Saturday, March 15, 2003

MICHIGAN TECH'S SEASON COMES TO AN END WITH 5-2 LOSS AT MINNESOTA

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Michigan Tech had its 82nd season of varsity
men's ice hockey come to a close Saturday night as sixth-ranked
Minnesota gained a 5-2 victory over the Huskies and won the
best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association first-round
playoff series, two games to none.

It was 1-1 after the opening period. After Minnesota got the first 15
shots on goal, Tech gained a 1-0 lead on its first official shot on
goal. Sophomore Colin Murphy took a feed up the middle from Chris
Conner and fired one at Minnesota netminder Travis Weber that
trickled through his pads at 8:55. The Huskies were put down a man
four times in the opening stanza and the Gophers finally got one past
Cam Ellsworth with just .07 left in the period. It was Grant Potulny
from the side of the net that did the damage.

Minnesota took the lead on a shorthanded chance at 4:35 of the
second. Barry Tallackson fought off a Tech defender and down on his
knees made a pass right in front to Gino Guyer who made one nice move
and tucked it under a helpless Ellsworth. Potulny picked up his
second goal of the game at 9:33 as he took a feed across the crease
from Chris Harrington and shot it into an empty net. It would go to
4-1 for Minnesota on Barry Tallackson's power play goal at 15:01, but
just :40 later, Tech got back into the game as Brett Engelhardt stole
away the puck at the dot in the Gophers' left faceoff circle and
moved in to put it past Justin Johnson.

The hosts got the only goal of the third period on the power play.
After Bryan Perez hooked the Gophers' Thomas Vanek (Vanek went
forward on the alleged hook), Vanek converted at 8:36.

Ellsworth had a busy night, making 55 saves, while Gopher netminders
Weber and Johnson combined for 14 saves.

Tech finished the season 10-24-4 overall.

NOTES: Three Michigan Tech seniors had their careers come to an end,
including Chris Durno, Greg Amadio, and Chuck Fabry . . . Sophomore
Colin Murphy picked up his 20th goal of the season and became the
first Tech player since Brent Peterson in 1994-95 to reach the
20-goal plateau . . . Mike Sertich completed his second full season
behind the Michigan Tech bench and guided the Huskies to their first
double-digit win total since 1997-98 . . . Junior captain Brett
Engelhardt scored his 17th goal of the year, one more than he had
last season . . . A mess broke out at 8:49 of the second period, with
Tech's Clay Wilson and Minnesota's Matt DeMarchi being disqualified
for fighting. In addition, three other players on each team received
roughing penalties . . . It was a one-sided officiated affair with
Minnesota being awarded seven power plays and the Huskies just one .
. . Ellsworth's 55 saves equalled his career-high. He also made 55
saves at home vs. Colorado College on Jan. 18, 2003. Not since
Luciano Caravaggio made 61 saves on Nov. 25, 1994, has a Tech
netminder had more saves.