HOUGHTON, Mich. – Michigan Tech defeated Northern Michigan 3-2 Friday at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Elias Jansson scored his second power-play goal of the game with 6:12 left in the third to break a 2-2 tie and goaltender Ryan Manzella improved to 5-0 with 18 saves.
“I’m proud of the win and proud of the effort,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “We have to develop some poise with the game on the line but Northern is good and their coaches have done a great job with that team.
“Isaac is playing tremendous right now, and I’m happy for Elias and extremely happy that we won on Tony Esposito night. He was my idol and the reason I was a goaltender.”
Michigan Tech posthumously honored Tony Esposito before the game with a Board of Trustees Silver Medal. Esposito’s wife Marilyn was presented the medal at center ice by Tech President Richard Koubek. Esposito’s son Mark and granddaughters Kamryn and Lauren were also on the ice.
Tech (14-9-2, 10-5-2 CCHA) jumped out to a 2-0 lead. Isaac Gordon got the crowd of 3,496 on its feet 15:31 into the game when he scored on a rebound for his fifth of the season. Max Koskipirtti assisted as Gordon scored for the second game in a row.
Elias Jansson added to the lead 11:47 into the second when he put in a backdoor pass from Max Koskipirtti for his fifth of the season. Rylan Brown added the second assist.
NMU (4-20-1, 3-13-1 CCHA) got on the board when Grayden Slipec fired in his fifth of the season from Jakub Altrichter and Nicolas Ardanaz at 14:31 of the second.
Grayden Slipec tied the game with his second of the game 7:05 into the third, finishing off a 2-on-1 from Jakub Altrichter. Aidyn Hutchinson added the second assist as he stepped out of the penalty box.
The game-winner was scored by Elias Jansson on a rebound at the side of the net after a one-timer by Isaac Gordon was saved and bounced out. Chase Pietila also assisted on Jansson’s third power-play goal of his freshman season.
Tech led in shots 36-20, holding a 27-9 advantage over the first two periods. Ryan Manzella had four saves in each of the first two periods and 10 in the third. The CCHA Rookie of the Week Ryan Ouellette stopped 33 shots for the Wildcats.
The Huskies were 2-for-3 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
The teams will play for the sixth time this season—and fifth in the regular season—on Saturday at 6:07 p.m. at the Berry Events Center in Marquette.
