Huskies fall 3-1 at NMU Saturday
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Michigan Tech (8-8-3, 6-4-0) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
|
Northern Michigan (7-9-2, 5-5-0) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Michigan Tech fell 3-1 at Northern Michigan Saturday as the teams split their first of two weekends this season. The Wildcats led by as many as three with Ryland Mosley scoring the lone goal for the Huskies.
Tech heads into the holiday break with an 8-8-3 overall record and a 6-4-0 mark in the CCHA.
"Northern Michigan was the better team tonight," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "They seemed to have a lot of space on the ice. We got individualistic and that was pretty easy for them to defend."
Trailing 3-0 early in the second period, Ryland Mosley found some time and space on a breakaway after a long stretch pass from Chase Pietila. He ripped in his ninth goal of the season and 27th of his career at the 12:00 mark. Marcus Pedersen added the second assist.
Tech pulled goaltender Blake Pietila for the extra attacker with 3:19 remaining in the third. Beni Halasz made three easy saves and his defensemen blocked three shots in front of him to seal the win.
NMU (7-9-2, 5-5-0 CCHA) jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Rylan Van Unen scored on a sharp-angled shot 23 seconds into the game with Reilly Funk assisting.
The Wildcats made it 2-0 with a long one-timer off the stick of Aiden Gallacher that deflected off a Tech defenseman and in. Reilly Funk and Zach Michaelis assisted on the play.
Josh Zinger finished off a 3-on-2 from Andrew Ghantous 1:39 after intermission to give the home team the three-goal margin.
NMU led in shots 29-19. Blake Pietila had 26 saves and Halasz stopped 18 shots.
Both teams were 0-for-2 on the power play as the Huskies extended their penalty-killing streak to 15, dating back to November 18.
Michigan Tech is off until the 57th annual Great Lakes Invitational on December 28-29 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. The Huskies begin the tournament against Alaska in the first semifinal. Michigan State and Ferris State will meet in the late semifinal.