MTU continues streaky play, sweeps Bemidji

Michigan Tech came into the weekend on a four-game slide, but turned it around with a sweep of the 16th-ranked Beavers from Bemidji. MTU won the games, 4-1 and 3-2 in the first-ever meeting of the two teams in Houghton.

Friday saw the two teams skate to a 0-0 tie at the end of one. MTU recorded the only goal of the second, when Ryan Angelow tipped home a puck on a shot from Drew Dobson. MTU went into the third with a one- goal lead.

In the third, MTU added three, one an empty-netter to seal the deal. It was Tyler Skworchinski who scored for MTU while on a power play for a five-minute major to the Beavers. Alex Lord knocked in the third of the game and second of the period to give the home team a 3-0 lead. Micheal-Lee Teslak (pictured) saw his shutout disappear with three minutes remaining, when Bemidji scored on the power play. Malcolm Gwilliam added the empty netter with 25 seconds remaining to secure the win for the Huskies.

MTU head coach Jamie Russell said after the game that Tech "did a great job tonight of staying aggressive, going after it. The guys did a good job. They stayed aggressive with their foot on the gas."

Teslak looked to regain some of the confidence he had early in the year. He ended the game with 22 saves and earned his first win in 2007.

Saturday, it was the visiting team that started the scoring, getting one goal in each of the first two periods, while the home team could get nothing. It was 2-0 going into the third when the home team decided to get the offense going.

Tyler Shelast scored on the power play just 40 seconds into the period when he tipped home a shot from the point by Lars Helminen. It was Helminen with the first assist on the second goal as well, as he found Alex Gagne who was able to beat the netminder to tie the game. The final goal came in the 12th minute and was by Skworchinski with his second game-winning goal of the weekend.

The Beavers tried to tie it up in the third, but Rob Nolan proved to be too strong in net as he stopped all four shots in the third he faced. Nolan ended the night with 15 saves and recored his first win of 2007 as well.

The Huskies (10-12-2, 5-9-2 WCHA) now have a long road trip up north against the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves. MTU were the victors earlier in the season when Anchorage was in Houghton, getting the sweep, including a 9-0 outing.