Huskies fall to Falcons to begin Winter Carnival
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bowling Green (15-14-2, 12-9-2) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
|
Michigan Tech (20-8-4, 13-6-4) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
HOUGHTON, Mich. – No. 12 Michigan Tech had its six-game unbeaten streak snapped Friday as Bowling Green defeated the Huskies 5-2 in game one of the annual Winter Carnival series at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The teams will wrap up the total goal series for the MacInnes Trophy Saturday on Senior Night.
"I thought we got beat by the better team tonight," Tech Coach Joe Shawhan said. "We had a great crowd and they deserved a better competitive effort from our group. I give full credit to Bowling Green. Blake didn't have a chance on the goals they scored."
After the game was tied at one, the Falcons scored four straight goals to take a commanding lead. Kyle Kukkonen scored both goals for the Huskies.
Tech fell to 20-8-4 overall and 13-6-4 in the CCHA. BGSU is 15-14-2 overall and 12-9-2 in the CCHA.
Nathan Burke redirected in a shot from Hunter Lellig to give the Falcons the lead 12:37 into the game. Alex Barber also assisted.
Kyle Kukkonen evened it up with 1:51 left in the first. His first shot was saved but he corralled the rebound, spun around, and fired the puck on the ice for his 11th of the season. Chris Lipe assisted on the play.
Seth Fyten scored both goals in the second period. He finished off a centering feed after a great individual effort by Adam Pitters for a 2-1 lead only 1:25 into the second.
His second goal was scored on a centering feed from the corner that deflected off a Michigan Tech player and in 16:22 into the second.
Ryan O'Hara made it a 4-1 game 8:30 into the third period just as a Michigan Tech penalty expired.
Alex Barber scored shorthanded for a 5-1 lead, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Taylor Schneider 10:58 into the third. The Huskies had six shots on an extended scramble in the Bowling Green crease before the puck squirted out for the 2-on-1.
Kyle Kukkonen rounded out scoring with his second of the night and team-leading 12th of the season with 1:55 left. He ripped a wrist shot over the glove with Jed Pietila and Brett Thorne assisting.
Tech led in shot 39-28. Christian Stoever earned the win with 37 saves which included a big save on a Parker Saretsky breakaway in the second period. Blake Pietila made 23 saves.
The Huskies were 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 0-for-4 on the power play.
The puck drops at 5:07 p.m. Saturday. Tech's 10 seniors, Tristan Ashbrook, Jake Crespi, Logan Ganie, David Jankowski, Chris Lipe, Ryan O'Connell, Blake Pietila, Logan Pietila, Parker Saretsky, and Brett Thorne, will be honored on the ice after the game.
