Monday, October 24, 1994
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MTU HOSTS DENVER IN WCHA OPENERS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
This Week: The Michigan Technological University hockey team will open the
Western Collegiate Hockey Association portion of its 1994-95 schedule this
weekend against the University of Denver Pioneers. Game time is set for
7:35 p.m. (EDT) both Friday (Oct. 28) and Saturday (Oct. 29). Both
contests will be staged at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena (4,200) on the
MTU campus. Saturday's contest is the annual Hall of Fame Game.
The Broadcast: All Michigan Tech games can be heard live on WZRK radio,
93.5 FM. Bob Olson, the dean of broadcasters in the Western Collegiate
Hockey Association, is in his 24th season as the voice of the Huskies.
Volunteer assistant coach Darcy Way is back for his fifth year providing
color commentary.
The Records: MTU is 2-0-1 on the season and 0-0-0 in the Western Collegiate
Hockey Association. The Huskies are coming off a win at Ferris State and a
tie at Lake Superior State last weekend. Denver is 0-2-0 both overall and
in the WCHA. The Pioneers lost both ends of a WCHA set at Wisconsin last
weekend.
The Coaches: Bob Mancini (Colorado College, 1982) is in his third year
behind the bench at MTU. He owns a 32-42-11 record at the school and in
five years as a college head coach sports a 68-74-23 mark. George
Gwozdecky (Wisconsin, 1978) is in his first season as head coach of the
Denver Pioneers. He is 0-2-0 at Denver and in five-plus seasons as a
college head coach, Gwozdecky owns an 83-96-19 mark.
The Series: Michigan Tech and Denver will meet for the 152nd and 153rd
times this weekend in Houghton, Mich. In the all-time series, which dates
back to the 1950-51 season, the Huskies have a 72-68-11 advantage. MTU was
2-1-1 against DU last year.
Hall of Fame Game: Saturday's game with Denver is the annual MTU Sports
Hall of Fame Game. Seven new members will be inducted to the MTU Sports
Hall of Fame Saturday afternoon and will be honored between the first and
second periods of Saturday's game. The inductees include hockey players
George Hill, Rick Best, and John Kosiancic, football player Bob Hunt, men's
basketball player Bill Massey III, and builders Bob Hauswirth and Bob
Olson.
Current WCHA Standings:
Team (Overall Record) WCHA
W L T Pts
Wisconsin (3-0-0) 3 0 0 6
Minnesota (2-0-0) 2 0 0 4
Alaska-Anchorage (2-2-0) 1 1 0 2
St. Cloud State (1-1-0) 1 1 0 2
Michigan Tech (2-0-1) 0 0 0 0
Northern Michigan (1-1-0) 0 0 0 0
Colorado College (1-1-0) 0 0 0 0
North Dakota (0-2-0) 0 0 0 0
Denver (0-2-0) 0 2 0 0
Minnesota-Duluth (0-3-0) 0 3 0 0
About Denver: Denver returns 16 forwards to its '94-95 team, led by the
"REC-ing Crew" line of senior Angelo Ricci (13-29--42), senior Jason Elders
(26-18--44), and junior Brent Cary. Ricci and Elders, All-WCHA Honorable
Mention in '93-94, both ranked in the top 12 in the WCHA in scoring year
ago. Cary returns after two season-ending injuries and four surgeries in 16
months. The "Euro-line" of junior Erik Andersson (10-20--30), sophomore
Antti Laaksonen (12-9--21), and junior Petri Gunther (9-6--15) is also
back. Seniors Paul Koch (2-2--4) and John McLean (5-6--11) will lead the DU
defensive effort, while junior Sinuhe Wallinheimo (10-12-1, 3.93, .878) and
sophomore Jim Mullin (4-6-2, 3.92, .879) return in goal.
Last Week: Michigan Tech went 1-0-1 in a pair of non-conference road games
against Central Collegiate Hockey Association competition last weekend.
