Friday, February 15, 2003

MICHIGAN TECH DROPS 5-3 DECISION TO MINNESOTA DULUTH IN WINTER CARNIVAL HOCKEY

HOUGHTON, Mich. -- Minnesota Duluth gained a 5-3 Western Collegiate
Hockey Association victory over Michigan Tech Saturday night to sweep
the weekend Winter Carnival series.

Tech got off to a 1-0 lead at 5:19 of the first period as captain
Brett Engelhardt used a UMD defender as a screen from the slot and
beat Bulldog netminder Isaac Reichmuth. Brandon Schwartz and Nick
Toney drew assists. UMD would event the game at 13:55, but rookie
Chris Conner came from the side of the net out in front and blasted
the puck home on the power play at 17:59. Sophomore Collin Murphy got
the lone assist. Unfortunately, UMD's Nick Anderson put one home from
out in afront at 19:03 and the game was even at 2-2 after 20 minutes.

UMD's Tim Stapleton got the only goal of the middle period and it
came at 7:59. Tech spent the final 3:14 of the period on the power
play as UMD's Brett Hammond was whistled for a major penalty for
spearing, but did not score.

Luke Stauffacher trickled one between the legs of Tech netminder Cam
Ellsworth just after UMD had come back to full strength for a 4-2
lead just :55 into the third period. Tech got back in the game with
2:08 remaining as Schwartz took a feed from Engelhardt and lifted one
top shelf over Reichmuth from in close. The Huskies tried valiantly
to even the game down the stretch, however, all hope was ended at
19:56 thanks to Stauffacher's second goal of the game.

Ellsworth finished with 37 saves, while Reichmuth, who was named
Winter Carnival MVP, had 19 stops.

Tech heads to Denver next weekend for a two-game series against the
Denver Pioneers.

NOTES: Junior captain Brett Engelhardt broke a seven-game streak
without a goal, dating back to Jan. 18 . . . Freshman Brandon
Schwartz broke an eight-game pointless streak with the second
multiple-point game of his career . . . Sophomore forward Colin
Murphy is two points shy of being the highest scoring Tech player in
a single season since Andre Savage had 41 points in 1997-98. He leads
the club in points with 31.