University of St. Thomas Athletics
Friday, February 4
Mendota Heights, Minn.
7:07 p.m.
2-24-1, 2-18-1
3
vs
3
Michigan Tech
15-8-2, 12-5-1
1
2
3
OT 1
OT 2
F
Michigan Tech
0
2
1
0
0
3
St. Thomas (MN)
0
1
2
0
0
3
Team Stats
MTU
UST
Shots
35
14
PPG
2
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
4
5
Penalty Mins
22
21
Faceoffs Won
26
25
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
2
Goals
0
Sh
0
A
2
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
2
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
The Toms scored the tying goal with 4:58 left in regulation time
Comeback yields tie for Men's Hockey vs. No. 15-ranked Tech
2/4/2022 10:17:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Huskies win shootout to claim extra team point in standings
Mendota Heights, Minn. -- Tommie Men's Hockey ended an eight-game home-ice losing streak Friday night as it rallied with two third-period goals en route to a 3-3 tie with No. 15-ranked Michigan Tech in CCHA action.
The second-place Huskies won the second point in the conference standings as they won the shootout 2-1 over five rounds. That followed a scoreless 3-on-3, 5:00 overtime session that included a 4-on-3 Tommie power play over the last 2:05. The Toms had a shot clank off the pipe for the best chance of the extra sessions.
Peter Thome stopped 32 of 35 shots for St. Thomas (2-24-1 overall, 2-18-1 CCHA). The Purple have a win, a tie and two overtime losses over their last nine contests.
Michigan Tech had a five-game win streak halted but ran its unbeaten streak to six. Tech outshot the Toms 21-3 in period two and 35-14 on the game.
After a scoreless first period, St. Thomas' Kyler Grundy connected for his team-best seventh goal of the season with 2:37 elapsed in period two. But the Huskies scored a power-play goal 1:24 later, and added a go-ahead power-play goal late in a 5:00 penalty. That goal came with 38 seconds to go in the second perIod.
Tech made it 3-1 with a goal 1:45 into the final period. The Tommies were unable to score during a 5:00 penalty chance of their own, but Joey Sofo knocked the puck into the net five seconds after the penalty expired to cut the lead to 3-2 with 11:05 left in the third. Blaine Warnert scored the tying goal for the Purple with 4:58 left in regulation time.
Tommie coach Rico Blasi said he was pleased with his team's fight, especially after falling down 3-1 early in the third period.
"They got to that 3-1 lead, and I thought our power play did enough to keep the momentum going," Blasi said. "I thought we played some of our best hockey down the stretch.
"Our guys have never given up. Our focus is on the process and trying to get better every night and every game. Our guys have really bought into that. and we're not letting each other down. To me that's all we can ask for.
"Sometimes (Thome) is left alone (without help) and has to make saves, but that's his job, he knows that, that's what he's here for. And our guys got him some timely goals. To take the No. 15 team in the country to overtime and a shootout, that's pretty good for our guys. I'm proud of the way they played, and I'm proud of the way they stuck together.
"We have to come out and play the same way (Saturday). Make sure out first period is detailed and focused just like it was tonight. And we have to make sure that our special teams are ready to go. In a game like tonight -- and Saturday night will be the same -- you're only going to get two or three power plays a side, so you really have to make them count, and you have to be on the plus side of those. We have to stay focused on special teams, focused on getting pucks deep and making sure they have to go 200 feet to get to our net."
Blasi said he players were frustrated with the final result and the shootout result, and that's a good sign for a first-year Division I program.
"We did a lot of good things, but we're not satisfied. That's a good thing, too," Blasi said. "They care. I was actually wondering what our locker room was going to be like. It's part of the growth and maturity, and understanding how to win at this level, part of that is not liking to lose. I don't think our guys like to lose. Whether it's a shootout, overtime game or regulation it's the same."
Tech swept the Tommies in Houghton, Mich., nine weeks earlier, 6-1 and 4-3, the latter result a 3-on-3 overtime victory. The teams close the season series Saturday with another 7:07 start here at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
The second-place Huskies won the second point in the conference standings as they won the shootout 2-1 over five rounds. That followed a scoreless 3-on-3, 5:00 overtime session that included a 4-on-3 Tommie power play over the last 2:05. The Toms had a shot clank off the pipe for the best chance of the extra sessions.
Peter Thome stopped 32 of 35 shots for St. Thomas (2-24-1 overall, 2-18-1 CCHA). The Purple have a win, a tie and two overtime losses over their last nine contests.
Michigan Tech had a five-game win streak halted but ran its unbeaten streak to six. Tech outshot the Toms 21-3 in period two and 35-14 on the game.
After a scoreless first period, St. Thomas' Kyler Grundy connected for his team-best seventh goal of the season with 2:37 elapsed in period two. But the Huskies scored a power-play goal 1:24 later, and added a go-ahead power-play goal late in a 5:00 penalty. That goal came with 38 seconds to go in the second perIod.
Tech made it 3-1 with a goal 1:45 into the final period. The Tommies were unable to score during a 5:00 penalty chance of their own, but Joey Sofo knocked the puck into the net five seconds after the penalty expired to cut the lead to 3-2 with 11:05 left in the third. Blaine Warnert scored the tying goal for the Purple with 4:58 left in regulation time.
Tommie coach Rico Blasi said he was pleased with his team's fight, especially after falling down 3-1 early in the third period.
"They got to that 3-1 lead, and I thought our power play did enough to keep the momentum going," Blasi said. "I thought we played some of our best hockey down the stretch.
"Our guys have never given up. Our focus is on the process and trying to get better every night and every game. Our guys have really bought into that. and we're not letting each other down. To me that's all we can ask for.
"Sometimes (Thome) is left alone (without help) and has to make saves, but that's his job, he knows that, that's what he's here for. And our guys got him some timely goals. To take the No. 15 team in the country to overtime and a shootout, that's pretty good for our guys. I'm proud of the way they played, and I'm proud of the way they stuck together.
"We have to come out and play the same way (Saturday). Make sure out first period is detailed and focused just like it was tonight. And we have to make sure that our special teams are ready to go. In a game like tonight -- and Saturday night will be the same -- you're only going to get two or three power plays a side, so you really have to make them count, and you have to be on the plus side of those. We have to stay focused on special teams, focused on getting pucks deep and making sure they have to go 200 feet to get to our net."
Blasi said he players were frustrated with the final result and the shootout result, and that's a good sign for a first-year Division I program.
"We did a lot of good things, but we're not satisfied. That's a good thing, too," Blasi said. "They care. I was actually wondering what our locker room was going to be like. It's part of the growth and maturity, and understanding how to win at this level, part of that is not liking to lose. I don't think our guys like to lose. Whether it's a shootout, overtime game or regulation it's the same."
Tech swept the Tommies in Houghton, Mich., nine weeks earlier, 6-1 and 4-3, the latter result a 3-on-3 overtime victory. The teams close the season series Saturday with another 7:07 start here at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
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