No. 9 Minnesota Duluth rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the third period on Saturday to tie the game at 3-3, only to give up the game-winning goal with 18.4 seconds left on the clock to fall 4-3 to No. 4 Michigan Tech at John MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.
Here are my thumbs up and thumbs down from the game, followed by my three stars of the game.
Thumbs up to UMD junior goaltender Matt McNeely
McNeely has played/started in only two games this season and his last appearance was Oct. 17 against Minnesota State-Mankato in Duluth. Since then, he’s watched freshman goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo start and finish 14 consecutive games. Kaskisuo gave up two goals on four shots five minutes into his 15th consecutive start, so McNeely returned to the ice.
The two goals McNeely gave up were great shots by Tech. The first goal beat McNeely high on the glove side and the second was a redirect. McNeely finished with 24 saves on 26 shots.
He didn’t win the game for UMD tonight, but he did keep the Bulldogs in the game. The Bulldogs couldn’t have asked for more from McNeely and should feel confident in their backup should he be called upon again.
Thumbs down to another slow start by UMD
UMD coach Scott Sandelin pulled Kaskisuo five minutes into the game because he didn’t like the two goals the freshman gave up. He also yanked his starting goaltender because he thought UMD’s defense was soft and the Bulldogs needed a wake-up call.
Let me know if you’ve heard this story before.
The Bulldogs have 19 days before their exhibition series in Thunder Bay, Ontario and 26 days until they return to NCHC play with a critical series at North Dakota. Between now and then, UMD needs to do some serious self scouting and soul searching to end these slow starts. You can spot teams like Colorado College a two-goal lead, but not Michigan Tech and Minnesota State-Mankato. Yes, the Bulldogs rallied to tie both teams late, but both the Mavericks and Huskies were good enough to finish off UMD in the end. Expect North Dakota to be able to do the same in early January.
And lets hope I can stop having to address these slow starts. I’m ready for some new storylines.
Matt’s Three Stars
3. UMD junior goaltender Matt McNeely: To come in cold five minutes into a game is one thing. To come in cold after not playing in a game since Oct. 17 is another. McNeely may not be the starting goaltender for UMD, but he proved tonight he’s a heck of a backup and an insurance policy many teams would be lucky to have. He stopped 24 of 26 shots and neither of the two goals he allowed were weak, especially the game-winner for Tech scored with 18.4 seconds on the clock.
2. UMD junior wing Austyn Young: Young scored what was looking to be the game-tying goal for UMD with 6:54 to play in regulation. He put the Bulldogs in a position to win Saturday with the goal, and it appeared UMD was about to do so with all the momentum (UMD outshot Tech 17-7 in the third). We all know top-line players like sophomore center Dominic Toninato can score big goals. It was nice to see Young prove he can as well on the Bulldogs’ fourth line.
1. Tech sophomore center Michael Neville: Two weeks ago, Neville’s grandfather passed away. According to Tech coach Mel Pearson, the two were very close. Neville missed 10 days of practice and was held out of Friday’s game due to his lack of practice time. He returned Saturday to score the game-winning goal by redirecting a pass into the visiting net with 18.4 seconds left on the clock. The Huskies had lost three-straight games — all to top-10 teams — at home since being ranked No. 1 in the country for the first time in the history of the USCHO.com poll and were on the verge of losing a fourth. Neville stopped that streak with his goal and gave the Huskies a much-needed nonconference win over UMD going into the break.