In a game that contained back-and-forth action from the first drop of the puck until the final whistle, the Michigan Tech Huskies (6-4-2, 3-3-2 WCHA) battled the Denver Pioneers (7-4-1, 5-2-1 WCHA) to a 3-3 draw in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action at Magness Arena Saturday night.
Jordan Foote recorded a goal and an assist for Michigan Tech, while sophomore netminder Rob Nolan made 18 saves in goal. For Denver, redshirt freshman Brock Trotter and sophomore defenseman Chris Butler each registered a goal and an assist and junior netminder Peter Mannino recorded 30 saves
Although the Huskies outshot Denver 9-4 in the opening period, the hosts held a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play on a second-effort goal by Brandon Vossberg at 5:51 and a power-play tally from Trotter with just over three minutes remaining in the first frame.
The Huskies came out firing on all cylinders in the second period, scoring two goals in the first six minutes to tie the game. Foote made it a one-goal game at 4:32 when he put home a low shot from just inside the blueline that snuck past Mannino for his third tally of the year. Alternate captain Tyler Skworchinski was credited with his fourth assist of the season.
Jimmy Kerr tied the game less than a minute and a half later with the Huskies on the power play. Positioned right on the goalmouth, a wide-open Kerr took a feed from Foote, and with Mannino out of position, proceeded to bury a high shot at the 6:00 mark for his third goal of the season.
The helper was Foote’s second of the year, while Eli Vlaisavljevich earned his first collegiate assist on the play.
Butler gave the Pioneers a 3-2 advantage 3:51 into the third period when he fired a loose puck past Nolan from the low slot, but he Huskies answered at the 5:00 mark when Ryan Angelow netted his second goal of the season.
Angelow took a feed from Alex Lord and broke free from the Denver defense before putting a wrister over Mannino’s shoulder to knot the game, 3-3. The assist was Lord’s first collegiate point.
While both teams had their share of opportunities over the final 20 minutes of the game, Nolan and Mannino battled to a stalemate between the pipes.
Michigan Tech outshot Denver 33-21. The Huskies were 1-of-7 on the power play, while the Pioneers converted on 1-of-5 opportunities with the man advantage.
