Michigan Tech

ST. CLOUD, Minn. – The No. 12-ranked Michigan Tech hockey team fell 5-3 at St. Cloud State on Saturday. The Huskies from Minnesota scored three goals in the third period, including an empty-netter, to hand Tech its first loss of the season.
 
"We knew we weren't going to go undefeated this season," Tech coach Bill Muckalt said. "But now we know of some things we have to work on and improve on. Give them credit. They played hard and played desperate. We're disappointed we couldn't find a way tonight, but we'll have to settle for a split on the road against a quality opponent."
 
Elias Jansson opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal 2:05 into the game. Tom Leppa cleared the puck down the ice, and Jansson corralled it in the corner and did a wraparound for his second goal of the season and the 22nd of his career. Owen Bartoszkiewicz was credited with the second assist.
 
SCSU tied it up on the same power play 28 seconds later when Brock Souch scored from Jake Southgate and William Ahlrik.
 
The home team Huskies took their first lead of the night 8:34 into the second period. Thor Byfuglien scored from Noah Urness and Gavyn Thoreson.
 
Tech tied it up when Isaac Gordon scored his first of the season with a shot through traffic from the high slot at 15:29 of the second. Matthew Van Blaricom and Luke Shipley assisted on Gordon's 34th career goal.
 
SCSU took the lead back 44 seconds into the third period when William Ahlrik scored on a breakaway from Charlie Lurie and Carson Pilgrim.
 
Michael Cicek caught a stretch pass from Luke Shipley and ripped in his first of the season 31 seconds later to knot it up at three. Lucas Brenton also assisted on Cicek's third career goal.
 
The eventual game-winner was scored by Joseph Belisle with 11:54 remaining in the third. Nolan Roed and Gavyn Thoreson assisted on the play.
 
SCSU added an empty-net goal with 1:12 left off the stick of Gavyn Thoreson.
 
SCSU led in shots 35-33. Owen Bartoszkiewicz made 30 saves for Tech, and Patriks Berzins also stopped 30 shots on the other end of the ice.
 
Tech was 0-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
 
Tech is back home next weekend, hosting Alaska for the final non-conference series of the season. It will also be Hall of Fame weekend, and former hockey Huskies Colin Murphy, Darcy Way, and Wayne Weller will be inducted into the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame Friday and honored at Saturday's game.