Jansson scores twice for Michigan Tech
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Michigan Tech hockey team defeated Northern Michigan 4-3 Friday in exhibition action at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The Huskies begin the regular season next Friday back at home against Alaska.
“It was a great atmosphere that felt like a late regular season game,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “I thought our goaltending was pretty good and we had some guys who are fighting to be in the lineup play well. We have to get better at our overall hardness and compete through the lineup. We’re good when we have time to make plays but that doesn’t happen often in college hockey.”
Tech never trailed in the game but the Wildcats cut into a two-goal lead three different times.
Owen Baker got the sold-out crowd on its feet only 69 seconds into the game when he fired in a centering pass from Stiven Sardarian. Matthew Campbell added the second assist.
“Stiven made a great play into the slot,” Baker said. “We preach to stay inside the dots, and I wanted to get a shot on net. Luckily it went in.”
Nick Williams gave the Huskies a 2-0 lead at 14:39 of the first. His first shot from the slot was saved and he jammed in the rebound with Jack Works picking up the assist.
NMU quickly answered 15 seconds later when Colby Brown scored from Matthew Romer and Tynan Ewart.
After a scoreless second period, the teams combined for four goals in the third. While on the power play, Elias Jansson used a defenseman as a screen and fired a shot under the goaltender for a 3-1 Tech lead 9:37 into the third. Matthew Campbell and Max Koskipirtti assisted.
Nicolas Ardanaz scored on a breakaway at 12:19 to make it a one-goal game.
Elias Jansson struck again on the power play when he finished off a passing play from Owen Baker and Max Koskipirtti for his second goal of the game.
NMU pulled its goaltender with 4:34 on the clock and then got a power play. The Wildcats found the back of the net with 2:01 left when Jakub Altrichter hammered in a loose puck as the Huskies scrambled to block it.
Derek Mullahy only had to make one save down the stretch as the Huskies won the first of five and possibly six meetings between the two teams this season.
Tech led in shots 31-27. Max Vayrynen made 14 saves in the first 31:14 and Derek Mullahy stopped 10 shots over the final 28:40.
The Huskies were 2-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
Tech dressed 27 players with Elias Jansson, Stiven Sardarian, Owen Baker, Ryder Matter, Philip Fankl, Rylan Brown, Tyler Miller, and Viktor Hurtig seeing their first action in the Black and Gold uniform.
Tech hosts Alaska at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday in the first series of the regular season.
The Blue Line Club is hosting its first luncheon of the season on Friday at 11:45 a.m. in the ‘old’ Blue Line Room outside of University Images. Tickets need to be purchased by noon on Wednesday (Oct. 9) to guarantee lunch.
