Huskies hockey earns split on the road at No. 8 Minnesota | News, Sports, Jobs

Michigan Tech forward Rylan Gould controls the puck during a game against Minnesota Friday at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Tech University)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team opened their season this weekend by facing the No. 8 Minnesota Golden Gophers. The Gophers took Friday night’s game, 6-3, but the Huskies bounced back on Saturday with a 5-3 win at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

The win was the first for first-year head coach Bill Muckalt, who previously served as an assistant coach under Mel Pearson.

Huskies win 5-3 Saturday

The Huskies earned a non-conference weekend split with Minnesota after dispatching the Gophers 5-3 on Saturday at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Huskies came back from a 3-1 first-period deficit to earn their first win of the season.

“I’m really proud of the bounce back. It was a great team effort against a quality opponent in a great environment,” Muckalt said. “We played with more urgency tonight and were able to clean some things up from last night.”

The game was following a similar script as Friday with a one-goal deficit at the first intermission, a dominant second period by Tech, and a lead heading into the third. This time, the Huskies buckled down and didn’t allow the Gophers to tie it.

Junior goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz made key saves in the third period, making five of his 10 saves in the final frame. He flashed the leather early in the period on the penalty kill to keep the Huskies in front.

Minnesota added the extra attacker with 1:44 left in the third. Freshman forward Noah Reinhart blocked the one shot the Gophers took and converted it into an empty-net chance that he scored on for the final tally. Senior forward Stiven Sardarian assisted on the final goal, his third of the night.

“I love Stiven’s play-making ability,” Muckalt said. “He’s a special player. He’s buying in to what we’re selling, and I have a lot of trust in him. He was frustrated in the second but stuck to it and ended up with three assists.”

Minnesota (1-1) took the lead 90 seconds into the game when Brody Lamb lit the lamp.

The Huskies tied it 7:01 later when sophomore defenseman Tyler Miller ripped in a sharp-angled shot for his first career goal. Freshman forward Matthew Van Blaricom assisted on the goal.

The Gophers added a pair before the period was over. Erik Pahlsson gave the home team its lead back at 9:37, and then L.J. Mooney made it a two-goal game 4:10 later.

Tech wouldn’t go away. Sophomore defenseman Luca Fasciano took a long wrist shot through traffic that found the back of the net with 4:51 left in the first period. Captain Isaac Gordon and freshman forward Teydon Trembecky had the assists.

The Huskies put on a clinic in the second, outshooting the Gophers 16-4 and controlling position throughout. At one point, they had zone time that extended over 4:00 before finding two quick goals.

Minnesota was called for a faceoff violation, and the power play unit went to work. Sardarian and freshman defenseman Reid Andresen worked the puck over to Trembecky for a blast of a one-timer with 2:29 left in the second. The puck went in and out so fast that the officials initially waved it off but overturned their call after a review.

Alternate captain Max Koskipirtti scored the eventual game-winner only 53 seconds later with a quick wrist shot in the slot. Sardarian and alternate captain Joe Prouty assisted on Koskipirtti’s 12th career goal.

Tech led in shots 33-13. Luca Di Pasquo had 28 saves for the Gophers. Playing against his former team, Bartoszkiewicz earned his first win as a Husky.

The Huskies were 1-for-3 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Huskies fall Friday to open season

The Huskies opened their 2025-26 season with a 6-3 loss at No. 8 Minnesota on Friday. The Huskies led 3-2 to begin the third period, but surrendered four goals, including an empty-netter.

“I was happy with two periods of play,” Muckalt said. “We gave up a lot of goals off of transition and the rush. We know they’re a dangerous and skilled team, but we’re not going to win a lot of games giving up six goals. We did a lot of good things through two periods, and we’ll clean that up and grow.”

The Huskies were down 2-1 early in the second period but started to generate puck possession. Sophomore forward Tom Leppa was on the receiving end of a passing play from Andresen, Van Blaricom, and Sardarian. Leppa tapped in a backdoor feed to tie it at two 14:47 into the second, scoring his third career goal.

Freshman forward Ryan Abraham gave Tech its first lead of the night 69 seconds later. His initial shot was blocked, but he grabbed the loose puck and made a move on the goaltender, flipping it past the blocker for the 3-2 lead. Sophomore forward Elias Jansson and freshman defenseman Kalem Parker assisted on Abraham’s first NCAA goal in his first game.

From there, it was all Gophers on the scoreboard. Brodie Ziemer tied the game only 50 seconds into the third period, putting in a centering feed on an odd-man rush.

Brody Lamb gave the home team its third lead of the game 4:13 into the third period. He had a 2-on-1 but opted to shoot over the glove of the goaltender.

Erik Pahlsson made it a two-goal advantage at 12:42, whacking in a rebound after his initial shot was saved.

Muckalt added the extra attacker with 2:42 left, and Beckett Hendrickson scored the final tally on a breakaway with 2:01 remaining.

“We’re a young team with a lot of new faces,” added Muckalt. “I liked a lot of things about our group but just didn’t get the result tonight with a tough third period.”

Minnesota opened scoring 3:54 into the game when Ziemer scored his first of two on the night.

The Huskies responded at 10:22 when freshman forward Rylan Gould buried a rebound after a 3-on-2 breakout with Gordon and Trembecky. Gordon’s shot was saved, and Gould was at the doorstep to tie the game and get the Michigan Tech faithful cheering louder than they already were.

Tate Pritchard gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead 5:27 into the second period when he batted in a bouncing puck.

Michigan Tech led in total shots 68-52, but the Gophers blocked 21 and had an on-goal advantage of 34-28. Bartoszkiewicz made his first start in the Black and Gold and stopped 28 shots with six saves in the first and 11 in each of the final two periods. Nathan Airey had 25 saves for the Gophers.

Minnesota wasn’t called for a penalty, and for the first time since the 2024 CCHA Championship Game, Michigan Tech never sent out a power play unit. The Huskies were 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Up next

Michigan Tech has the weekend off before another non-conference road trip to Alaska on Oct. 17-18.