PACK YOUR BAGS! You're going to...... DULUTH?!

Freshmen interviews are coming soon, I promise! But right now I want to make a Tech Hockey Blog entry directed to MITCH'S MISFITS.

Due to the Tech @ NMU series falling on Christmas vacation, Mitch's Misfits president Scott Yager will instead be going all out this year for the UMD trip! The previous record of Misfits brought to UMD is only a mere 34. Yager will be shooting for SIXTY this year!

Friday, November 13 and Saturday, November 14... MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Here's a rough itinerary of what to expect:

Friday throughout the day: Tech vans leaving at different times to accommodate different schedules.
Friday 8:00 Eastern: GAME TIME; cheer Huskies to victory
Friday after game: Hotel/food/Duluth shenanigans
Saturday during the day: Duluth shenanigans
Saturday 8:00 Eastern: GAME TIME; cheer Huskies to sweep
Saturday post-game: Head back to Houghton

Pretty simple... and it's a great time too!! And if you're wondering how much it'll cost, wonder no more, because I'm about to tell you!
$24 + food. $24 is the cost of two game tickets. So by my math, that would mean that transportation and hotel are both free! They're provided by Mitch's Misfits.

Is there a reason to NOT go? No. Only if you're dumb, to be honest. So don't be dumb. There are two ways to be dumb: (1) not emailing Yager (sryager@mtu.edu) to reserve your tickets and spot on the trip and (2) waiting too long to email Yager only to find out that all sixty spots are taken.

Please come along and be a part of the next post-victory picture:

After the game on February 4, 2005. Michigan Tech won in OVERTIME and you're looking at a huge reason why. The next night, Michigan Tech completed the SWEEP!

This picture was taken after Michigan Tech completed the SWEEP of the Bulldogs for TWO YEARS RUNNING at the DECC on January 14, 2006.

Now why wouldn't you want to be a part of that?? The players, coaching staff and hockey parents talked about it for weeks after. The Misfits were KEY in sweeping the Bulldogs. We were SO LOUD that entire weekend and it made a huge difference and definitely got the guys going.

And on a personal note, I have been on a TON of hockey road trips supporting the Huskies. I've seen them play in every WCHA arena, along with many other places. With all of those road trips under my belt (an estimated THIRTY-TWO trips, plus three random Frozen Four trips), the UMD trips are right up at the top for the most fun. Hopefully after this series, you can all say the same.

JOIN US IN DULUTH, MINNESOTA on NOVEMBER 13 and 14!!!

NMU Game Recap/Scoring Roundup

F2B&G here. So as everyone knows by now, the Huskies got the year off to a good start with a 5-3 victory over rival Northern Michigan.

In an effort to further my hockey knowledge, I'm going to try something new this year (new for me anyway) and give a play-by-play of how each goal was scored. These reports will be based on what I am seeing/hearing via the Huskies Live feed and may not be 100% accurate, but should give readers the gist of the action.


First Period

NMU-1: Fernandez kept the puck in the Tech zone after Doriott sent the puck around behind the net, and passed up the boards to Olver. Olver weaved around a defender to the top of the right circle, and found Gustafsson wide open at the top of the left circle, madly tapping his stick for a pass. Olver quickly made the pass, and Gustafsson moved in and wristed the puck low stick-side past Robinson, who was at least partially screened by his own defender. Gustafsson (1) from Olver (1) & Fernandez (1). 7:26, 1st period. 1-0 NMU.

MTU-1: Pietila entered the NMU zone and fired an easy shot on Stewart, who made the save and pushed the rebound to the corner. A poor passing attempt allowed Pietila to get the puck back, so he darted behind the goal and attempted the wraparound, but Stewart was up to task. The puck drifted to the left boards, where Olson battled for and won it, skating back behind the net and tried to pass to the front while under pressure. A crazy deflection caught Stewart by surprise as the puck skittered five-hole, bounced off his right pad, and slipped into the net. A sievetastic goal by the drama queen. Olson (1) from Pietila (1). 9:18, 1st period. 1-1.

MTU-2: With NMU's Kaunisto and Fernandez off for interference and tripping respectively, and Tech's Gwilliam also off for interference, the Huskies had a 4x3 power play opportunity. They did a good job of maintaining possession and shooting. Olson moved the puck out of the right corner to Seigo, who was waiting in the high slot and one-timed it on net. Two NMU defenders went down to block, but the puck squirted loose, bouncing directly into the low slot right in front of the crease. Baker pounced on the opportunity to clean up the trash and backhanded the puck past a butterflied Stewart's stick-side, off the post and in, before he could react. Baker (1) from Seigo (1) and Olson (1). 13:36, 1st period. PPG. 2-1 MTU.

