Huskies fall to BC in GLI consolation game

By Stefan Kubus –

DETROIT – It will show up as a loss, when all is said and done. But for coach Mel Pearson, there was plenty to be happy about Michigan Tech’s performance Friday night.

The Huskies lost 2-1 to Boston College in the consolation game of the Great Lakes Invitational. Yet coming one reviewed play away from a regulation tie with the No. 3 team in the nation had Pearson pleased with his team.

“I thought our team got better as we went along,” Pearson said. “In a tied hockey game with a very good Boston College team, I’m very proud of the way our team played.”

With 28.9 seconds to play, a shot by Michigan Tech was tipped by a high stick in front, and Milford native Blake Pietila was denied of the game-tying goal. Michigan Tech would finish fourth for the 15th time in their 46 years of GLI participation.

Senior Jordan Baker said he thought the goal was in, but ultimately knew the officials made the right call.

“I thought I made a good play on it,” said Baker. “I didn’t think it was a high stick at all, but I trust the officials made the right call.”

In three Great Lakes Invitational appearances, the Boston College Eagles have never went home without at least a third-place finish. With a victory over the Michigan Tech Huskies this afternoon, you can record another third place finish for the Eagles.

Junior forward Chris Kreider’s 13th of the season put the Eagles on the board just 6 seconds into a Boston College power play. Kreider buried a one-timer 4:04 into the first period on a nice dish from freshman Johnny Gaudreau behind the net that beat Huskies netminder Josh Robinson.

But the Huskies would respond on a shorthanded goal from sophomore Dennis Rix just 20 seconds into the Eagles’ power play with five minutes remaining, a goal that surprised just about everyone, Eagles’ goaltender Parker Milner included.

“I was just trying to get it through and get it on net, and I guess that’s what happens when you put pucks on net,” said Nix of his goal.

Just shortly after, Kreider would take a penalty for tripping his opposing winger before the puck even dropped on a neutral zone face-off. The Huskies couldn’t get much rhythm going on their abbreviated power play, and the two teams headed to the dressing room tied at one, with Boston College leading the Huskies 11-7 in shots.

Boston College started the second period with a minute-and-a-half power play to kick things off. The Huskies would take another penalty to make it a 5-on-3, but nothing would come of that monumental opportunity for BC, as Robinson and the Huskies’ PK unit would successfully hold down the fort. That was the start of a back-and-forth period, as both goaltenders steadied their respective ships the rest of the way. Shots in the second still saw the Eagles leading Michigan Tech in shots, 21-15.

In the third, forwards Tanner Kero and Blake Pietila each had glorious opportunities early on, as Michigan Tech brought the heat in the opening minutes, giving the Eagles just about all they could handle. The same was true for the first half of the period, but Milner remained sharp to thwart the Huskies’ attack.

Just over halfway through the third as Boston College was starting to finally settle down, junior Brian Dumoulin notched an unassisted goal for the Eagles, ripping a wrist shot from the left circle that beat Robinson.

Michigan Tech responded with a remarkable chance with 1:25 to play, with forwards crashing the net and Josh Robinson pulled for the extra attacker, but Milner again turned it away.

Regardless of the outcome here today, Pearson said his troops played very hard, and deserved a better result.

“If we play every game like we played the third period, we’re going to be fine,” said Pearson. “We may not win every game, but we’ll be in every game…They can walk out of here with their heads held high.”