Senior forward Matt Ulwelling gave new Michigan Tech head coach Mike Sertich his first win in his first try at 2:45 of overtime as the Huskies stopped a five-game losing streak with a thrilling 5-4 victory at Minnesota-Duluth.
Sertich returned to coaching after resigning as head coach of UMD last season; he spent 18 years behind the Bulldog bench. In a twist of irony, Sertich’s first win as a head coach came against Michigan Tech.
Ulwelling’s goal came after a shot from senior defenseman Mat Snesrud hit traffic in front. Freshman Tony DeLorenzo started the play by beating UMD’s Judd Medak on the faceoff to the left of Bulldog netminder Adam Coole.
After a scoreless first period, the teams combined for six goals in the second stanza, including four by the Huskies. Junior Brad Patterson staked Tech to a 1-0 lead just :21 into period number two with his first goal of the year.
After the Bulldogs tied the game with their first of three power-play goals on the evening, Paul Cabana and Chris Durno tallied 1:01 apart in the first half of the second period to give the Huskies a two-goal cushion. That prompted a UMD timetout.
Duluth got back in the game on Tom Nelson’s power-play goal at 14:30, but freshman defenseman Justin Brown put one home from the point — his first collegiate goal — to stake MTU to a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
UMD got a goal at 8:15, on the power play by Nate Anderson, to narrow the lead to one, and Andy Reierson’s unassisted marker at 13:34 of the third then sent the game into the extra session.
Tech outshot the Bulldogs 41-28, including a 19-6 edge in the second period.
Brian Rogers made 24 saves in the MTU net to gain the win, while Coole had 36 saves for UMD.
The two teams meet again Saturday in the conclusion of the two-game WCHA set.
