Tech Hockey team ready for #1 Minnesota
Courtesy of MTU Athletics
Television Broadcasts:
. Both games live on Fox Sports North (Doug McLeod, Kevin Gorg)
. Friday live on Fox Sports Detroit and Fox Sports Atlantic
. Saturday live on The Score Television Network in Canada
Radio Broadcasst: WKMJ 93.5 FM (Dirk Hembroff, Brent Peterson/Randy Heinonen)
Video Webcasts: HuskiesLive.mtu.edu <http://www.HuskiesLive.mtu.edu>
Audio Webcasts: Pasty.net <http://pasty.net>
Live Stats: livestats.prestosports.com/michigantech <http://livestats.prestosports.com/michigantech>
Full version of game notes in pdf. <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/files/HO_Notes_10-19-12_vs_Minnesota.pdf>
*GORDIC POSTS FOUR-POINT WEEKEND*
Junior Milos Gordic <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/gordic%20milos00.html> posted two goals and an assist vs. LSSU Saturday and 2-2=4 for the weekend. The right wing was strong in his first outing a year ago as well, scoring a hat trick vs. Denver (Oct. 28, 2011) en route to being named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week. Gordic has played in 70 career games with 26 goals and 15 assists for 41 career points.
*PIETILA ON A FOUR-GAME POINT STREAK*
Blake Pietila <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/pietila%20blake00.html> enters this weekend’s series on a four-game point streak dating back to last year. The sophomore left wing closed last year with an assist in Tech’s series-deciding win over Colorado College (Mar. 10) and one of the Huskies’ two goals vs. Denver at the WCHA Final FIve. This season, he scored Tech’s first goal of the season (at LSSU Oct. 11) and posted a goal and an assist vs. the Lakers (Oct. 13). Pietila owns 12-15=27 in 41 career games.
*KERO JUMPS OUT TO A GOOD START*
Sophomore Tanner Kero <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/kero%20tanner00.html> notched his first three-point game with a goal and two helpers vs. Lake Superior State last Saturday (Oct. 13). The center scored a power play goal in the first period, then had the primary assist on both of Gordic’s two goals. Kero, who had 9-7=16 last year despite going without a point in the final 11 games, is off to another good start in 2012-13. He currently ranks tied for third in the nation in scoring with 1-3=4.
*THE SERIES*
The Huskies and Gophers have met 265 times in one of the nation’s most frequent college hockey rivalries. Minnesota leads Tech 174-76-15 after the teams split at Mariucci Arena a year ago: the Huskies earned a 3-2 overtime victory Dec. 9 before the Gophers won 6-2 on Dec. 10.
*PUT ME DOWN FOR A SNOWMAN*
Michigan Tech poured in eight goals during its home opener last Saturday (Oct. 13) with three goals in the first period, four in the second and one in the third. Tech’s eight-goal performance vs. Lake Superior State was its highest scoring game since Oct. 27, 2005, in a 9-0 victory over Alaska-Anchorage.
*HUSKIES HONOR 1961-62 TEAM*
Michigan Tech honored its 1961-62 national championship hockey team last weekend by inducting the team into the Tech Sports Hall of Fame last Friday (Oct. 12). All living members of the team were present for the event and introduced before Saturday’s (Oct. 13) game. Among the group were former All-Americans Lou Angotti and Jerry Sullivan.
*RIX SCORES TWO ON SPECIAL TEAMS*
Dennis Rix <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/rix%20dennis00.html> notched both a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal in the series vs. Lake Superior State. The power-play goal was a go-ahead goal in the opener last Thursday (Oct. 11) and was Rix’s first on the man advantage. The junior forward then scored his second career shorthanded goal in Saturday’s game. He has two goals in two games this year after having four goals all of last season (39 games).
*BETWEEN THE PIPES*
All three goaltenders on the roster have played this season. Each played a period of Tech’s exhibition win vs. Brock (Oct. 6). Freshman Pheonix Copley <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/copley%20pheonix00.html> started and played all 60 minutes at Lake Superior State (Oct. 11). Senior Kevin Genoe <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/genoe%20kevin00.html> earned his first win playing all 60 minutes vs. LSSU (Oct. 13).
*NIELSEN CAPTAIN; SEIGO AND STEBNER TO ASSIST*
Senior defenseman Carl Nielsen <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/nielsen%20carl00.html> will serve as the Huskies’ captain in 2012-13. The Amherst, Ohio, native was an assistant captain for the team a year ago and has played in 103 career games at Tech. Senior Steven Seigo <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/seigo%20steven00.html> and junior Brad Stebner will be assistant captains, giving the Huskies three defensemen in leadership roles.
*FAMILY TIES*
The Michigan Tech roster includes lots of family ties. Chad and Blake Pietila are brothers, and Aaron Pietila <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/pietila%20aaron00.html> is their cousin. David and Jacob Johnstone <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/johnstone%20jacob00.html> are brothers. Blake Hietala <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/hietala%20blake00.html> and Tanner Kero are cousins.
*THREE NHL DRAFT PICKS*
Michigan Tech went three years without an NHL draft pick on the roster until Blake Pietila (New Jersey, fifth round) joined the squad last fall. Now, the Huskies have three draftees in the program. Forward Jujhar Khaira <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/khaira%20jujhar00.html> and goaltender Jamie Phillips <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/phillips%20jamie00.html> were both selected in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Khaira was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the third round (63rd overall), while Phillips was picked in the seventh round by the Winnipeg Jets (190th overall).