Kalem Parker scores only Tech goal
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech hockey team fell 2-1 to St. Thomas on Saturday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. It was the first home loss of the season for the Huskies as they dropped to 8-6-2 overall and 5-3-2 in the CCHA.
“The margin for error for winning and losing in college hockey is so small, and we’re finding that out the hard way over the last two weekends,” Tech coach Bill Muckalt said. “I really liked our effort but didn’t like our penalties. We had a bad turnover that ended up being the difference in the game, and their goalie should be on Sportscenter three or four times with some of those big saves.”
Tech jumped out to the lead in the second period after Kalem Parker opened the scoring 38 seconds after intermission. His shot from the point deflected up over and into the cage for his third of the season from Max Koskipirtti and Tyler Miller.
The Tommies then scored twice in the second to take the lead. Alex Gaffney scored on the power play at 7:52 to tie it up. A shot by Jake Braccini was blocked, and Gaffney was there to put in the loose puck. Nick Williams added the second assist.
The visitors took the lead with a shorthanded breakaway goal by Lucas Van Vliet at 10:48 of the second. It was his third goal of the weekend.
Tech had a few great opportunities to find the equalizer. Stiven Sardarian had the puck on his stick alone on the goaltender in the second, but Aaron Trotter somehow made the save.
In the third with the Huskies on the power play, Elias Jansson set up Kalem Parker for a backdoor one-timer that Trotter got back into position and made a massive save to hold on to the lead.
Tech added the extra attacker with 2:10 left but only managed one shot on goal.
Shots favored the Huskies 30-28. Tech was 0-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Tech has next weekend off before wrapping up the first part of the schedule at Ferris State on Dec. 12-13.
