University of St. Thomas Athletics
Northern Michigan
Game Notes: Men's Hockey hosts N. Michigan, looks to stay hot
2/9/2023 2:43:00 PM | Men's Hockey
St. Paul, Minn. - Coming off a series split against first-place and ranked Minnesota State last weekend, St. Thomas Men's Hockey (8-18-2, 7-11-2 CCHA) will host Northern Michigan (13-15-0, 9-11-0) this weekend at Saint Thomas Ice Arena. Puck drop is 7:07 p.m., on Friday, and 6:07 p.m. on Saturday.
Northern Michigan comes into this series with three wins in its last 11 games, but it picked up two of those on road ice. Last weekend, NMU earned a home-ice split with Lake Superior State. NMU is competing in just its 47th season of varsity men's hockey and is now closing in on 900 wins. The Marquette, Mich., school had its own Miracle on Ice back in the spring of 1980 as it reached the NCAA championship game in just its fourth season of play. Now under sixth-year coach Grant Potulny, a former Minnesota Gopher standout player, Northern is looking to work its way back into the top half of the CCHA.
The Wildcats swept St. Thomas in 2021-22, winning 4-1 and 8-3 on home ice. This will be Northern Michigan's first trip to the STA arena. These teams play just twice a season in the current CCHA schedule rotation, which changes again next season.
In its second season of Division I play, St. Thomas continues its steady growth as a program. After a 2-12 start this winter -- with eight defeats by one or two goals -- the Toms have compiled a 6-6-2 record over their last 14 games. They compiled the program's first three-game unbeaten streak of the D-I era in mid-January before falling twice at Arizona State. The Toms rebounded last weekend with an overtime win and a close loss vs. nationally-ranked Minnesota State.
St. Thomas now boasts recent wins over the CCHA's top three teams (Minnesota State, Michigan Tech, Bowling Green). Tech and MSU were ranked at the time, the first two ranked wins of the Purple's D-I era. In 22 of its 28 games this winter, St. Thomas has led, been tied or trailed by one goal during the third period.
Live video stream can be accessed here:
Friday: https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7821031-2023-northern-michigan-vs-st-thomas-mn-mens
Saturday: https://www.flohockey.tv/events/7821032-2023-northern-michigan-vs-st-thomas-mn-mens
Friday and Saturday Live stats can be accessed here: https://tommiesports.com/sidearmstats/mhockey/summary
Live audio can be accessed at SkorNorth AM 1500 listen live.
Most Improved D-I Men's Hockey Teams -- From 2021-22 to 2022-23
(60 D-I programs -- Through games of Feb. 4)
Based on Winning Percentage
+.224 St. Thomas (3-32-1 in 2021-22 to 8-18-2 in 2022-23)
+.189 Penn State (17-20-1 to 19-10-1)
+.188 Princeton (8-21-2 to 11-12-0)
+.186 Michigan State (12-23-1 to 15-13-2)
+.170 Niagara (11-22-3 to 13-12-3)
+.170 RIT (18-16-4 to 19-8-1)
+.138 St. Cloud State (18-15-4 to 18-8-2)
Close Calls
As part of its D-I learning curve, the Purple have 23 losses by one or two goals so far in the D-I era (12 so far this season). That includes a 5-11 mark in one-goal decisions, and a 1-12 slate in games decided by two goals.
Breakthroughs
The Oct. 8 win over Alaska-Fairbanks was the Toms' first of the D-I era when trailing after two periods, ending an 0-29 string. Twice last season the Toms rallied after a 40:00 deficit to force overtime but were unable to complete the comeback with a win. The Oct. 8 win also was first overtime victory of the Division I era (1-5-2 in the D-I era in 3-on-3 overtime results).
In the Jan. 20 home tie with Bowling Green -- 3-3 followed by a shootout loss for the final CCHA point -- the Purple ended a streak of losses in games when it trailed 2-0. Last season the Toms went 0-15 in contests when they fell behind 2-0, and this season they were 0-8 in such games. In the Bowling Green matchup, they fell behind 2-0, rallied to lead 3-2, and took an eventual 3-3 tie.