MTU-3: Doriott forced a turnover in the neutral zone and attempted to pass up the left boards. Gwilliam pinned Fernandez to the boards long enough for Olson to pick up the loose puck. He skated into the NMU zone 2-on-1 with MacLeod, but recognized there was no time to setup a passing play, moved in, and blasted a quick shot past Stewart to the low stick-side. Olson (2) from Gwilliam (1) and Doriott (1). 17:42, 1st period. 3-1 MTU.

NMU-2: An awkward rebound off the post forced MTU's Kattelus to trip an NMU player in the low slot, sending him to the box for an NMU power play. The Wildcats won the ensuing draw and worked the puck around the perimeter briefly. Butcher passed out of the right corner and up the boards to Hanson, who moved into the right circle and fired a wrister just under Robinson's glove on the short side. Hanson (1) from Butcher (1) and Gustafsson (1). PPG. 19:45, 1st period. 3-2 MTU.

Second Period

No scoring

Third Period

MTU-4: Tech began the third period with 1:48 of power play time after NMU's Cherniwchan was whistled for hooking near the end of the second. After a minute or so of Tech's usual coffee break, Cousens and Seigo worked the puck back and forth between them a couple of times, then Seigo passed to Olson in the left circle. Olson one-timed the puck high glove-side on Stewart, who was partially screened on the play and a bit overcommitted, positionally-speaking. Olson (3) from Seigo (2) and Cousens (1). PPG, HTG, GWG. 1:10, 3rd period. 4-2 MTU.

MTU-5: NMU's Follmer went off for interference at 12:58. Seigo worked the puck to Olson at the left circle, who passed to Gwilliam waiting down low near the left side of the net. Gwilliam started to switch places with Olson, but ended Stewart's night when he quickly spun around and fired the puck through the tired/lazy drama queen's gaping five-hole. Gwilliam (1) from Olson (2) and Seigo (3). PPG. 14:12, 3rd period. 5-2 MTU.

NMU-3: Kyle elected to pull backup goalie Reid Ellingson for the extra attacker with 4:22 to play. Tech's Gwilliam took a holding penalty at 16:53 (3:07 to play). NMU worked the puck back to the blueline, where Cherniwchan made a pass to Spady, who moved in towards the right circle and fired a slapshot. The shot went wide to the right, but unfortunately caromed off the end wall and quickly popped out in front and to Robinson's exposed right, where Nugent seized the opportunity and buried it. Nugent (1) from Spady (1) and Cherniwchan (1). EAG, PPG. 18:12, 3rd period. 5-3 MTU.

Final

NMU 3
MTU 5

Links

University Recap
Mining-Gazette Recap
USCHO Recap

I will have a similar post for the LSSU game within the next day or two. Michigan Tech already has its first bye weekend of the season, so naturally there will be no analysis of the upcoming weekend's series. The Huskies will make their first roadtrip of the season to take on the Colorado College Tigers at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, October 23/24.

Getting Things Started the RIGHT Way!

Five to three. FIVE TO THREE. Tech scored FIVE goals in ONE game. This is definitely a great way to start the season!! It's great to be 3-0 against NMU in the last three games. :)

BRETT OLSON HATTY. I'm especially liking that, as Brett is on my WCHA Fantasy Hockey team. Hopefully he keeps this good stuff up!

Ahh, what else? Oh, Lake Superior State tonight. Let's take this great start to the season even further!

For those of you wondering WHERE the freshmen interviews are, they will start rolling in soon! I'm waiting for a couple more responses, but I can start getting them prepared for posting. What I will say right now is... Evan Witt for the win so far!!

What's This?! A Post?!!

Yes, a post. But don't get too excited just yet. It's just me to tell you that I haven't died or abandoned the Tech Hockey Blog. Been a busy offseason though!

So I bet you're all wondering where the freshman interviews are. I can tell you that I have completed the questions for each of our eight freshmen. I'm currently just waiting on contact information for them. So it might be a while, BUT THEY WILL COME!

Almost time for the season to begin. Exhibition play starts this weekend. Has anyone heard of Ryerson before seeing them on the schedule? I haven't. I'm hoping for better exhibition results than we had last year... Captain Gwilliam will lead the way!

Let's go TECH!

Screwed Again

Unsurprisingly, the hockey gods have again conspired to deny the Michigan Tech Huskies a highly-touted recruit, this time via the temptations of post-lockout NHL rookie contracts.

