Michigan Tech

HOUGHTON, Mich. – The No. 14-ranked Michigan Tech hockey team earned a non-conference sweep of Alaska after a 4-2 win on Saturday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Defenseman Luke Shipley scored a pair of goals in the third period to lift the Huskies to victory.
 
Tech improved to 5-1 overall on the season and begins CCHA play next week at Ferris State.
 
"I'm proud of the resolve today. We found a way when things weren't going our way, and we weren't getting the calls we wanted. We stayed focused and didn't quit when we were down 2-1," Tech coach Bill Muckalt said. "Sweeps are hard to come by in college hockey, and these wins will be important late in the season for NPI rankings."
 
Tech was down 2-1 4:37 into the third period, and had to find a way to tie it up. Isaac Gordon got sent into the boards, and the officials called a minor on Alaska—even after reviewing it for a major.
 
On the ensuing power play, Luke Shipley carried the puck off the wall and wristed a shot through traffic that found its way into the netting to tie the game at 7:05. It was his first goal as a Husky, while Giovanni Morneau and Matthew Van Blaricom assisted.
 
Luke Shipley scored the game-winner 7:06 later with another shot through traffic from the slot for his fourth collegiate goal. Matthew Van Blaricom and Tom Leppa assisted on the play.
 
Alaska pulled its goaltender with 3:32 left in the third. Elias Jansson blocked a pair of shots while Lucas Brenton and Noah Reinhart also blocked shots in front of Owen Bartoszkiewicz, who had to make one save down the stretch.
 
Tech twice cleared the puck down the length of the ice and negated the icing by beating the Nanooks to the goal line. Tom Leppa and Kalem Parker worked the puck to Carson Birnie for an empty-net goal from Tech's side of the neutral zone. It was Birnie's first of the season and fifth of his career.
 
Noah Reinhart opened scoring 14:51 into the game. He worked the puck out front to Max Koskipirtti. His initial shot was saved, and Reinhart was at the doorstep to put in the rebound. Teydon Trembecky added the second assist on Reinhart's first of the season and 10th of his career.
 
The Nanooks tied it up 11:55 into the second with their first goal of the weekend when Jack Rogers jammed it in with assists going to Max Rud and Lukas Klemm.
 
Alaska took its lead 4:37 into the third after Rylen Roersma scored on a breakaway.
 
Tech led in shots 33-32. Owen Bartoszkiewicz won his 39th career game with 30 saves. Tyler Shea stopped 29 shots on the other end of the ice.
 
Both teams were whistled for three minor penalties. Tech was 1-for-2 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

The Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was introduced on the ice during the first intermission. The class included former hockey student-athletes Colin Murphy, Darcy Way, and Wayne Weller, former football players Andy Bonk and Mike Horan, former basketball players Lucy (Dernovsek) Slowik and Jason Marcotte, volleyball player Sarah (Nash) Hurley, endurance athlete Deedra Irwin, and Scott Kieser, who played football and basketball for the Huskies.