MTU continues its late season slump losing its fifth game in a row
5-7 against Wisconsin. MTU didn't get into the game until the
2nd period; however, Wisconsin's 3 goals in the 1st were
enough to keep Wisconsin from being beat by MTU. The game
was marked by numerous penalties, 23 for Tech and 24 for
Wisconsin. Goddard and Krieger (I WILL NOT RESPECT THEM
WITH TITLES OR FIRST NAMES) continued to keep the game
broken up with.
I could write much worse about the refs but what is the point?
It is well known that the WCHA is not providing ref's of the same
quality as the coaches and players in the conference. Tonight, MTU
benefitted most from the poor reffing by scoring on 4 powerplays
to Wisconsin's 2. It is too bad that neither ref has the skill
deserving of the orange armband. I guess I am supposed to feel
sorry for them because being a ref is not a full time job. I will say
that I feel sorry for the fact the ref's in the WCHA are such a sorry
lot. There are exceptions but not enough to make up for the overall
poor quality.
This was a costly two weeks for MTU as they have lost four
key players to go into the playoffs next week:
Pat Mikesch, our leading scorer and the most complete
player in the WCHA broke an ankle last week against CC.
Andre Savage, probably our best skater and an impact player
had to leave the game tonight with a hamstring injury.
Tim Harris, one our best defensemen, had a shoulder separation
tonight.
Craig Perrett, an effective up and coming Freshman Winger, received
a DQ on a questionable spearing call.
MTU 0 2 3 - 5
UW 3 1 3 - 7
Goalies:
MTU Kucway 10 3 7 - 19
UW Daubenspeck 14 11 7 - 32
1st Period Scoring:
UW Rafalsky (Williams, Balkovic) 00:34
UW Sanderson 8:46 penalty shot
UW Williams (Rafalsky) 14:56 shg
2nd Period Scoring:
UW Tompkins (Enrico, Haley) 9:24
MTU B. Peterson (Stevens, Dupont) 11:18 ppg
MTU Meyers (Van Tighem, Wright) 16:31 ppg
3rd Period Scoring:
UW Elick (Bianchi, Sanderson) 1:26 ppg
MTU B. Peterson (Stevens) 2:07 ppg
UW Mike Strobel (Rafalsky, Williams) 5:36 ppg
MTU Meyers (Prokopetz) 14:43
UW Bianchi (unassisted) 15:05
MTU Dupont (Prokopetz, Meyers) ppg
Penalties: I am not going to list them: too many and
too sick of WCHA reffing
Comments:
Wisconsin came out on fire and caught MTU staring in awe as Wisconsin
hammered us early with shots and then scoring at 34 seconds with a
Rafalsky blast along the ice. At 8:46, MTU's Harris hooked Sanderson
on a break and Sanderson scored on the ensuing penalty shot by giving
Kucway a shoulder fake and going through the 5 hole when it opened.
Matt Williams (I called him Mike yesterday, sorry: my mistake) got a
short handed goal at 14:56. MTU wasn't on the ice this period ... at least
that is the way it sounded by the radio play by play.
Coach Mancini must have awaken some players for the 2nd as MTU came
to life during the period and gave Wisconsin a game. At 9:24, UW's Tompkins
sliding on his knees managed to get the shaft of his stick on the puck and
score. Brent Peterson got a big rebound off his first blast at Daubenspeck
and laid it over Dabenspeck's shoulder to get a powerplay goal at 11:18. Next,
Brett Meyers snapped off another powerplay puck at 16:31. This ended the
period with MTU only 2 scores behind Wisconsin. But both Harris and Savage
were out of the game with the injuries forementioned.
MTU and Wisconsin battled the third period but neither gained an edge. First,
Elick one timed a powerplay goal over Kucway at 1:26. But MTU's Brent
Peterson responded at 2:07 on yet another powerplay by chipping a puck
over Daubenspeck from the edge of the circle. At 5:36, powerplay again,
Wisconsin's ever potent Mike Strobel blew a puck on the ice past Kucway.
MTU's Brett Meyers used the left post to ricochet a puck past Daubenspeck
at 14:43. Then Wisconsin replied at 15:05 when Bianchi stole the puck from
Sutton on a Kucway setup behind MTU's net and quickly beat Kucway to the
front, banking the puck into the net. MTU came back on a powerplay at
16:36 when Dupont skittered one in. With 23 seconds left in the game, MTU's
Craig Perrett was called for a dubious spearing penalty behind the Wisconsin
net, given the 5 minute major and a game disqualification.
This begins the only season that counts: everything else was warmup and
practice ice. There are no free rides to Providence and no one should expect
any. MTU now goes to Denver for the WCHA playoffs after finishing eigth in
regular season play. MTU is not an eigth place team unless our hockey team
believes they are. Do they?
Denver is tough and Wallinheimo does an outstanding job in net.
Jim Mullin demonstrated the ability to keep MTU from scoring as well.
Laaksonen, Kenady, Elders and Hollingshead are all dangerous with the puck
in MTU's zone. Denver's and MTU's style of play matches up very well against
each other. Coach Gwozdecky is a good tactician and makes game adjustments
that need to be spotted early and re-adjusted for. This ought to be a good
series if MTU's young players can find the intestinal fortitude (read guts) and
courage to forget injuries, DQ's and other minor problems that won't win the
game for them. They had all season to learn. Now, it is their turn to excell. MTU
has on occassion shown that they are as good as any other team on college ice.
If they play up to their potential taking pride in the confidence placed in them
by their coaches and their fellow students, there is no reason for MTU not to
bring home wins. They will need to dig deep: I am certain that Denver wants
to move forward also. But who wants it more?
If MTU gives Denver 120 minutes of play that they gave Wisconsin for
the last 40 minutes of tonight's game, without underestimating Denver's power particularly between the bluelines, MTU may surprise a few people.
There is no better time than now.
Walt Olson
MTU