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