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Houghton, Mich – Blake Pietila did what he does on Friday nights as he shutout No. 11 Michigan Tech to St. Thomas 1-0 to open the CCHA playoffs. Pietila stopped all 29 shots he faced in his eighth shutout Friday night, his 10th of the season and 20th of his career.
“We knew it was going to be a battle. There was nothing pretty about the hockey game,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “I can’t see anybody in the country more valuable to their team than Blake. He had to make a huge save. He was the difference, and he got it.”
Pietila tied the CCHA single-season shutout record and broke the single-season and career shutout records.
“After we scored, they got a putt,” Pietila said. “That happens when they try to connect and we’re able to go up. My job is to stop the puck, especially until the end of the game when it’s not possible to score.”
Tech improved to 23-9-4 overall when Brett Thorne scored the game’s only goal 11:28 into the third period.
Blake stopped four shots in the first, 12 in the second and 10 in the third to earn his 57th career win, one win away from the all-time Michigan Tech goaltending record. In the early going, he stonewalled Josh Irnice and saved four power play opportunities for the Tommies.
In the third, Tech was whistled for a holding penalty and Blake Dew was called for goaltender interference as the teams went 4-on-4 in the final period. Kyle Kukkonen comes across Jade Pietila near the blue line. Jed found Thorne splashing the net for the game-winner on a d-to-d backdoor with 8:32 left. It was Thorne’s third of the season and ninth of his career. Kukonen extended his point streak to five games with his second assist.
“There were a lot of penalties called in the third and we were 4-on-4,” Thorne said. “I drove with Jade, tailgate and locked eyes. He made a great pass, and all I had to do was bury him in the empty house.”
Blake Pietila made four saves for UST (11-22-2) with 1:14 left.
Aaron Trotter made 31 shots for the visitors, including a big glove save on the power play midway through the first period.
Tech was 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and 0-for-3 on the power play.
Jake Crespi hit his 100th game for the Huskies.
The two teams will continue their CCHA Quarterfinal series with Game 2 at McInnes Student Ice Arena at 6:07 p.m.
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