St. Thomas recorded its first D-I win against an in-state opponent with a 3-2 upset victory in overtime at then-13th ranked Minnesota State on Feb. 3. Prior to that win, the Tommies were 0-15-1 against other Minnesota schools in Division I play. The Toms had previously earned its first point against an in-state opponent with a 2-2 tie at Bemidji State on Dec. 3.
Did You Know?
- Luke Manning is set to play his 100th Division I game on Friday's series opener
- St. Thomas has scored points in six consecutive CCHA series. Picked for eighth place, the Toms are in seventh place with six games to play.
- Mack Byers has scored 10 goals over his last 10 CCHA contests... Luc Laylin has six goals in his last seven games.
- With six games left in the regular season, the Toms have already surpassed last season's total of 61 goals (now at 70). Mack Byers (14 goals), Josh Eernisse (12 goals), and Luc Laylin (nine goals) have broken the old Toms' D-I record for goals in a season set last year with eight by Luke Manning.
- Ten of the Toms' losses have come vs. top-10 ranked Penn State and St. Cloud State and top-20 ranked Minnesota State and Michigan Tech
- This season, 12 Tommie defeats have come by one or two goals. The Purple have led or been tied in the third period in 10 of their losses.
- Last season (36 games), the Toms were outscored 167-61. In this season's 28 games the Purple have been outscored by a 95-70 margin.
- Four freshmen -- Cooper Gay, Josh Eernisse, Carson Peters and Luc Laylin -- have joined a growing list of Toms to record a multi-goal game this season. Gay did it on Nov. 4 against Minnesota State. Eernisse's did it Nov. 25 against Lake Superior State; again Dec. 16 vs. Ferris; and Jan. 14 at Michigan Tech; Peters did it Jan. 14 against Michigan Tech; Laylin did it Feb. 3 vs. Minnesota State. Also on that list is junior Mack Byers, who has five such instances this season (Oct. 29 against Ferris State; Dec. 1 and again Dec. 2 against Bemidji State; Dec. 16 vs. Ferris; Jan. 19 vs. Bowling Green). Manning also scored two on Dec. 16 vs. Ferris State.
- Aaron Trotter went over 700 saves on the season (749), and recently surpassed the .900 mark in season save %. He ranks No. 2 among D-I freshmen men's goalies in saves and minutes played.
- Through 28 games last season, the Toms were 2-25-1 and were outscored 128-44 (4.6 goals allowed, 1.6 scored per game)... through 28 games this season, the Purple are 8-18-2, and outscored just 95-70 (3.4 to 2.5 per game)... over the last 19 games they've been outscored just 58-51.
Killin' It
St. Thomas' special team has killed off 38 of its last 42 penalties.
Tommie D-I Era, Most Games Scoring a Point (Current Players)
19 -- #8-Cameron Recchi and #16-Luke Manning
17 -- #4-Nolan Sawchuk
15 -- #2-Trevor Zins
13 -- #3-Lucas Wahlin, #6 Josh Eernisse, #9-Matthew Jennings, #11-Ryan O'Neill, #12-Tim Piechowski and #19-Luc Laylin
12 -- #22-Mack Byers
11 -- #17-Jake Braccini
10 -- #18-Ethan Gauer
9 -- #29-Jarrett Lee
Quoting Coach Rico Blasi (after Minnesota State games)
"We want to be a top team in our conference. We're coming. We're obviously playing really well, we're not intimidated any more. We're finding ways to finish out games. Really proud of the boys and the way they played tonight..." (Friday Feb. 3)
"This was a pretty good learning experience for our team. The mindset for our guys has to change. We're not just playing games anymore. I think that happened tonight. I think our guys understood that at this time of the year now, things are a little bit different... now it's about will, it's about determination, it's about discipline. It's a different type of game... obviously I'm talking about playoff hockey. We learned a little bit of a lesson tonight, and that's good because we're growing as a program, and we've never been in this spot before. We have 12 freshmen, and guys that have never been in this spot before. I take it (this weekend) as a huge positive." (Saturday Feb. 4)
Hockey Honors
The Toms had the CCHA Forward of the Week on Feb. 6 with Luc Laylin after St. Thomas' series with Minnesota State. Laylin led all CCHA skaters with three goals last week, helping the Tommies to a split with then-No. 13 Minnesota State, including the program's first ever victory over the Mavericks. Scoring the opening goal in both contests, he had two tallies on four shots in St. Thomas' 3-2 overtime win in Mankato in Friday night. He then had one goal on three shots in a 5-2 defeat on Saturday at home. For the weekend he blocked two shots on the defensive end of the ice.
