Huskies Split Tigers, End Home Winning Streak

Not everything is meant to last forever.

Just ask the Colorado College Tigers who saw their 14-game home ice winning streak end at the hands of the St. Cloud State University Huskies, 3-2, Saturday night at World Arena.

“You don’t think too much about [the streak], but yeah, this was a game we had hoped to get to continue our march on first place,” said CC coach Scott Owens. “Yeah the streak ends, but we certainly had opportunities to tie the game or win it.”

Instead, a Huskies team arguably better than its record gained a much-needed win.

“We came out here this weekend with the, well, we wanted to get a win, obviously, but we wanted to get back in the hunt,” said SCSU coach Bob Motzko. “We don’t know what we’re chasing, but at least we’re back in the hunt right now and that’s what we wanted to get back into and play good hockey.”

The Huskies started off the scoring nine minutes into the opening frame. Nate Dey dumped the puck into the Tiger zone, Matt Hartman picked it up and tipped it to David Carlisle who fired a blast from the point for his first career goal.

We got the puck deep again and that’s how we forced a little turnover there and it got out to him and I’m sure the guy would like that one back,” said Motzko. “It’s got to hit the net to go in, so it was a good goal for [Carlisle].”

Just 37 seconds later, the Huskies went up 2-0 on the strength of a Garrett Roe goal. Hartman won a battle in the left corner and threw the puck in front of the net where Roe tipped it in behind Tiger netminder Richard Bachman (26 saves)

CC cut the lead to one with about three and half to play in the frame when Tyler Johnson tipped a Jack Hillen blast from the point past St. Cloud goaltender Jase Weslosky (38 saves).

However, the Huskies would regain their two-goal cushion a minute later when Hartman and Roe once again connected on a goal; this time, Hartman tapped the puck across the crease to Roe to catch a relatively out of position Bachman.

“It happened so fast; it’s just exciting for me,” said Hartman, about his three assists within the span of seven minutes. “It’s just kind of the puck — it happens sometimes in hockey. I guess I was on the better hand of that tonight and it just happens once in a while and just fortunate we got off to a lead and were able to finish it off. That was nice. Obviously the assists were a bonus for me.”

“Matt stepped up tonight and that’s what we talked about in our meeting today,” said Motzko. “We needed some guys that hadn’t stepped up, hadn’t been on the film, to do that.”

Eric Walsky cut the SCSU lead once again 2:32 into the middle period for the only goal of the frame. The former Alaska Anchorage Seawolf took a diving pass from Johnson and slid it five-hole on Weslosky to make it a 3-2 game.

“I thought [that line] gave us some good energy and some opportunities so it was nice to see that,” said Owens. “Jack Hillen continues to play great for us.”

It looked like the Huskies’ Andreas Nodl made it a 4-2 game 1:32 into the third period, but it was ruled that the puck that scored the goal was initially knocked down by a high stick.

Scott Thauwald went down with a concussion halfway through the period after being elbowed in the head by Roe — an incident that was not penalized by the officials. However, the Tigers were awarded the first power play — and two-man advantage — about a minute later as arguable make-up calls. However, the Huskies and Weslosky thwarted all Tiger attempts.

“That was major,” said Motzko. “Our penalty killers and our goalie did a great job there killing that off and that saved the game for us.”

“I thought St. Cloud played well,” said Owens. “I thought their D corps dug in well, especially on that five-on-three and it just wasn’t meant to be for us tonight.”

CC pulled Bachman to get the extra attacker, but the Huskies were able to seal the deal with an empty-net goal. SCSU came down on a three-on-two and Hartman hit Nodl — the one man uncovered by defense — to give him back his goal from earlier in the frame.

“You spot a team three goals in the first period, you’re asking for trouble,” said Owens. “That being said, we had 30 minutes to score a goal and had an opportunity off a waived-off goal to get some energy and a five-on-three so we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

“We should have at least tied that game in the third period — we didn’t.”

“Hopefully this is another step to move us forward,” said Motzko.
The Huskies next travel to Alaska Anchorage for a two game series against the Seawolves while the Tigers get a bye week.