Owen Bartoszkiewicz makes 24 saves
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech hockey team scored three straight goals to defeat No. 17 Minnesota State 3-1 on Friday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The Huskies won their fourth straight game and improved to 15-8-2 overall and 10-3-2 in the CCHA.
“It was two really good teams going at it. I have a lot of respect for their coach and program,” Tech coach Bill Muckalt said. “After a tough first period, I liked our game in the second period. It was a one-shot game going into the third, and we got stronger as the game went on. Carson scored a dirty, old-fashioned, greasy goal to give us the lead, and Tom made a nice play on the empty netter.
“It was a big win, and we know it’s going to be hard again tomorrow night.”
MSU (12-7-5, 9-5-3 CCHA) opened scoring 5:52 into the game when Jordan Ronn found the back of the net from Reid Morich.
Max Koskipirtti tied it up 10:17 into the second period with his team-leading 10th of the season on a phenomenal passing play from Isaac Gordon, Reid Andresen, and Stiven Sardarian.
Carson Birnie scored the game-winner with 6:16 left in the third period. Luca Fasciano dumped the puck behind the net. Birnie picked up the puck and did a wraparound that found its way in for his third goal of the season. Matthew Van Blaricom also assisted, extending his point streak to three games.
MSU pulled its goaltender late, and Carson Latimer scored an empty-netter from Tom Leppa and Jack Anderson for the final tally. It was Latimer’s fifth goal of the season.
Owen Bartoszkiewicz made 24 saves, stopping six shots in the first, 11 in the second, and seven in the third to win his 15th game of the season and 26th of his career. Alex Tracy stopped 26 shots on the other side of the ice.
The length of the game was less than two hours. The teams were each whistled for only one penalty.
The Huskies host the Mavericks at 6:07 p.m. on Saturday in the fourth and final meeting of the regular season.
