Tech led 2-1 after 20 minutes
HOUGHTON, Mich. – The No. 20-ranked Michigan Tech hockey team fell 5-2 to No. 17 Minnesota State Friday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. The Mavericks scored four goals in the third period to take the win.
“The better team won. I give them credit, but I think our defense is better than what we saw tonight,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “We scored on a 5-on-3 and stole a goal late in the first. From that point on, I don’t think we did a whole lot offensively.”
After the Mavericks took the lead 7:53 into the game, the Huskies responded with a pair of goals before intermission.
Tech had 1:26 of 5-on-3 and Rylan Brown buried a long one-timer for his first collegiate goal at 16:07 of the first. Max Koskipirtti and Marcus Pedersen picked up the assists. Koskipirtti extended his point streak to five games with the helper.
Late in the period, Tom Leppa worked in the corner and kicked the puck out front to Lauri Raiman. His shot was saved, but Leppa was at the doorstep to bang in his second of the season for a 2-1 lead with two seconds left before intermission.
There wasn’t any scoring in the second period, but the Mavs turned it on in the third. Luigi Benincasa tied the game with a shorthanded goal at 10:12 and then scored on the power play for the eventual game winner at 13:54.
Rhett Pitlick iced the game with an empty net breakaway goal with 1:35 left, and then Jordan Power notched the final tally with 4.2 seconds left.
The teams combined for 10 penalties. Tech was 1-for-3 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill.
MSU led in shots 27-23. Derek Mullahy had 22 saves for the Huskies, and Alex Tracy stopped 21 shots for the Mavericks.
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak, and the Huskies are now 6-3-0 overall and 4-1-0 in the CCHA. MSU improved to 9-4-3 and 4-1-2 in the CCHA.
The two teams will wrap up the CCHA series at 6:07 p.m. Saturday. It is Junior Hockey Night and Skate With The Huskies after the game. Each youth (3-18 years old) wearing a jersey to the game will receive a coupon at the door for free popcorn from the Husky-Eats concessions. Skate With The Huskies will take place on the ice with a chance for kids to get photos and autographs from the hockey Huskies. Helmets are required.
