Huskies to take on St. Cloud State
Courtesy of MTU Athletics
*FIRST TRIP TO ST. CLOUD SINCE 2011*
Michigan Tech will make its first trip to St. Cloud State’s National Hockey Center in more than two years when it plays there this weekend. Tech’s last games there were Jan. 7-8, 2011.
*OFFENSIVE FEBRUARY*
Michigan Tech scored 26 goals in the month of February—seventh most of any team in the country.
*FIVE GAMES IN NINE DAYS, THEN NONE FOR 12*
The Huskies wrapped up a stretch of five games in nine days (their second such stretch this season) with the series at No. 9 Minnesota State Feb. 15-16. Tech went 2-3-0 in those games, but outscored its opponents by a combined 21-18. Michigan Tech is coming off its sixth bye weekend of the season. The Huskies are 5-4-1 in games the weekend following a bye.
*PETAN WITH THE HOT STICK*
Freshman Alex Petan <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/petan%20alex00.html> scored three goals in the last three games—all on the power play. The right winger had one of Tech’s eight goals vs. Northern Michigan, then posted both of the team’s goals Feb. 15 at Minnesota State. Petan holds a team-leading 28 points this season on 13 goals and 15 assists. He has the fourth-most points of any rookie in the nation.
*EICK FIRES HOME ANOTHER*
C.J. Eick, after going goal-less through his first 25 collegiate games, now has two in his last four. The speedy freshman took a stretch pass from Carl Nielsen <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/nielsen%20carl00.html> Feb. 16 at Minnesota State and buried his shot. Eick now owns 2-3=5 in 29 games this season.
*POWER PLAY PROGRESS*
Tech has improved its power-play percentage from 19.4 to 22.0 over the last five games by converting seven of its last 20. The Huskies rank 10th nationally in power-play conversion.
*THE SERIES*
St. Cloud State is 54-27-5 all-time against Michigan Tech since the series began in 1948. SCSU has had a decided advantage in home games with a 32-8-3 mark vs. Tech. The teams are playing just two games against each other for the second straight season. They split a pair in Houghton a year ago (Feb. 24-25) with St. Cloud winning 5-2 Friday and Tech winning 3-2 Saturday.
*HUSKIES 6-6-1 SINCE CHRISTMAS WITH COPLEY MINDING THE NET*
Pheonix Copley <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/copley%20pheonix00.html> has started 13 straight games for Michigan Tech and posted a 2.29 goals against average and .930 save percentage. Copley and the Huskies have amassed a 6-6-1 record over that time. For the season, Copley owns a 2.98 GAA and .905 save percentage.
*DAVID JOHNSTONE SECOND ON TEAM IN SCORING*
Sophomore David Johnstone <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/johnstone%20david00.html> extended his point streak to five games Feb. 15 with an assist on one of Petan’s goals before seeing the streak end Feb. 16. Johnstone ranks second on the team in points with 8-16=24. He has taken by far the most shots on the team with 105 (next highest is Petan and Blake Pietila <http://www.michigantechhuskies.com/sports/mice/2012-13/bios/pietila%20blake00.html> with 81 each).
*TECH VS. NATIONALLY-RANKED COMPETITION*
Tech has played 11 games against nationally-ranked teams this season and is 3-8-0 in those games. The wins have come against No. 1 Minnesota (5-3 on Oct. 19), No. 7 Western Michigan (4-0 on Dec. 30) and No. 14 Nebraska Omaha (2-1, OT, on Feb. 2).
*FROSH CONTRIBUTIONS*
Michigan Tech freshmen have accounted for 25 goals and 69 total points this season (2.3 per game). Only eight other teams in the nation have a higher-scoring rookie class. When you add in sophomores, Tech’s underclassmen have posted 58 goals and 154 total points for 5.13 points per game (sixth best in the nation).
*HUSKIES BITES*
The Huskies played 12 games against teams that will be in the WCHA next year and went 6-5-1 in those games … Tech has scored the first goal of the game in five of the last six contests and stands at 10-3-1 when that happens this season. The Huskies are 0-13-3 when their opponent scores first … This will be Tech’s second straight series on the olympic-size sheet of ice. The Huskies played only three of their first 28 games of the year on the big surface … After a 2-6-0 start, the Huskies have played to a 8-10-4 record on the year.