Sunday, February 22, 2009

MTU settles for single point vs. UMD

By Matt Mackinder/MiCHO Managing Editor

Michigan Tech earned just a point on the weekend, but in the process tied a WCHA record.

The Huskies' 2-2 tie Saturday night at home against Minnesota Duluth was their seventh of the year and improved on its own record of six set in 1995-1996.

Michigan Tech is now 5-22-7 overall and 1-18-7 in WCHA play.

Jordan Baker and Derek Kitti scored for MTU and Josh Robinson made 28 saves in net.

“I thought we played well tonight. I was happy with our performance,” said Huskies head coach Jamie Russell. “I really challenged the team after the second period. We challenged individuals in the room before the third and we asked who wanted to step up, who wanted to be a leader, who wants to be put in that situation to be successful and get the tap on the shoulder to get the job done.”

In Friday night's 4-1 loss, freshman Brett Olson scored his team-best sixth power-play goal of the season to go along with a 19-save outing from Robinson.

“You have to bury your bounces," said Russell. "We had a number of wonderful opportunities in the first period, but (Duluth goalie Alex) Stalock made the saves. I think we had great opportunities after we were up 1-0 to go up 2-0, 3-0, but we didn’t capitalize. In the third period, we need someone who is going to step up. We are down 2-1 and we had two power-play opportunities and we didn’t convert in those situations. In fact, I thought we lost battles. You need to rise to the occasion and we didn’t do that.”

Michigan Tech will take next weekend off before hosting Minnesota in the final series of the regular season March 6-7.

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