Friday (Oct. 21), MTU ruined the start of the 20th season of hockey at
Ferris State with a 4-3 victory over the Bulldogs at Ewigleben Ice Arena in
Big Rapids, Mich. The Huskies led 1-0 after 20 minutes on the strength of
senior center Travis Seale's (Mississauga, Ont.) goal at 7:09. Freshman
defenseman Dave Dupont (Cumberland, R.I.) made it 2-0 for MTU with a 4-on-3
power play goal at 13:56 of the second, but the Bulldogs got goals at 17:17
and 18:31 of the stanza to even the game at 2-2 after 40 minutes. FSU took
a 3-2 lead 6:10 into the third, but just :32 later, junior center Pat
Mikesch (Hancock, Mich.) scored to knot the game. That set the stage for senior
defenseman Jason Hanchuk (Nepean, Ont.). The alternate captain took the
puck the length of the ice and scored on a wrap-around with 4:21 remaining
to account for the game-winning goal. Sophomore Luciano Caravaggio
(Etobicoke, Ont.) picked up the win in net with 25 saves. Saturday (Oct.
22), the Huskies rallied from a 2-0 deficit and used a 49-save performance
from Caravaggio to gain a 2-2 overtime tie at defending-national-champion
Lake Superior State. Outshooting MTU 21-3 in the first period, the Lakers
held a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes. The host team made it 2-0 on a power play
goal at 1:52 of the second, but just a minute-and-a-half later, freshman
forward Brett Meyers (Uxbridge, Ont.) got MTU back in the game on a power
play goal of his own. Freshman forward Craig Perrett (Calgary, Alta.) tied
the game at 11:57 of the third period, and despite some good chances by
both teams, including a power play opportunity for the Lakers in overtime,
the game ended in a deadlock.
Huskies Hints: Sophomore goaltender Luciano Caravaggio (Etobicoke, Ont.)
made a career-high 49 saves, including 20 in the first period, at LSSU last
Saturday (Oct. 22) . . . MTU used seven first-year players among its
forwards and defensemen last weekend in each game. Three freshmen,
including defenseman Dave Dupont (Cumberland, R.I.) and forwards Brett
Meyers (Uxbridge, Ont.) and Craig Perrett (Calgary, Alta.) recorded their
first collegiate goals . . . MTU put 42 shots on goal in its 4-3 win at
Ferris State last Friday (Oct. 21). The total represented the most shots on
goal by the Huskies in a road game since Jan. 25, 1992, when the team
gained 50 shots on net in a 4-3 win at Denver (95 games ago) . . . The
Huskies are 8-2-1 in the month of October in coach Bob Mancini's three
years behind the bench . . . MTU has five former players as full-time
assistant hockey coaches at U.S. colleges and universities including Scott
White (Michigan Tech), Ron Rolston (Lake Superior State), Jamie Russell
(Ferris State), Mel Pearson (Michigan), and Steve Murphy
(Alaska-Fairbanks). Three of those -- White, Russell, and Rolston -- are
from the Class of 1989. White and Russell, who both coached their first
collegiate game last Friday at Ferris State, were partners on defense at
MTU . . . Senior right wing Randy Stevens (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.), who
injured his shoulder on Sat., Sept. 3, will likely miss this weekend's
series with Denver, however, could return for MTU's home-and-home series
with Northern Michigan Nov. 4-5.
Bob Mancini Radio Show: The Bob Mancini Radio Show is heard every Monday
throughout the season from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. on WZRK radio, 93.5 FM. Host
Bob Olson joins coach Mancini each week to discuss Huskies hockey in-depth.
Huskies on Teamline: All Michigan Tech games can be heard live by those
outside the WZRK listening area on Teamline. Fans wishing to hear a game
should dial 1-800-846-4700 and then enter MTU's Team Code of 1149. The
cost to hear a game is billed either to your Visa or Mastercard. A portion
of the proceeds goes to MTU athletics.
Coaches Corner/Blueline Luncheon: The next Coaches Corner/Blueline Luncheon
will take place Friday (Oct. 28) at 12 noon in the Lake Superior Room of
the Northern Lights Restaurant. MTU hockey coach Bob Mancini, Denver
hockey coach George Gwozdecky, and Huskies football coach Bernie Anderson
are the featured speakers. Cost for the buffet luncheon is $6.75 per
person, which includes tax and tip. Blueline Club members receive a
50-cent discount.
Up Next: Michigan Tech will play a home-and-home WCHA series against
Northern Michigan Nov. 4-5. Friday's (Nov. 4) contest will take place at
the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton, Mich., while Saturday's rematch
will be staged at the Lakeview Arena in Marquette, Mich.
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