Bartoszkiewicz makes 36 saves, assists on one goal
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The No. 20-ranked Michigan Tech hockey team opened the postseason with a 5-3 victory over Bowling Green in the CCHA Quarterfinals. The Huskies improved to 22-12-3 overall and will try to wrap up the best-of-three series on Saturday night.
After falling to the Falcons twice last weekend, the Huskies took the lead three separate times and tacked on an empty net tally late in the game.
“It was a really physical hockey game with that playoff intensity,” Tech coach Bill Muckalt said. “Puck management was at a premium, and there isn’t much margin for error. It was nice to get a little puck luck tonight.
“It’s all about tomorrow and finding a way. I’m happy with the result, but there are some things we can clean up.”
Carson Birnie opened the scoring 3:42 into the game with a shot to the net that bounced off a defenseman and into the net. Tom Leppa created the traffic out front and assists on Birnie’s fourth of the season went to Matthew Van Blaricom and Tyler Miller.
Maxwell Martin tied it up for the visitors at 11:14 of the first with a backhand redirect in the slot from Brayden Crampton and Ben Doran.
Elias Jansson then tipped a shot by Isaac Gordon that went off a skate and in for a 2-1 lead with 3:43 left in the first. It was Jansson’s eighth of the season and 20th of his career, with Tyler Miller adding the second assist and Teydon Trembecky forcing traffic in the crease.
BGSU’s Gustav Stjernberg redirected a pass by Jackson Niedermayer on a rush to tie the game 8:22 into the second. Brody Waters also assisted on the tying goal.
Noah Reinhart capitalized on Tech’s only power play of the night with 2:07 left in the second. The Huskies worked the puck down to the goal line, and Tom Leppa found Reinhart in the slot for a one-timer and his ninth goal of the season. Max Koskipirtti also assisted.
Joe Prouty found Teydon Trembecky for a long stretch pass, and he finished the breakaway with a move to the backhand and a 4-2 lead 13:10 into the third. Goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz added the second assist.
The Falcons made it a one-goal game with 3:38 left in regulation with a 6-on-4 goal on the power play while pulling the goaltender. Jeremia Minveille scored from Quinn Emerson and Dominik Rymon.
BGSU again pulled the goaltender late. Tech iced the puck a couple of times before Isaac Gordon found some freedom and scored into the empty net from just inside the red line for the final tally. Joe Prouty added his second assist of the night, and Tyler Miller had his third assist on the play.
Owen Bartoszkiewicz made 36 saves as the Falcons outshot the Huskies 39-18. Bartoszkiewicz earned his 22nd win of the season and 33rd of his career. Tyler Palmer stopped 13 shots for the visitors.
The puck drops at 6:07 p.m. in Game 2.
