The Michigan Tech Huskies traveled to Marquette, MI, Tuesday night to renew their rivalry with Upper Peninsula foes, the Northern Michigan Wildcats. The Wildcats came into the game looking to honor their fallen athletic comrade from the women’s soccer team who passed away on Friday in an accident at the PEIF pool on campus.

With the Huskies starting Jamie Phillips between the pipes for the first time in his career, the Wildcats jumped all over the Huskies early, and thought they’d scored the first goal of the game just 42 seconds in. While the goal was called back after it was determined that the puck was kicked in, the Wildcats did strike 47 seconds later on the power play.

“First period, I felt we got off to a slow start,” said Huskies’ head coach Mel Pearson. “That gave them momentum. I thought Jamie Phillips came in and did a real good job for us. All in all, I thought we battled hard.”

The Wildcats held that one-goal lead until late in the second period when a Wildcats’ forward caused a turnover which led to their second goal of the game with just 16 seconds left in the period. It appeared that the Huskies tied the game 12 seconds later when center Tanner Kero knocked home a rebound off the initial shot from winger Alex Petan, but the goal was called back as it appeared that Kero interfered with goaltender Jared Coreau in the process of shooting the puck.

Defenseman Bradley Stebner did manage to get the Huskies on the board at 13:26 of the third period with a long wrist shot from the left point on a power play. Defenseman Walker Hyland and winger Malcolm Gould both assisted on the goal.

Things got nasty in the late stages as winger Blake Pietila was sent packing after breaking the stick of a Wildcats’ defender and then addressing an official in a negative manner. From that point forward, no penalties were called as sticks started rising from both squads until the final seconds when Wildcats’ forward Cohen Adair was knocked to the ice. Adair got up and attacked the first Huskies’ player he could find, Petan. Petan was dragged from the ice by his teammates before his temper could get the best of him.

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Stick Salute

Tuesday’s stick salute goes to freshman goaltender Jamie Phillips. Phillips struggled early in his first career start, giving up a goal just 1:29 in. However, after that, he settled in, stopping 23 Wildcats’ shots before the night ended.  In the second period, Phillips endeared himself to Huskies’ fans by skating near those who made the trek to Marquette and saluting them and allowing his smile to widen throughout the period. His best stop of the night came off the stick of Kyle Follmer, who attempted a wraparound late in the first period.