HOUGHTON — As both college and junior hockey have reached their respective playoff seasons, locals are finding ways to chip in and help their teams advance.

After not playing in the Big Ten quarterfinal series against Notre Dame, Calumet native Tanner Rowe was back in the lineup on March 23 against Michigan State in the championship game, where the freshman helped the Michigan Wolverines battle to a 5-4 loss in overtime against the Spartans. This weekend, he and the Wolverines will be in Maryland Heights, Missouri, to face the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. The two teams will do battle Friday at 8:30 p.m.

Junior forward Alex Nordstrom, of Atlantic Mine, has skated in the last nine games for the Michigan Tech Huskies, helping them sweep the Bowling Green State Falcons in the opening round of the CCHA Tournament. He also helped the Huskies win their semifinal matchup with Minnesota State before picking up the primary assist in the Mason Cup final against Bemidji State in a game the Huskies won, 2-1.

Nordstrom and the Huskies will face the Boston College Eagles in the Providence, Rhode Island, regional on Friday at 2 p.m.

In the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs, Melville Millionaires forwards Gaborik Carlson and Elliot Mikesch are helping the Millionaires take on the Battleford North Stars. The North Stars won the first two games at home.

Neither Carlson, a Houghton native, nor Mikesch, a Green Bay, Wisconsin, native, have scored a point yet in the series.

In the North American Hockey League, the Austin Bruins have hit a rough patch in March, going 3-5 in their last eight games. They have fallen to fourth in the Central Division.

Hancock native Austin Salani was held off the scoresheet last weekend against the Minot Minotauros. He has 26 goals and 58 points in 54 games this season for the Bruins.

Calumet native Jackson Rilei picked up an assist in a 2-1 loss Friday night to the Minitauros, but his two-game assist streak was ended in a 7-0 loss on Saturday night. In 47 games this season, Rilei has four goals and 10 points for the Bruins.

Houghton native Camden Markham was not in the lineup for the Bruins this past weekend. Since being traded from the Wisconsin Windigo to the Bruins, he has two assists in 12 games.

The Windigo, who are coached by Houghton native Blake Hietala, who played his college hockey at Michigan Tech, lead the NAHL’s Midwest Division by three points over the Anchorage Wolverines, who have three games in hand.

Michigan Tech recruit and forwrad Quinn Disher has been solid for the Windigo, scoring 11 goals and 20 points in 26 games since joining the team.

Forward Ethan DeKay, also a Michigan Tech recruit, missed several games due to injury after being acquired by the Windigo. However, he has three goals and six points in 11 games, including a goal last Friday against the Springfield Jr. Blues.

In the NA3HL, the Bozeman Icedogs are third in the Frontier Division.

Goaltender Matthew Ryynanen, a Houghton native, has appeared in 36 games, going 19-13-0-1. He sports a 3.64 goals against average and a .900 save percentage.

In the Ontario Hockey League, the Mississauga Steelheads qualified as the fourth seed for the playoffs and are set to face the Sudbury Wolves in the opening round.

Calumet native Dean Loukus finished the season fifth in scoring for the Steelheads with 17 goals and 48 points in 65 games combined between the Saginaw Spirit and the Steelheads. In 31 games with the Steelheads, he scored eight goals and 22 points, including four power play goals.

In the Professional Women’s Hockey League, New York is in sixth place in the standings with a record of 7-9-2-1.

Sault Ste. Marie native Abby Roque has scored four goals and 11 points in 19 games this season for New York. The forward has three points, two goals and an assist in her last six games.

HUSKIES

IN THE PROS

Former Huskies defenseman Matt Roy has one point, a goal, in his last five games for the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. His goal came against the Minnesota Wild on March 20, against former Huskies forward Jake Lucchini.

Roy has four goals and 22 points in 70 games this season. He carries a plus-18 rating as well.

Pheonix Copley, who is a former Huskies goaltender, has not seen any action for the Kings since Dec. 10 in a loss to the New York Rangers. He has been out of the lineup with an injury since.

Lucchini continues to be a part of the Wild’s current roster. He has one goal in his last five games, a goal against Anaheim on March 19. In 30 games this season, he has two goals and three points.

Hancock native and former Huskies center Tanner Kero has struggled a little of late for the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League. He has just one assist in his last seven contests.

For the season, Kero has 11 goals and 31 points in 56 games. He is a plus-17 with three power play goals and two game-winners.

Former Huskies winger Joel L’Esperance has four points, two goals and two assists, in his last five games for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL For the season, he has 15 goals and 25 points in 48 games.