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.

FRIDAY GAME RECAP FROM MICHIGAN TECH

HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech defeated Northern Michigan 4-2 Friday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena for its fifth win in the last six. The Huskies came back from a 1-0 deficit and scored three goals in the second period.

Tech improved to 8-7-3 overall and 6-3-0 in the CCHA. The teams will wrap up the CCHA series Saturday in Marquette.

"The environment was incredible tonight," Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. "It was a fun game. I'm very proud of the guys. We finally got over .500 after not winning a game in the first month of the season. Tomorrow is going to be really fun too."

Trailing 1-0 entering the second period, Logan Pietila sent the Mac into a frenzy with a wicked wrist shot past the glove of goaltender Beni Halasz for his sixth of the season and 38th of his career. Matthew Campbell added the assist.

"We should resiliency after they got that lucky goal there with a bounce," Logan Pietila said. "I took the ice in the middle and shot it through the defenseman. I didn't know it went in until the crowd celebrated."

NMU (6-9-2, 4-5-0 CCHA) was whistled for a 5:00 major later in the period and the Huskies responded with a pair of quick goals to push it to a two-goal lead.

Arvid Caderoth gave the Huskies their first lead of the night with a quick snapshot 18:13 into the second period, finishing off a cross-ice setup pass from Logan Pietila. Max Koskipirtti also assisted on Caderoth's fourth of the season and 12th of his career.

On the ensuing play, Jack Works dug the puck out and scored on a wraparound 19 seconds later for a 3-1 lead. Kyle Kukkonen and Matthew Campbell were credited with assists on the fifth goal of the season for Works.

"It was great to get two power-play goals close together," Works said. "If we didn't come out with anything on that major it would've been a totally different game."

NMU cut it back to a one-goal game 14:46 into the third period when Reilly Funk found the back of the net from Jakob Peterson.

The Huskies responded with Isaac Gordon scoring his 10th of the season to push the lead back to two. Tyrone Bronte set him up on a 2-on-1 with a patient last-second pass for a one-timer. Chase Pietila added the second assist.

NMU took the lead 4:33 into the game with a long shot by Colby Enns.

Tech led in shots 39-31. Blake Pietila stopped 29 shots for his seventh win of the season and the 65th of his career. Beni Halasz made 35 saves for the visitors.

The teams combined for 10 penalties. Tech was 2-for-4 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.

FRIDAY GAME RECAP FROM NORTHERN MICHIGAN

HOUGHTON, Mich. - The NMU hockey team opened its 2023/24 season series with rival Michigan Tech with a contest in Houghton, falling 4-2.

The 'Cats skated well in the first period, leading by one and controlling most of the game going into the second. The Huskies struck within the first five minutes of the second to tie the game, then capitalized twice on the power play as the 'Cats were serving a five-minute major. The penalty carried over into the third period, and the 'Cats were able to kill the remainder.

Despite terrific comeback efforts in the third period, the 'Cats came up just short, and the 'Cats now head back to Marquette with a chance to split the series at home.

The Huskies outshot the Wildcats 39-31, the 'Cats were 0/3 on the PP and 2/4 on the PK, and blocked 20 shots to 14. 

The Wildcats fall to 6-9-2 overall and 4-5-0 in CCHA play, and the Huskies improve to 8-7-3 overall and 6-3-0 in CCHA play. 

• Colby Enns opened the scoring with his first goal of the season, giving him 15 career points (5-10--15)
• Reilly Funk scored his first goal of the season, his second career goal and eighth career point
• Artem Shlaine registered an assist, giving him three points in his last two games (0-3--3)
• Jakob Peterson registered his first career point as a Wildcat, coming as an assist on the Funk goal
• Beni Halasz made 35 saves on 39 shots, a .897 SV%