Last night was a carbon copy of Friday night's game except that
MTU ran into a hot goalie in UAA's Chris Davis and could not
score. MTU was flat the first period although they had several
opportunities. MTU played better hockey than team UAA through
the second and third periods but just could not find a window
on the net. Luciano Caravaggio, who had been down with
mononucleosis, got the start in MTU's net but clearly did not
have energy or game toughness and let in four scores before
Coach Mancini replaced him with Kucway. Most of the fans
probably missed MTU's best scoring effort of the year as MTU
got 3 goals in 38 seconds during the last two minutes of the
game.
The first period began with Tech defense breakdown as 2
UAA attackers got inside the defensive box. McCann delivered
the puck from the crease doorstep at 2:05. Paul Williams got
a trickler across the crease at 15:18. To make matters worse,
the wife and I had an argument earlier in the day. To royally
get my goat, she wore her Anchorage, Alaska, sweater to the
game and clapped for UAA. (We had lived in both Anchorage
and Fairbanks for a number of years.) She knows my buttons.
The second period was dominated by MTU launching a fusillade
against UAA's Davis. 75% of the 16 on net shots were from the
Grade A zone. But it was UAA scoring when they would occasionally
get the puck in MTU's zone. At 5:40, Bethard fired a shot from
high in the slot that was redirected by Thornborough. (I frankly
don't believe that Thornborogh touched the puck but that was
the way it was scored.) Norcross on a partial breakaway fell
about 20 feet from the net at the left side of the slot. As he
fell, he flailed at the puck and it slid on the ice past
Caravaggio at 6:42. At this time Matt Kucway came in to
relieved Caravaggio. At 12:04, White took a feed from Williams
and fired a shot 8 feet off the crease in the slot. In an effort
to rally, Coach Mancini pulled Kucway with one minute left
in the period. This proved to be ineffective last night as UAA
warded off any attempt by MTU to move into scoring position.
What was worse, UAA was able to clear the puck to MTU's zone
but fortunately was not able to control the play.
Coach Mancini put in the heavy artillery and the grenadiers
in the third period. At 3:37, MTU's Travis Seale got his 7th
goal of the year as he fired the puck through slot traffic
to score. UAA continued pile on the score as Paul WIlliams,
who looked good all night, capitalized on a shot from high in
slot which was stopped by Kucway but fell between his legs
and was scooped into the net. Thornborough lit the light at 16:53
with an 8 footer. To bad the fans don't support the team the way
the team supports the fans. The fans quit. (Not the single UAA
fan in MacInnes Student Ice Arena to my left.) Fans of MTU left ...
the game was over.
Or was it?
First Savage charging down on an unsupported Davis
(nothing new: he wasn't supported all night) slips the puck off
to a trailing Andy Sutton rather than firing on Davis. Sutton
one timed a four footer at 18:28. On the center ice face off,
MTU charges the UAA zone. Meyers stokes the puck at 18:39 to
see if the light works: it did. Again, MTU shocks UAA on the
face off. Meyers again tries to test the light. This time, the
light fails, as a UAA defense was in position, but the puck is
put out to Travis Van Tighem working the center from the point
position. SCORE! (his first of the season at 19:04). There just
wasn't enough time left to overcome the University of Alaska
Anchorage's 7 points but the team certainly gave it a try ... no
quitters on the MTU bench. As a result the game ended on a
very positive note.
I am very happy with the way this game ended as MTU showed the
character of championship teams: don't quit. We'll survive the loss.
Our best hockey is yet to come as only 7 members of the 28 man
team roster are Juniors or Seniors. The attitude of this team is
superb: they work hard and they improve from their mistakes.
Walt Olson
MTU
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