Box Score
DULUTH, Minn. - Michigan Tech scored four unanswered goals
including three in the third period to earn a 4-4 overtime tie at
No. 1-ranked Minnesota Duluth tonight. The Bulldogs (17-4-4, 11-3-3
WCHA) scored four goals in the first period before the Huskies
(11-12-2, 8-7-2 WCHA) battled back in their first appearance at
UMD's new AMSOIL Arena.
"What a resilient effort tonight from the players," said head
coach Mel
Pearson, whose club is 2-2-2 against top-three-ranked teams
this season. "It says a lot about the character of the guys in our
locker room to come back from a four-goal deficit on the road
playing the top team in the nation."
UMD erupted with four goals in a 10-minute span during the
opening period. The first came at the 5:50 mark, two more came in
the 11th minute of play and the fourth at 15:13.
Tech netminder Josh
Robinson, who made saves on 14-of-18 shots in the opening 20
minutes, remained in the game and kept the Huskies in it. The
senior stopped all 23 shots he faced after the first intermission
to run his record to 10-9-2 on the year.
The Huskies started chipping away at the four-goal deficit when
Tanner
Kero fed a nice cross-ice pass to Ryan
Furne who buried his shot from the right circle. The score was
4-1 after 40 minutes.
Jordan
Baker made it a 4-2 score 41 seconds into the third period as
Brett
Olson fed a pass out from behind the net. Blake
Pietila also earned an assist on the play.
Dennis
Rix was whistled for a five-minute major for checking from
behind and given a game misconduct at the 4:29 mark of the third
period. Tech not only killed off the penalty, it drew within a goal
as Jacob
Johnstone tallied a shorthanded marker. On the play, a shot
from Riley
Sweeney was blocked in front right onto the stick of Johnstone
who buried his shot at the 8:54 mark.
Tech completed the comeback on a tic-tac-toe passing play on the
man advantage with just 5:48 to play. Olson walked into the slot
and fed a pass to Baker at the side of the net. Baker found David
Johnstone all alone on the back door for the equalizer.
Both teams had chances to get the game-winner in the remaining
five minutes of regulation. Tech finished with a 19-8 advantage in
shots on goal in the third period. Neither squad had a grade A
scoring chance in the overtime.
Robinson finished with 33 saves. UMD's Kenny Reiter posted 35
saves.
"Josh battled through and made some great saves for us," said
Pearson. "This is a big point for us in the league standings. This
is the type of game that can define a team."
Michigan Tech and Minnesota Duluth will wrap up their season
series tomorrow with a 7:07 p.m. faceoff.
Notes: Tech remained undefeated in overtime games at 3-0-2 on
the season ... David
Johnstone has three power play goals in the last two games ...
The Huskies are 2-1-1 in the month of January … Tech snapped
UMD senior and Hobey Baker Candidate Jack Connolly's 22-game
scoring streak.