Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Tech hockey team earned a nonconference series split at Michigan State with a 5-1 victory Saturday (Nov. 5) at Munn Ice Arena. Mark Auk and Reid Sturos each had a goal and an assist, five different Huskies scored, and goaltender Angus Redmond had 17 saves.
"It was a much better effort tonight and you could tell right from get go," Tech coach Mel Pearson said. "We played with more urgency and the two goals early really helped us."
The Huskies took an early lead scoring a pair of goals 5:00 into the game. Sturos fed a cross-ice pass to Auk who gathered and fired a wrist shot past MSU goaltender John Lethemon for his second of the season 4:55 in.
Joel L'Esperance added to the lead 11 seconds later with his second of the year. Auk had a stretch pass up to L'Esperance who scored his 25th of his career. Matt Roy added the secondary assist.
"That was a big time shot by Joel," mentioned Pearson. "I liked his physical play, his defensive play, and his shot blocking. He did a real good job tonight, and I really liked his whole line."
MSU (2-5-0) scored its only goal on a long screen shot by Taro Hirose as a Tech penalty expired with 4:19 to go in the second.
Shane Hanna scored the lone goal of the second period on a 5-on-3 power play. Moments before the goal, the Huskies jammed one past Lethemon but the officials blew the whistle before it crossed the goal line and waved it off.
Hanna lit the lamp as he ripped a wrist shot over the shoulder of Lethemon 12:35 into the second. Mitch Reinke and Alex Smith assisted on his third of the season and 16th of his career.
Tech added two early goals in the third period. An MSU defenseman tried to bring the puck out front of his own net and turned it over to Reid Sturos who scored his team-leading fourth of the season 59 seconds in.
Chris Leibinger made it 5-1 with his third of the season with the assist going to Michael Neville 3:27 later.
Tech outshot MSU 28-18, including 10 in the first and 11 in the second. The Huskies held the Spartans to only 10 shots on goal in the final two periods.
Redmond wasn't tested too often but stood tall when needed. He stoned Logan Lambdin early in the third period and backstopped the penalty kill that went 5-for-5.
"Angus was active in the net tonight and found rebounds well," added Pearson. "I feel good about our goaltending. We have some competition now and that's a good thing."
The Huskies return to the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena for a WCHA series against Lake Superior State next weekend. The Huskies and Lakers faceoff at 7:07 p.m. both nights in their only meeting of the season.
"Lake Superior's off to a good start," Pearson said. "We'll need to be ready. It's going to be nice to get back to the MacInnes, and we hope to pack that place."
LSSU is 6-2-0 overall and 4-2-0 in the WCHA. The Lakers split with No. 10 Minnesota State this weekend.
