University of St. Thomas Athletics
Saturday, January 13
Mendota Heights, Minn.
5:07 p.m. Central
11-10-1, 9-5-0
3
vs
1
Michigan Tech
9-10-4, 6-6-0
1
2
3
F
Michigan Tech
0
1
0
1
St. Thomas (MN)
0
2
1
3
Team Stats
MTU
UST
Shots
30
22
PPG
0
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
6
3
Penalty Mins
12
6
Faceoffs Won
28
30
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
1
A
2
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
F
/ Men's Hockey
D
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
G
/ Men's HockeyF
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Abby Bondi
Men’s Hockey sweeps Michigan Tech for first time
1/13/2024 10:01:00 PM | Men's Hockey
The Tommies defeated the Huskies 3-1 as they swept Tech for the first time in program history.
MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – St. Thomas Men's Hockey (11-10-1, 9-5-0 CCHA) battled back from behind one goal with three straight scores to down Michigan Tech (9-10-1, 6-6-0) on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd at Saint Thomas Ice Arena.
RECAP
The Tommies and Huskies combined for just 10 shots on goal in the first period. The Toms mustered three shots on net and Tech sent seven at Jacob Sibell. St. Thomas held the CCHA-best Huskie power play off the board in two chances.
The second period began with both teams skating four. The Toms then had an abbreviated power play before going to the 5-on-3 power play for 23 seconds. Michigan Tech was called for their third penalty in three minutes but succeeded in holding the home side off the scoreboard.
With both teams back to full strength for the first time in over six full minutes of game time, Brady Simmons-Fischer and Austen Swankler were hit with dueling minor penalties at 5:34. The teams skated 4-on-4 once again for 12 seconds when Minnesota-native Kyle Kukkonen scored his first goal of the season. Michigan Tech's only lead of the series lasted 48 seconds.
Liam Malmquist turned back to the point with the puck, faked a pass off his own skate and then rifled a shot through to the net. Lucas Wahlin had won position in front of Blake Pietila and placed his stick perfectly for the tip-in goal to tie the contest, his team-leading ninth of the season.
Neither team scored again for 13 minutes. The Tommies caught the Huskies on a long change at the end of the second. Cole Miller was behind his own goal line and passed it up to Ryan O'Neill at center ice. O'Neill wasted no time to find Cooper Gay who skated the puck into the offensive end. Gay took a few strides and then beat the reigning CCHA Goaltender of the Year with a blazing wrist shot to give the Toms their first lead of the night with 59 seconds left in the period.
St. Thomas took advantage of an early third period power play at 4:07. Jake Braccini fed a pass through multiple skaters in front of the net to the back door to a wide open Mack Byers who sank his team-leading ninth goal of the season.
Jacob Sibell made 27 saves enroute to his sixth victory of the season but not before he was removed from the game due to injury. Sibell went down with 4:55 to play. Aaron Trotter came in to relieve his partner and made two saves down the stretch to secure the win.
Michigan Tech outshot the Tommies 30-23 but could not solve Sibell, who was just recently named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List.
The win gave the Toms their first sweep of Michigan Tech in program history. It also propelled them back into first place in the CCHA with 10 conference games remaining.
UP NEXT
The Tommies head to Marquette, Michigan for a weekend series against the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Friday Jan. 19 and Saturday Jan. 20.
RECAP
The Tommies and Huskies combined for just 10 shots on goal in the first period. The Toms mustered three shots on net and Tech sent seven at Jacob Sibell. St. Thomas held the CCHA-best Huskie power play off the board in two chances.
The second period began with both teams skating four. The Toms then had an abbreviated power play before going to the 5-on-3 power play for 23 seconds. Michigan Tech was called for their third penalty in three minutes but succeeded in holding the home side off the scoreboard.
With both teams back to full strength for the first time in over six full minutes of game time, Brady Simmons-Fischer and Austen Swankler were hit with dueling minor penalties at 5:34. The teams skated 4-on-4 once again for 12 seconds when Minnesota-native Kyle Kukkonen scored his first goal of the season. Michigan Tech's only lead of the series lasted 48 seconds.
Liam Malmquist turned back to the point with the puck, faked a pass off his own skate and then rifled a shot through to the net. Lucas Wahlin had won position in front of Blake Pietila and placed his stick perfectly for the tip-in goal to tie the contest, his team-leading ninth of the season.
Neither team scored again for 13 minutes. The Tommies caught the Huskies on a long change at the end of the second. Cole Miller was behind his own goal line and passed it up to Ryan O'Neill at center ice. O'Neill wasted no time to find Cooper Gay who skated the puck into the offensive end. Gay took a few strides and then beat the reigning CCHA Goaltender of the Year with a blazing wrist shot to give the Toms their first lead of the night with 59 seconds left in the period.
St. Thomas took advantage of an early third period power play at 4:07. Jake Braccini fed a pass through multiple skaters in front of the net to the back door to a wide open Mack Byers who sank his team-leading ninth goal of the season.
Jacob Sibell made 27 saves enroute to his sixth victory of the season but not before he was removed from the game due to injury. Sibell went down with 4:55 to play. Aaron Trotter came in to relieve his partner and made two saves down the stretch to secure the win.
Michigan Tech outshot the Tommies 30-23 but could not solve Sibell, who was just recently named to the Mike Richter Award Watch List.
The win gave the Toms their first sweep of Michigan Tech in program history. It also propelled them back into first place in the CCHA with 10 conference games remaining.
UP NEXT
The Tommies head to Marquette, Michigan for a weekend series against the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Friday Jan. 19 and Saturday Jan. 20.
Press Conference: Rico Blasi January 27th 2025
Monday, January 27
St. Thomas Men's Hockey 2023-24 Intro Video
Friday, October 27
Rico Blasi Pre-Season Press Conference, September 26th, 2022
Friday, October 21
Rico Blasi Press Conference October 3rd
Friday, October 21
