Because of the number of penalties, the previous message
got very long. THerefore in continuation:
 
Game stars:
 
3rd MTU Seale
2nd MTU Wright
1st MTU Pat Mikesch
 
Commentary:
 
What little five on five play that did occur was inconclusive:
the teams looked evenly matched. The big difference in the
game was power play performance. MTU scored 5 on 8 power plays
while NMU was only able to 1 on 13 opportunities. During
NMU's last 3 on 5, MTU was able to hold the puck in the NMU zone.
One very frustrated fan was heard to point out to Coach Comley
"You are on  5 on 3, not MTU!"
 
It is apparent that MTU has very experienced special teams.
Whereas last year, our powerplay effort was very weak, this year
our team has fire in their eyes and rockets in their sticks
on powerplay opportunities. Since the WCHA is called rather
closely (Quote of the week: the announcer on ESPN2 late during
the Wisconsin UMD game: That's another basic makeup call by
Revlon. B. Christiansen was the ref) this will give MTU a
substantial edge this season if they are able to keep up this
efficiency.
 
The game began with MTU in penalty trouble and a momentum
swing to NMU, particularly after the first score. Seymour
scored from about 6 feet out putting the puck on the shelf
over Caravaggio's shoulder. But MTU fought back evening
things up when Kryser was able to get a breakway shot
on net that was blocked. Kryser got his first MTU score
reaching back on his own rebound and sliding it past
Kochan. Savage also got his first MTU gaol putting in
a rebound about 1 foot in fron the crease.
 
Pat Mikesch, who has scored in every game this season,
kept the streak alive midway through the 2nd period
on a 5 on 3 powerplay. NMU, clearly disorganized got an
opportunity late in the 2nd period with a 5 on 3. NMU
called a time out to put things together. Unfortunately
for them, MTU was able to break up the set play
effectively.
 
The third period began to get boring with all of the
play stoppage. The ref's seemed unable to find foul
perpetrators and bent on evening up the teams with
meaniless coincidentals. Midway through the period
on power play, Travis Seale blasted a shot off the
left dot. THe play was created by Pat Mikesch who
skated the puck in on the right and drew two NMU
defenders leaving Seale open.  NMU's frustration reached
the breaking point seconds later resulting in a fight
on the ice. All of the players (except the goalies)
were put in the sin boxes for four minutes. But this
wasn't enough. Welsing and Prokopetz decided to
carry the battle resulting in their DQ's a minute later.
Prokopetz's is reputed to be a "one man skating
penalty on the move" which ain't a good place for
a Freshman. They grow them tough and feisty in Esterhazy,
Sask.
 
NMU's Greg Hadden, who is a very fine hockey player,
was able to score on a puck fed by Harding from behind
the net to Cain and then skidded across the crease to
Hadden, beating Caravaggio. Garvey, who has the hardest
shot on the MTU team, blasted the net from high center
zone striking the post and ricocheting in. Even the post
was not Kochan's friend in Lakeview last night.  THen in
the last powerplay of the evening, Sutton got his first
MTU goal by putting the puck into the bottom left corner.
 
MTU now comes home to meet Wisconsin for a pair this
Weekend. Unfortunately, I will be in Chicago Friday night
and will miss the first game of the series.
 
Walt Olson
MTU