He was named WCHA Coach of the Year in his inaugural campaign in 2011-12 and has guided the Huskies to their best three-season stretch in the last 20 years with 43 wins.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
It's the fourth year in a row Michigan Tech has a pair of brothers on the team. When senior Blake Pietila was a freshman, his brother Chad was on the team. David Johnstone and brother Jacob played three years together from 2011-12 to 2013-14. This season, senior Tanner Kero is playing alongside freshman goaltender Devin Kero.
CAPTAINS
Senior forwards Blake Pietila and Tanner Kero were voted as captains by their teammates. Pietila was a captain last season while Kero was an assistant captain. This year's assistant captains are junior forward Alex Petan and sophomore defenseman Cliff Watson.
PRESEASON POLLS
Michigan Tech was selected third in the Mankato Free Press Coaches' Poll and fourth in the Bemidji Pioneer Media Poll. Minnesota State, the defending Broadmoor Trophy champion, was tabbed as the favorite to win the MacNaughton Cup in both polls.
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE
Shane Hanna was named to the Preseason All-WCHA Teams as a defenseman in the media poll. David Johnstone, Tanner Kero, Alex Petan, and Blake Pietila all received votes at the forward position.
NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Michigan Tech's non-conference schedule consists of five—possibly six with the GLI—games against teams from the Big Ten conference and a team from the NCHC. The Huskies swept Michigan in the home opening series (Oct. 31-Nov. 1). Tech welcomes Minnesota Duluth to the John MacInnes Student Ice Area on Dec. 12-13. The opening game of the 50th GLI is again against Michigan. The final non-conference series is Jan. 2-3 at Wisconsin.
ON THE RADIO
Mix 93.5 WKMJ broadcasts all Michigan Tech hockey games. Dirk Hembroff will call all the action in his 13th year behind the microphone. You can also listen to the game online at Pasty.com.
MEL PEARSON SHOW
The Mel Pearson Show can be heard every Monday morning at 10 a.m. on Mix 93.5 WKMJ. Host Dirk Hembroff and Coach Pearson talk about the previous weekend and the upcoming matchup. You can also listen live online at Pasty.com or visit MichiganTechHuskies.com for the full audio recording.
NHL DRAFT PICKS
• Senior forward Blake Pietila was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the fifth round (129th overall selection) of the 2011 NHL Draft.
• Junior goaltender Jamie Phillips was drafted in the 2012 NHL Draft in the seventh round (190th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets.
• Sophomore defenseman Cliff Watson was selected in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks (168th overall).
• Freshman defenseman Dane Birks was drafted in the sixth round (164th overall) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013 NHL Draft.
#FOLLOWTHEHUSKIES
The Michigan Tech hockey team is on Facebook and Twitter. You can like the Huskies on Facebook at Facebook.com/michigantechhockey. Follow the Huskies on Twitter at Twitter.com/mtuhky. All hockey games are live tweeted. Join the conversation using the hashtags #FollowTheHuskies and #mtuhky.
WCHA.TV
This season, fans of the WCHA can watch more than 180 of its games live and in high definition thanks to WCHA.tv. Powered by America ONE Sports and EverSport.tv on WCHA.tv, the platform enables fans to watch all 10 conference teams in action throughout the season. Every league game will be streamed live, along with each team's non-conference home contests, the league's postseason tournament and the WCHA Final Five. With WCHA.tv, fans can follow their team wherever they are. Each game will be available on multiple platforms, including traditional web browsers on PCs, tablets and mobile phones using the iOS and Android platforms.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Huskies head to Alabama Huntsville over Thanksgiving break. It will be Tech's first ever trip down south. Dec. 5-6 is an off week, before Minnesota Duluth comes to the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Dec. 12-13 for a non-conference series and the final home games of 2014.
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