Tommie Men's Hockey also had the CCHA Forward of the Week on Jan. 23 with Mack Byers (three goals, one assist) in the win and tie vs. first-place Bowling Green. One week earlier, Aaron Trotter was named CCHA Rookie of the Week after he stopped 63 of 66 shots in a road split at No. 13-ranked Michigan Tech. He was CCHA Goalie of the Week earlier in the season.
On Nov. 28 St. Thomas had two of the four players chosen as CCHA Players of the Week: Goaltender of the Week Aaron Trotter, and Rookie of the Week forward Josh Eernisse. Both are freshmen.
Two weeks earlier, Jake Braccini was named CCHA Rookie of the Week. A Hanover, Minn., native and Buffalo High graduate,
Braccini scored a goal and three assists in a split vs. Ferris State. Both of his goals were scored on the power play, and he is tied for 12th among CCHA players with three power-play goals on the season. Braccini has collected three goals over his last six contests. His 11 points (four goals, seven assists) rank him tied for fifth on his team in scoring. The Toms previously had only had three CCHA Players of the Week in the two-year D-I era, and none in the same week. Trevor Zins (Defenseman) and Tim Piechowski (Rookie) were selected last season, and Ethan Gauer (defenseman) was honored earlier this season.
Bemidji Trip
The Toms played Dec. 2-3 at Bemidji State -- their 10th weekend in a row of competition. They fell 6-4 on Friday, then tied 2-2 on Saturday -- gaining their first point in the standings against a Minnesota foe in the team's brief D-I history. Mack Byers scored two goals in each game, Lucas Wahlin recorded four total assists, and Aaron Trotter saved 63 of the 71 shots he faced.
He's the Coach
Rico Blasi is the 25th head coach since 1920 for Tommie Men's Hockey, one of two Tommie coaches to rank in the current top 50 all-time for wins among all college hockey coaches. Terry Skrypek had a 23-year run with St. Thomas and won 415 games from 1987-2010 to rank 44th on the elite list. Blasi is close behind at No. 47. Rico coached 20 seasons at Miami (Ohio) and is now in season two with the Tommies. He ranks 17th among all active men's coaches and tied for eighth among active D-I head coaches with his 408 wins. Blasi has 11 returning players and 17 newcomers this season in year two with the Toms.
Newest Transfers
#22 Mack Byers junior F (two seasons at Northern Michigan)
#5 Garrett Daly grad student D (three seasons at Bowling Green)
#24 Grant Docter sophomore D (last season at Michigan Tech)
#29 Jarrett Lee senior D (two years at Northern Michigan, two at UMD)
#27 Luke Perunovich grad student D (three seasons at Providence)
Family Fun
Freshman Luc Laylin is the son of Tommie assistant coach Cory Laylin. His third-period tying goal on Oct. 8 marked the first time in 20 seasons that a Tommie hockey coach witnessed a goal by his son on the St. Thomas roster -- Bryan Skrypek, son of longtime UST coach Terry Skrypek, scored the last of his 13 career goals as a senior in an overtime MIAC playoff win over Augsburg in February 2003. Laylin also scored the game-winning goal with 3:33 left in a 3-2 win at Michigan Tech on Jan. 14. He scored three goals Feb. 3-4 vs. Minnesota State.
Poll Talk
St. Thomas was again projected to finish eighth in the CCHA preseason poll, as picked by the league's coaches. Last year's champ and NCAA runner-up Minnesota State took first (six first-place votes). Northern Michigan and Bowling Green were 2-3.
Milestones
Grad student Nolan Sawchuk has played in 119 games in D-I hockey (61 games at U.Mass-Lowell, 56 at UST).
Luke Manning has played in 108 college hockey games (99 in D-I, 9 in D-III) at Air Force and St. Thomas.
Garrett Daly has played in 108 D-I games at Bowling Green and St. Thomas.
Schedule Talk
The Purple are in season 20 of playing home games at the Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
The Toms played five of their first six league games away, but now are playing 13 of the last 20 league games on home ice.
--
Click HERE to access complete weekly Tommie Men's Hockey game notes
--
