Huskies in Sault Ste Marie to Open Series with Lake State
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Michigan Tech (9-6-2, 8-6-1 WCHA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
|
Lake Superior State (6-9-4, 4-3-4 WCHA) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan Tech at Lake Superior State | |
| Dates | Dec. 11, 2015 |
| Times | 7:37 p.m. ET |
| Location | Taffy Abel Arena, Sault Ste Marie |
| Radio | Mix 93.5 FM WKMJ (Dirk Hembroff) |
| Online Audio | Pasty.net |
| Video Stream | WCHA.tv |
| Game Notes | Michigan Tech |
| Live Stats | CollegeHockeyStats.net |
| Live Tweeting | Twitter.com/mtuhky |
| Tech's Record | 9-6-1 Overall; 8-6-0 WCHA |
| LSSU's Record | 6-9-3 Overall; 4-3-3 WCHA |
TALKING POINTS
• Michigan Tech closes out the first half of its 2015-16 Western Collegiate Hockey Association
schedule this weekend with a trip to play U.P. rival Lake Superior State. The Huskies and Lakers haven't squared off in over one year, with the most recent meeting taking place Oct. 4-5, 2014, at Taffy Abel Arena.
• Tonight's game is the 63rd all-time meeting between Tech and Lake State in a series that dates back to the 1969-70 campaign. The Huskies own a 37-21-4 advantage in the rivalry, including a 13-10-3 mark on the road and a 4-1-0 record over the last five games. Michigan Tech opened last season with a two-game sweep over the Lakers at Taffy Abel Arena (5-3, 5-1), the start of a 10-0-0 run to begin the year.
• The Huskies will look to continue their recent stretch of success against in-state competition, as they've compiled a 15-5-2 mark over the last 22 games vs. programs from #PureMichigan. That run includes five sweeps, nine wins on the road and a 9-2-1 record during the 2014-15 campaign.
• Michigan Tech has 18 players with game experience against the Lakers, including senior captain Alex Petan who has a team-high nine points (4-5) vs. LSSU. Petan, Reid Sturos, Dylan Steman, Alex Gillies and Joel L'Esperance all average a point-per-game or better in their careers against Lake Superior State, while goaltender Jamie Phillips is 4-1-0 with a 1.73 goals against average and .930 save percentage in 278 minutes of work.
WAY OF THE ROAD
Michigan Tech is on an impressive run away from the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena this season. In nine road games, the Huskies are 6-2-1, are currently riding a six-game unbeaten streak and have scored an average of 3.33 goals-per-game. MTU's 30 goals in nine road outings ranks first in the WCHA and is the third-highest total in the nation. Tech is 21-7-1 away from home dating back to last season.
SERIES-OPENING SUCCESS
The Huskies have been consistently good in the first game of weekend sets during the 2015-16 campaign. Tech is 6-2-0 in the first game of a series and has posted a 5-2-0 mark on Friday nights. Perhaps even more impressive is MTU's ability to win its first game on the road, which it has done in four of five series openers. The Huskies' .714 winning percentage on Fridays is tied for the best in the league and is the 11th-best percentage nationally.
RACE TO THREE
With a veteran cast of defensemen and one of the best goaltenders in all of college hockey, it's no surprise that Michigan Tech is unbeaten when scoring three or more times in a game (the Huskies own a 7-0-1 mark when they reach the three-goal plateau). On the reverse side, Tech has struggled to win games when its opponent notches three or more - the Huskies are 2-6-1 when it surrenders three-plus.
LEADING BY EXAMPLE
The Huskies have enjoyed big contributions from their upperclassmen during the first half of the season. Through 16 games, Tech's seniors have combined for a WCHA-high 40 points (16-24) while the team's juniors are second among junior classes in the league with 41 points (18-23). Michigan Tech's 16 upperclassmen (seven seniors, nine juniors) have combined 81 points - the highest combined total in the WCHA and the 12th-best total in all of NCAA Division I college hockey.
STAT LEADERS
Michigan Tech is once again one of the leaders in nearly all statistical categories among WCHA programs. The Huskies rank first in scoring (3.00 goals/game), scoring margin (plus- 10) and power-play efficiency (14-for-56, 25 percent). Tech is also in the top-half among WCHA foes in team defense (2.38 goals against/game) and shots on goal margin (plus- 133).
RED-HOT HEINONEN
Junior winger Tyler Heinonen is on one of the most impressive runs in Michigan Tech hockey history. Heinonen is currently riding a seven-game goal streak, the longest such streak since Gord Salt scored in 10 straight during the 1978-79 season. The Delano, Minn., native led the WCHA in goals (6), points (10), power-play goals (3) and game-winners (3) during November and was named the WCHA Player of the Month for his efforts. Heinonen also collected WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honors on Nov. 23.
PETAN AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS
Senior captain Alex Petan entered the weekend the fifth-leading scorer among active DI players with 117 career points. Petan, who has scored double-digit goals in each of his first three seasons in Houghton, currently ranks second on the Huskies in goals (7) and points (15). The Delta, B.C., native is in the midst of a four-game point streak on which he's tallied seven points (3-4).
LAST TIME OUT
The then-No. 17 Huskies carried back-to-back 2-1 leads into the third period on Friday and Saturday vs. Alaska Anchorage, but the Seawolves mounted impressive comebacks both nights to earn matching 3-2 victories.
IN THE NHL
Three former Michigan Tech players have skated in the National Hockey League this season as Tanner Kero (Chicago), Jujhar Khaira (Edmonton) and John Scott (Arizona) have all spent time in the NHL during the early part of the 2015-16 campaign.
GLI TICKETS
Support the Huskies at the 51st Annual Great Lakes Invitational Dec. 29-30 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit by buying tickets to the event via BuyHuskiesTickets.com. A limited number of tickets in the Michigan Tech sections are available. If the Tech tickets sellout, additional tickets are available at the Joe Louis Arena box office.
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
Be sure to follow Michigan Tech hockey on social media for the latest news and coverage of the program. The Huskies are on Twitter (@mtuhky), Facebook (/MichiganTechHockey), Instagram (@mtu_hockey) and Snapchat (mtuhuskies). Join the conversation using hashtags #mtuhky and #FollowTheHuskies.
ON DECK
The Huskies are off for finals and the start of the Michigan Tech winter break before getting back together for the 51st annual Great Lakes Invitational Dec. 29-30 at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Tech will take on Michigan State in the tournament's semifinals on Dec. 29 at 3:30 p.m. All games of the GLI will be broadcast live on Fox Sports Detroit. Ticket information for the GLI, along with details on alumni events, can be found on the Michigan Tech athletics website.
MEL PEARSON SHOW
Back for another season is the Mel Pearson Show featuring Coach Pearson and Dirk Hembroff discussing all things Michigan Tech hockey. The show airs live on Mix 93 FM every Monday at 10 a.m. and can be heard anytime on MichiganTechHuskies.com.
WCHA.TV
Followers of the WCHA can watch every league game live online thanks to WCHA. tv. Several subscription options are available, including league-wide and single-team packages. Additional details can be found on the WCHA website or by logging on directly to WCHA.tv.
BLUE LINE CLUB
The Michigan Tech Blue Line Club welcomes all individuals who are interested in promoting and assisting the Huskies. By joining the MTU Blue Line Club, fans are showing support for the program. Several membership options are available and can be found on MichiganTechHuskies.com.
SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
Single-game tickets to all Michigan Tech hockey home games are available at the Student Development Complex Ticket Office, online at BuyHuskiesTickets.com or over the phone at 906-487-2073. The Huskies played seven regular-season home games in the second half of the season.