So if this is true (and there's no reason to believe it's not), Jake Hauswirth, the son of Michigan Tech alumni and owner of some nice USHL stats (28-24-52, +16), will be off to the minor leagues without ever setting foot in Houghton.

Frankly, this irks even more than the CPZ debacle, because up until this wonderful little news announcement, Jake had given just about every indication that he was planning to attend MTU. As I said, his parents are even alums. In his case, it did not sound like academics would be a problem as they ultimately were for Zabotel. So I get the feeling that the Capitals simply convinced him and his family that because he is 21 and has already impressed Caps scouts, they're willing to gamble on a contract right now to lock him up, get him developing in the minors, and have him for as long as possible before he becomes a free agent.

Really, I can't blame the guy for taking the money, but assuming I'm correct, this is yet another unfortunate case of the post-lockout NHL screwing college hockey out of potentially good players. Now, it's happening before some of these guys even make it to campus.

I'll tell you one thing though - that's the last time I will take the word of any recruit regarding enrollment until I actually see them in a Husky sweater. I definitely feel like we were being led on here, and it disappoints me greatly.

On a team as starved for offense as Tech is, my expectations for the next couple of seasons just dipped a notch.

Michigan Tech Players Recognized on All-WCHA Hottie Teams

That's right, Tech fans. Some of our very own guys were honored on the RWD's prestigious All-WCHA All-Hottie Teams. Although these awards mean less because UW's Podge Turnbull totally got SNUBBED! Seriously... how can you possibly snub THIS:

YUM!! Makes NO SENSE if you ask me! But sadly, no one asked me. :(

Anyway! If you're curious to see who got what and on what team they were placed, you might want to go HERE. Now.

Here are the Tech guys that received honors: Coach Russell, Robby Nolan, Geoff Kinrade, Malcolm Gwilliam, Jordan Baker and Drew Dobson. And in speaking with RWD, she also wanted to honor Bennett Royer and Alex Lord... but there was just no room. So with the power vested in me (which is essentially none), I place them on the honorable mention list! Along with Brett Olson and Alex Gagne. Yep, I just did that.

ANYWAY, our very own Robby Nolan received a lifetime achievement award for being honored EVERY SINGLE YEAR of the All-Hottie teams. Congratulations to him!

Minnesota Series Recap!

Better late than never, right? :)

So I've been busy! What else is new, right? Well, I think you all deserve a recap of Gopher weekend... senior weekend at Michigan Tech. If you remember back to 6-7 March of 2009, the Gophers came to town to try and clinch home ice. Sadly, they succeeded, but it came only with the help of UAA and MSUM taking more points than expected from UMD and SCSU.

Oh, before I go on... I'm just going to tell you that I lied. I will not be recapping the whole series against the Gophers, but just Friday night. What else matters?

What a crazy game that was! At one point, one-WCHA-win Michigan Tech was up 4-1 against Minnesota. It was like it wasn't even real. Reality did set in a while later though... as UMN quickly came back and tied it up... Stoa had two goals within 16 seconds of each other. But man... the goaltending for UMN that night was WEAK. Really weak! Tech had 4 goals on some 13 shots. In the second period, our first three shots on goal all went in!! Like I said... crazy! But alas, it didn't last long.

So along comes the third period. We're tied, but Tech pulls away by a goal. This goal was also Drew Dobson's hat trick goal. HOW ABOUT THAT! There is very little that feels as good as a Michigan Tech hat trick goal.

Eventually Patrick White scores the equalizer. Dammit. Then we have ourselves some OT.

Now, forgive me for not having much faith in my team. If you lived through a season like I just did though, you would understand. The guys NEED to believe in themselves. I do not, however. I've had my heartbroken enough this past season. No need to get my hopes high just to have them crushed....again.

Well somehow... with about 2 minutes left in the extra session, Deron Cousens pulled through and got the job done. It was just a regular season win. It was just 2 useless points in a lost cause (our standings in the WCHA). IT WAS JUST AWESOME!!!

The celebration the guys had was as if they'd won the whole shabang. And boy did they need that! And boy did they DESERVE that! It had been a rough season. Finally there is something to celebrate!

Seeing the guys THAT HAPPY made me even happier. Seeing the Gophers that UPSET was the icing on the cake. :)

You know, after the season from hell, it's moments like these that just make it all worth it. Makes it all so very worth it.

And to finish off the rest of the season: The next night sucked against the Gophers and then we played at #1 UND... lost a couple there... BUT! I went to Red Pepper three times within 24 hours... so it was all good!