Huskies get two points on two ties

Michigan Tech was able to get two points in the WCHA by tying Alaska-Anchorage twice last weekend. The teams skated twice to 2-2 ties. The Huskies are currently on their longest unbeaten streak of the year (2-0-2) and are 4-2-2 in the last eight WCHA games. With the two ties, Tech stays two points ahead of Anchorage in the standings, currently tied for seventh in the league.

Friday...

MTU started the scoring in the first when Brandon Schwartz took a pass from Nick Anderson and buried the puck past UAA netminder Nathan Lawson. UAA was lucky the first ended at 1-0, as Chris Conner (pictured above) had two early partial breaks broken up by the pads of Lawson.

The second goal was in the second and came off of a Taggart Desmet faceoff. He found Conner at the blue line, and Conner did the rest, beating a Seawolf defensman and then Lawson for a 2-0 lead. UAA was able to bring it to 2-1 on a power-play goal in the last five minutes of the second.

MTU gave up a second man-advantage goal in the third and that was all the scoring. MTU came out hot in the overtime, outshoting UAA 8-0 in the extra frame, but Lawson was again ready.

Michael Lee Teslak played a good game in net, making 29 saves on 31 shots.

Saturday...

UAA came out better on the second night and was able to get the first goal of the game. MTU answered later in the first when Schwartz passed it to Anderson, who was able to get a one-timer past Lawson.

Niether team was able to light the lamp in the second, but both had chances. Teslak, getting his fourth straight start, was up to the task making many outstanding saves.

In the third, MTU found themselves in penalty trouble and were trying to kill a 5-on-3 penalty when the Seawolves re-took the lead. MTU was able to tie it with 23 seconds to go. Teslak was on the bench when Conner was able to put home a rebound from a Tyler Shelast shot.

Again MTU was the dominant team in OT, but Lawson came up big and was able to hold off the Huskies. Teslak ended the night with 41 saves, while MTU put up 53 shots.

Notes...

Conner is moving up the all time scoring list for Michigan Tech. The Westland native is now tied for 19th with Chris Cichocki. Schwartz increased his point scoring streak to four. Teslak is the only goalie to have multiple starts in a row for the Huskies and should increase his streak to five in a row in the next series.

Up next...

MTU will have next weekend off, but travel to Mankato to take on Minnesota State Feb. 3-4.