HOUGHTON, Mich. – A Michigan Tech hat trick by Jordan Baker lifted the Huskies over the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves, 6-4, in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena on Saturday evening.
The Seawolves (6-12-2, 3-12-1 WCHA) were able to climb out of an early three-goal deficit and even took the lead in the third, but were unable to hang on to it as the Huskies (11-11-1, 8-7-1 WCHA) responded with three straight goals in the final 15 minutes for the league victory and the series sweep.
The Huskies picked up where they left off last night, scoring three straight goals in the first 10 minutes of play, before junior forward Mitch Bruijsten furnished a goal for the Seawolves at 16:58. Bruijsten, who leads all current UAA skaters with 18 career goals, picked up his sixth of the season to cut the Huskies lead to two.
Following the first intermission, goals by seniors Curtis Leinweber and Jade Portwood at 6:38 and 12:03, respectively, knotted the game at 3-3. Leinweber, who has posted 6-5—11 totals in the last eight games, received a beautiful back-door pass from sophomore Brett Cameron, while Portwood capitalized on a scramble in front of the net.
At 4:41 of the third, Bruijsten collected his second of the night, giving UAA its first lead of the night, but the momentum was cut short as the Huskies responded 38 seconds later on Baker's second of the evening.
MTU regained the lead at 9:37 with the game-winning goal by Milos Gordic, before Baker completed the hat trick with an empty-net tally at 18:52.
Getting his first collegiate start in the crease was senior Dusan Sidor, who posted 25 saves in the loss, while making many superior saves to help keep UAA in the game. MTU's Josh Robinson recorded 21 saves for the win. Michigan Tech won the shot battle, registering 31 shots on goal to UAA's 25.
As with Friday night, both teams were scoreless on the power play, with UAA going 0-for-4 and MTU unsuccessful on 0-for-7. The Seawolves were tagged for 18 minutes of infractions to the Huskies 12.
The Seawolves will remain on the road and face the Wisconsin Badgers on Jan. 20-21 in Madison, Wis. The games are scheduled to commence at 4:07 p.m. AST both days.
