1. Important wins
Two WCHA teams scored important wins on Saturday night — but for different reasons. Minnesota State pulled off an improbable comeback against Minnesota for its first nonconference win of the season. The Mavericks won in the final minute of overtime on a Teddy Blueger goal after scoring twice in the final 3 ½ minutes of regulation to tie the game. If the Mavericks, who are 5-1-0 in league play, want to be a factor when it comes to postseason play, nonconference wins are crucial. Meanwhile Bemidji State won its first conference game of the season, defeating Alaska 6-3 to snap a seven-game winless streak. “We needed this win tonight,” Beavers coach Tom Serratore said. “We said it after the game, this was a must-win.”
2. Marquee matchup
The only two ranked teams in the conference squared off in Houghton over the weekend, and it appeared to be a good one with host Michigan Tech and visiting Bowling Green splitting the series. On Friday, Jamie Phillips got the 22-save shutout for the Huskies, who won 2-0 against another tough goalie, Chris Nell, who stopped 39 of 41 shots. Matt Roy got the winner with 3:16 to play in the third period. On Saturday, the Falcons turned the tables, winning 3-2 despite getting outshot 32-25. Tommy Burke got the win in goal, and Mark Cooper scored the game winner early in the third. It was the first time Bowling Green scored more than two goals in seven games.
3. Solid Seawolves
On Friday night, Ferris State won its eighth straight game against Alaska Anchorage, winning 3-2 in overtime on Kyle Schempp’s goal. That’s a good win for the Bulldogs because, the next night, the Seawolves proved their hot start to the season was no fluke and snapped their losing streak against Ferris State in impressive fashion. Matt Anholt and Tad Kozun each scored a pair of goals, and goalie Olivier Mantha earned his second career shutout, stopping 25 shots in a 5-0 victory. At 6-3-1 overall, Anchorage has the second-best winning percentage in the league (.650).
