Tech's season ends with loss to UMD in NCAA Tournament
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Michigan Tech (21-13-3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Minnesota Duluth (22-15-4) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
LOVELAND, Colo. – The Michigan Tech hockey season came to an end in the NCAA West Region Semifinal as the No. 14-ranked Huskies fell 3-0 to No. 6 Minnesota Duluth Thursday at the Budweiser Events Center. Tech ended its season with a record of 21-13-3 overall.
"Congratulations to Duluth. They came out ready to play," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "I give our guys a lot of credit. I don't think we were ready mentally in the first period but figured it out and got better as the game went on.
"I liked this matchup going into the game. I thought our league prepared us well for it, and I felt confident going in. You could see in the last two periods that we're a good hockey team. We got some good looks at the net."
Only 3:17 into the game, Brian Halonen received a 5:00 major for boarding and a game misconduct. UMD was also whistled on a minor penalty, but the Huskies killed off the 3:00 power play and weathered an early storm by the Bulldogs.
UMD opened scoring at 14:54 of the first period when Kobe Roth found the back of the net with an unassisted tally.
Parker Saretsky thought he tied the game a few minutes later on a wrap-around. The puck slid across the goal line before it got whacked out by a defenseman. Officials reviewed the play.
The Bulldogs outshot Tech 13-9 in the first but the Huskies' confidence grew in the second and built momentum.
UMD goaltender Ryan Fanti took over. He made seven saves in the second period and shut the door on the Huskies in the third with 12 saves.
Kyler Kleven made it a 2-0 lead for the Bulldogs with 13:51 left in the third when he picked up a steal in Tech's defensive zone and scored.
Coach Shawhan pulled goaltender Blake Pietila with 4:06 left. Fanti made three saves down the stretch before Kobe Roth scored an empty netter to seal the win.
Overall shots favored the Huskies 28-25. Arvid Caderoth led Tech with four shots on goal while Trenton Bliss, Ryland Mosley, and Tristan Ashbrook each had three.
Tech was 1-for-1 on the penalty kill and 0-for-3 on the power play.
The game was the last for seniors Trenton Bliss, Alec Broetzman, Tyrell Buckley, Eric Gotz, Brian Halonen, Michael Karow, Justin Misiak, Tommy Parrottino, Mark Sinclair, and Colin Swoyer. Broetzman and Buckley were injured and unable to play.
