UNO completes weekend sweep of MTU in 5-3 win
Courtesy of MTU Athletics
HOUGHTON, Mich. — The Michigan Tech hockey team fell to Nebraska Omaha 5-3 in front of 2,981 fans at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena tonight. The visiting Mavericks used a three-goal second period to build a two-goal lead it would not relinquish.
For the second straight night, UNO forward Zahn Raubenheimer was a thorn in the Huskies’ sides. He tallied two more goals to finish with four on the weekend.
Freshman Pheonix Copley <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/copley%20pheonix00.html> got the start in net for Tech and looked sharp in the opening period. He made 12 saves, and the hosts held a 1-0 lead.
David Johnstone <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/johnstone%20david00.html> tallied his first goal of the season at the 12-minute mark of the first when he collected a loose puck on the back door and scored.
Raubenheimer knotted the score four minutes into the second period with a rebound goal off his own shot. UNO scored again three minutes later as Josh Archibald fired a quick shot from the left half wall past Copley.
Blake Pietila <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/pietila%20blake00.html> made it a 2-all score midway through the second as Brad Stebner’s shot deflected off a defenseman’s leg to Pietila waiting on the back door.
The visitors tallied goals 25 seconds apart later in the period for a 4-2 advantage. Ryan Walters’ short shot on the power play slipped between the Copley and the near post at 15:03. Raubenheimer then scored on his own rebound again on a clean breakaway.
Kevin Genoe <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/genoe%20kevin00.html> replaced Copley in net to start the third period and made 15 saves in relief without surrendering another goal.
Omaha’s fifth goal was scored into an empty net with 3:56 remaining after Tech coach Mel Pearson had called for the extra attacker with 4:30 showing.
The Huskies gained some life when Alex Petan <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/petan%20alex00.html> scored on a power play with 2:35 remaining. The hosts put the extra attacker on the ice again for the final 2:30 but could not draw any closer.
“Getting that first goal tonight was important,” said Pearson. “They scored early in the second period and took the momentum. We couldn’t get it back.
“We’re not scoring enough goals right now that we can give up weak goals, and that’s what happened. I didn’t like their second and third goals.”
The Mavericks held a 43-27 advantage in shots on goal. Both teams were 1-for-3 on the power play.
Michigan Tech will head into a bye week with a 2-6-0 overall record and 1-5-0 WCHA mark. The Huskies will next play at Bemidji State Nov. 16-17.