Huskies and Falcons Duel in a WCHA First Round Playoff Series
THE MATCHUP
Fri./Sat./Sun., March 14/15/16, 2014 • 7:07 p.m. (ET) • BGSU Ice Arena (5,000)
Michigan Tech (14-17-7) at Bowling Green State (16-14-6)
Radio: WKMJ 93.5 FM (Dirk Hembroff, Dave Ellis)
Video Webcast: americaonesports.com/package_wcha.asp
Audio Webcast: Pasty.net
Live Stats: collegehockeynews.com/schedules/scoreboard.php
Full version of game notes available in pdf.
FAMILIAR FOE IN FALCONS
Tech will face Bowling Green State in the first round of the WCHA Playoffs this weekend for the fifth, sixth and possibly seventh games between the teams this season. The Falcons won and tied the two games played in Houghton Dec. 13-14. The Huskies swept the two games in Bowling Green Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Tech leads the overall series, which began in 1972, by a 9-5-2 mark.
HANNA FINISHES AS LEAGUE LEADER IN DEFENSEMEN SCORING
Rookie Shane Hanna scored his fourth goal of the season in a 1-1 overtime tie at No. 17 Minnesota State last Saturday (Mar. 8). The defenseman one-timed a shot 5:55 into the opening period. Hanna finished the weekend and season with 4-18=22. With all 22 points in league play, he finished as both the WCHA's highest-scoring defenseman and its top-scoring rookie.
WATSON LEADS NATION IN BLOCKED SHOTS
Defenseman Cliff Watson finished the regular season with the most blocked shots of any player in the nation. The 6-2, 200-pound freshman had 97 in 38 games (2.6 per game). To put that in perspective, the Huskies leader in blocked shots last year, Steven Seigo, had 57.
HUSKIES COMPILE WINNING WCHA RECORD
Michigan Tech compiled a 12-11-5 record in WCHA play this season, marking the first year the Huskies finished over .500 in league play since 1992-93.
KERO ADDS FIVE TO SHOT TOTAL
Tanner Kero had five shots on goal last Saturday (Mar. 8) to stretch his team lead in that category to 124. The junior assistant captain also paces the squad in goals with 15.
EVERY DAY HUSKIES
Tech had six players appear in every regular season game of 2013-14: Tanner Kero, Shane Hanna, C.J. Eick, Mike Neville, Riley Sweeney and Cliff Watson.
COPLEY BACK AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS
Pheonix Copley finished tied for fourth in save percentage (.912) and fifth in goals against average (2.47) amongst WCHA netminders. The sophomore has started eight straight games including both games at Minnesota State last weekend. He allowed just three goals on 57 shots faced vs. the Mavericks while helping hold MSU's league-leading power play scoreless on the weekend.
ROAD WARRIORS
Michigan Tech owns a .500 record on the road vs. WCHA foes. The Huskies are 6-6-2 on the season against the league and 3-1-1 in their last five road games. Tech has played 22 of their 38 games away from home this season.
PENALTY KILL STOUT VS. MAVERICKS
Michigan Tech kept Minnesota State's power play off the scoreboard on eight tries last weekend including three minutes of major PP in the third period Saturday (Mar. 8). The Mavericks entered the weekend having scored on more than 25 percent of their man advantages on the season. Tech's penalty kill has been successful on 15-of-17 kills (88.2 percent) over the last four games.
NEVILLE +10 FOR THE YEAR
Freshman forward Mike Neville owns the best plus/minus rating on the team with a +10. The center has had an even or positive rating in 29 of 38 games this season while totaling 14 points on three goals and 11 assists.
TIED FOR THE MOST TIES
Last Saturday's (Mar. 8) Michigan Tech-Minnesota State game ended in a 1-1 tie, marking the Huskies' seventh tie of the season. That matches the highest number of deadlocks played by a Tech team in the program's 93 years. Eleven of Michigan Tech's 38 games went to overtime. The Huskies were 2-2-7 in those contests.
PLAYOFF SUCCESS
Michigan Tech is 3-2 in its last five WCHA First Round Playoff games dating back to the end of the 2011-12 season. The Huskies swept Colorado College that season to advance to the Final Five. Last year, Tech lost a three-game series at North Dakota two games to one.
HUSKIES BITES
Michigan Tech owns a 14-13-6 record since Oct. 26 … The Black and Gold are 52.9 percent successful on faceoffs this season … Tech is 6-0-1 when scoring four goals or more … Last Saturday (Mar. 8) was the first time the Huskies led after one period of play and didn't hold on for the win. They are now 6-0-1 when taking a lead into the first intermission.