January 30, 2008
Team of the Week: Michigan Tech
CHN Staff Report
After a great start, there have been a couple of moments this season when fears of Michigan Tech returning to old ways have crept in. But each time, the Huskies have responded, and showed why the reason for enthusiasm and optimism remains in Houghton.
Following a bad weekend to St. Cloud State, the Huskies responded with steady improvements and a split at Minnesota to get back on track. Shortly thereafter, No. 1 goalie Michael-Lee Teslak went down in a series with Upper Peninsula rivals Northern Michigan, and the team learned that prized recruit Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who was supposed to join the team for the Great Lakes Invitational, opted for the WHL. But Rob Nolan stepped in as goalie and performed well and rode the team through a strong performances in the GLI.
And following a bad weekend against North Dakota, the Huskies have again responded, taking three points from Colorado College last weekend, and winning CHN Team of the Week honors.
"With the exception of weekend at North Dakota, we've been playing very good hockey," said Tech coach Jamie Russell.
Tech especially responded in the third period Saturday, taking a 3-2 lead and making it 5-2, putting the game away.
"It was our first weekend at home in WCHA play since November 10," Russell said. "We've been on the road a ton. When we were at Grand Forks, we were road weary, and we played like it. So we were excited to be back at home and playing in front of our crowd. We had a lot of energy in that third period. They have a lot of team speed and are good in transition and we were able to play physical and neutralize that."
Defenseman Geoff Kinrade has 11 points this season. (John E. Van Barriger)
Guarding against letdown against last-place Alaska-Anchorage, this week's opponent, is the obvious issue now; especially since it's back on the road after a long trip, against a team that is 4-0-2 out of conference. In other words, the Seawolves aren't bad.
But Russell pointed out that the team played well after the GLI, going on the road to Mercyhurst and sweeping.
"Our captain (Jimmy Kerr) came out and had (a lot of) hits in the first period, and set the tone," Russell said. "Kerr does a great job of leadership, he has a good skill, is on the first power play and has offensive ability. He does all the little things."
In addition to Kerr, Tech is helped by having two other seniors in the top three scorers — Peter Rouleau and Tyler Shelast. That's a luxury that other WCHA teams don't have, given all of the players who have left early over recent years. But, as has been discussed at length recently, it's also a great equalizer.
"To be honest, I don't feel sorry for them," Russell said about his WCHA foes like Denver, Minnesota and Wisconsin, which have had so many underclassmen leave early. "Early this season, everyone said they're so young and have a lot of freshman. We have a lot of veterans and nobody felt sorry for us when we were rebuilding with 17 freshmen and sophomores and got the crap kicked out of us."
Teslak, meanwhile, returned to the lineup for Friday's tie, but Nolan was back in Saturday. Last year, the two rotated until Teslak rose to the forefront at the end of the season and led Tech to the WCHA Final Five. Teslak remained No. 1 until his injury.
"It's a good problem to have," Russell said. "We have a two-headed monster in net. If you're going with one goalie the whole time, mentally there's pressure. If you look at the standings, it's so tight. It keeps them both fresh.
"Until there's separation again between the two, we'll rotate."
With 14 points, Michigan Tech is currently tied for seventh in the WCHA standings, but with two games in hand over the other two seventh-place teams — St. Cloud State and Minnesota State. The Huskies also have two games in hand over the three times above them — Minnesota (15 points), Wisconsin (17) and Minnesota-Duluth (17).
So home ice for the playoffs is within their grasp.
"You have to keep the guys focused on the task at hand and keep big picture in mind," Russell said. "We have games in hand, but it doesn't mean anything if you don't get the points. Alaska is much better than their record shows. They're physical and they took it to North Dakota (earlier this year)."
From the article: But Russell pointed out that the team played well after the GLI, going on the road to Mercyhurst and sweeping, as the first WCHA team to play in an Atlantic Hockey building.
I don't understand this. CC played @ Air Force last year, and DU played there this year. When did CC and DU leave the WCHA? When did Air Force leave Atlantic Hockey?
Jan 31 2008, 2:57 pm by Paul Colorado Springs, CO
Good point. It's been corrected. He was probably not thinking of Air Force in that mix because they used to be CHA.
Jan 31 2008, 3:33 pm by CHN Editor
"CC especially responded in the third period Saturday, taking a 3-2 lead and making it 5-2, putting the game away."
Wait... what?!
From the game I attended, CC didn't respond at all, they fell 5-2, not won.
Jan 31 2008, 11:18 pm by Paul, Houghton
Typo. Fixed. There's some bad editors around here.
Jan 31 2008, 11:46 pm by CHN Editor
Tech has to make a run now.
An NCAA tournament sure would make this season a success. We want home ice, good final 5 tournament and a trip to the big dance......
Then, even more next year....
Go Tech.
Feb 1 2008, 10:56 pm by JB/Houghton
Tech disappointed last night.
Must have been a rough travel.
They need to get 2 pts tonight.
Go Tech
Feb 2 2008, 12:27 pm by Paul, San Jose
The WCHA giveth and the WCHA taketh away. Tech needs to do some more taking in their next games with Wisco, UMD, St Cloud and Minny State....
Feb 3 2008, 11:59 am by Paul, San Jose
