David Archambeau/For the Gazette Michigan Tech defenseman Matthew Campbell controls the puck in the offensive zone during a game against Wisconsin Saturday at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton.

CANTON, N.Y. — On Friday night, the Michigan Tech Huskies hockey team had, in coach Joe Shawhan’s words, by far their best hockey game of the season, and lost 4-2 to the Wisconsin Badgers. Saturday night, the Huskies looked nearly the polar opposite of Friday night, and the Badgers left the MacInnes Student Ice Arena with a 5-2 win and a weekend sweep.

Despite being outshot 39-19, Shawhan felt that his team was missing something important.

“If you really look at the game, we didn’t have jump Saturday,” Shawhan said. “We did not have jump. Again, I’m proud of the effort both nights. I thought that the guys gave a good effort, and Wisconsin is a good hockey team. I give them full credit.

“Friday night, I thought we found some things that gave guys some confidence, and some of those things weren’t there on Saturday night. The checking patterns of Wisconsin were just that much tighter. We had less time and space overall.”

The timeliness of the power plays that Wisconsin earned Saturday did not help matters. The Badgers scored a power play goal in the second period and then added another just 28 seconds into the third period, and that helped stretch their lead from one goal to three just 85 seconds into the third.

“All of a sudden, whatever life we may have had was quickly gone,” said Shawhan. “So, looking back at it on video, (we have) areas we have to get better at, and we’ll continue to work at those areas.

“It wasn’t like we just didn’t have the ability to move the puck. Our defending was actually not terrible in that hockey game. I think when we fell behind in the second, we lost a little confidence. We lost confidence, then we lost energy. Then, Wisconsin took it away a little bit.”

Unlike the previous Friday night when Alaska scored four times in the second period and the Huskies showed little to no fight afterwards, the Huskies fought back Saturday against Wisconsin, and senior winger Tyrone Bronte cut the lead to two, 4-2.

Shawhan said that this Huskies team needs to learn how to win. Looking at their record, that is the case, but there is more to it than just the record alone.

“We need to learn how to win,” he said. “There’s a lot that goes into it. Did we expect to win on Friday when we were in the game there, and when it was a 2-2 game in the third period? I’m not sure that we overly expected to win, and we have to learn to expect to win. That’s part of the growth of a hockey team, especially a hockey team with as many new faces as we have. So, I think there’s a learning process that goes into it. We have a great opportunity to go through that learning process. When the games are like they are right now, every play matters.”

Part of the issue, according to Shawhan is that the team needs to learn to be more assertive, especially with the puck.

“We were hanging on. We have to be more assertive, and enjoy playing with the puck,” he said. “That’s what we’ll work on and try to get better at.”

One player who has already proven to be a quick study is freshman center Max Koskipirtti. Through five games, Koskipirtti is tied for the lead in scoring with a goal and four points in five games.

“He does have a high IQ, and he has a good efficiency with the puck,” said Shawhan. “If you look at the plays there, it doesn’t take him long to make a play that evolves into something occurring. It’s not like he’s a domino effect, with a plethora of good things happening. He’s able to read a situation, has good anticipation as to what options can occur within that situation, and how he’s going to react to that. Some of the plays he’s getting points on, a lot of them, are very good, simple plays.”

Alternate captain Ryland Mosley, a senior, is also off to a good start for the Huskies. At the moment, he only has two goals, but with the way he plays the game, other players around him are finding success.

“Right now, it seems like everybody we put, like with Koskipirtti, everybody we put Mosley with is having success,” Shawhan said. “He’s played with basically with three different integral components (of our offense). (He’s) played a bit with (Kyle) Kukkonen, and then Kuks was able to score with him. (He’s) playe a bit with Logan Pietila, and he was able to have some success. Then (he’s) playing with Max Koskipirtti, and he’s having success. So the common denominator on a lot of it is Mosley.

“You can see why. He plays with energy. He plays with passion. He’s on his toes. He’s a fun player to watch, and a fun player to coach.”

NO CONCERNS WITH BLAKE

Fifth-year goaltender Blake Pietila is off a rough start, statistics-wise. He has a 3.13 goals against average and a .904 save percentage, both marks are the lowest they have been since he was a freshman. However, Shawhan feels much of that is due to way the Huskies are struggling to defend in front of him.

“With an inexperienced defensive core, you’re looking at some freshmen getting 20-plus minutes a game back there,” said Shawhan. “(Matthew) Campbell, who’s playing a top four position for us, really didn’t play last year. (Lachlan) Getz is playing for us. He played 17 games last year with marginal minutes. You have Chase Pietila, who’s a freshman. Last year, (Trevor) Russell really didn’t play. He was hurt for the majority of the year.

“So, you’re looking at Jed Pietila, really, in all honesty, on the blue line, (as the only one who) really played significant minutes last year in a significant role. That’s showing a little bit now.”

SCOUTING THE SAINTS, GOLDEN KNIGHTS

The St. Lawrence Saints, much like the Huskies are off to a slow start in terms of wins at 1-3, but Shawhan feels they are a tough matchup to play against because they play a game very similar to what the Badgers did in terms of their forecheck.

They are led in scoring by junior forward Tomas Mazura, who has one goal and three assists in four games. Sophomore forward Felikss Gavars leads the team in goals with three.

The Clarkson Golden Knights are 2-3 to start the season, having beaten Notre Dame and Vermont.

They are led offensively by sophomore forward Ryan Taylor, who has three goals and four points, and senior forward Anthony Romano, who has one goal and four points.

ROSTER CHANGE

The Huskies lost a skilled forward early this week when sophomore winger Patriks Marcinkevics left the program to return to his home country of Latvia and attempt to play professional hockey.

He had one goal and one assist in five games with the Huskies this season.

GAME TIMES

The Huskies and Saints will face off Friday night at 7 p.m. in Canton, New York. Saturday, the Huskies and Golden Knights are set to start at 7:30 p.m.