Huskies Hockey announced the team awards for the 2022-23 season | News, Sports, Jobs

Michigan Tech forwards Kyle Kukkonen (9) and Logan Pietila (13) and defenseman Jed Pietila (25) celebrate a goal during the game against St. Thomas on Saturday, March 4 at MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton. (David Archambeau / For the Gazette)

HOUGHTON – Michigan Tech hockey coach Joe Shawhan honored eight different Huskies with the program’s annual team awards at last week’s team dinner. Goalkeeper Blake Pietila was selected as Merv Youngs most valuable player. The prize descriptions are listed below.

Blake Pietila collected a slew of accolades after being named First Team All-American, CCHA Player of the Year, CCHA Goaltender of the Year, CCHA Goaltender of the Year, All-CCHA First Team, Mike Richter Top 3 Finalist, Hobey Baker Top 10 – finalist, MVP. Desert Hockey Classic and CCHA All-Acedemic Team member. Pietila appeared in 37 games for the Huskies with an overall record of 23-11-3. He broke the Michigan Tech records for shutouts in a season (10) and career (20) and became the all-time wins leader with 58 — a record he shares with Bruce Horsch. Pietila led the nation in hitting in the playoffs and ranked fifth nationally with 23 wins, seventh in save percentage (.924) and ninth in goals-against average (2.15).

Ryland Mosley received the Gary Crosby Memorial Award as the team’s top scorer. The alternate captain was also named to the All-CCHA first team and scored 31 points on 12 goals and 19 assists while skating in all 39 games. He tied for second in the nation with three shorthanded goals and buried the game-winner against Alaska (Oct. 13), St. Lawrence (Oct. 29), St. Thomas (Nov. 19) and Northern Michigan (Dec.). . 3). Mosley was named to the CCHA All-Academic Team.

Kyle Kukkonen was awarded the Norbert Matovich Memorial Award as the most outstanding freshman. Kukkonen was named CCHA Rookie of the Year and was unanimously selected to the CCHA All-Rookie Team. He skated in all 39 games and led the Huskies with 18 goals while notching nine assists. Kukkonen finished seventh in the country with five winning goals. The Anaheim Ducks draft pick had the fifth-most goals by a Michigan Tech freshman in program history, and his 18 goals were the most by a Tech freshman since 1988, when Kelly Hurd had 18 goals.

Captain Arvid Caderoth won a pair of awards with the Harold Meese Sportsmanship Award and the John MacInnes Slide Rule Award. She had the best GPA on the team and was named a CCHA Scholar-Athlete and CCHA All-Academic Team for the second year in a row. Caderoth skated in 38/39 games and scored nine points with two goals and seven assists. He scored the overtime game-winner in Michigan State’s GLI win and also scored at Northern Michigan. Caderoth finished second on the team in games won.

Brett Thornewas presented the Gitzen-Loutit Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Defensive Player. Thorne was honored on the CCHA All-Second Team after leading the Huskies with a plus-13 rating and was second with 15 assists and 49 blocks. He played in 34 games and also added three goals, including the game-winner against St. Thomas, but was also named to the GLI All-Tournament Team. Thorne was named to the CCHA Scholar-Athlete and to the CCHA All-Academic Team for the second consecutive season.

CaptainLogan Pietila received the George McCarthy Performance Award for scientific and athletic achievements. Pietila skated in all 39 games and scored 11 goals and 11 assists. He scored two power play goals, a game winning goal and a shortstop. Pietila led the team in wins and was named to the All-Academic Team for the third season in a row.

Jed Pietila collected the Elov Seger Memorial Award as the most improved player. He skated 35 games for the Huskies back on the blue line and scored one goal and was second on the team with 15 assists. Pietila finished second on the team with a plus-11 rating and fourth with 35 blocked shots. His first collegiate goal came against Lake Superior State and he was named to the CCHA All-Academic Team.

Jack Works received the Rick Yeo Unsung Hero Award after appearing in all 39 games in his first season with the Huskies. Works scored 17 points and had eight goals and nine assists. He scored game-winning goals at Arizona State and Bemidji State and recorded three points with a goal and two assists at Lake Superior State.

Merv Youngs Award (Team MVP)

The award is named after journalist and editor of the Daily Mining Gazette, Merv Youngs. Youngs is credited with getting Doc Gibson to join and organize the Portage Lake hockey organization.

Gary Crosby Memorial Award (Top Scorer)

The award is named after Gary Crosby, who led Tech in scoring in his second season and was drafted and signed by the LA Kings after the season. Unfortunately, he died in a car accident shortly after. He played in 67 games for the Huskies from 1970-72.

Harold Meese Sportsmanship Award

The award is named after Harold Meese, a professor and dean of students at Michigan Tech from 1947-83. He was an active supporter of the Huskies and has an athletic award named in his honor on every sports team. Meese was inducted into the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1986.

George McCarthy Performance Award for educational and athletic achievements

The award is named after the late George McCarthy, a former hockey player and member of Michigan Tech’s Sports Hall of Fame. McCarthy played for the Huskies from 1935-38 and was named team MVP all three seasons.

John MacInnes Slide Rule Award

The award is named after legendary hockey coach John MacInnes, who had a record of 555-295-39 from 1956-82. MacInnes was most proud of the fact that 94 percent of his hockey letter winners graduated with degrees. He won three NCAA championships as the Huskies’ head coach and is in the US Hockey Hall of Fame, the UP Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame.

Gitzen-Loutit Memorial Award (Outstanding Defensive Player)

An annual award since the 1957-58 season, the Gitzen-Loutit Memorial Hockey Award, is presented annually to Tech’s most outstanding hockey defenseman in their honor. Robert Gitzen played hockey at Tech in 1949-50. He and team manager Dick Loutit were killed in a bus accident while the team was on its way home from a series at Michigan State on January 14, 1950.

Rick Yeo Unsung Hero Award

The award is named after Rick Yeo, who played hockey at Tech from 1963-66 and won an NCAA championship in 1965. He was also an assistant coach at Tech from 1973-76 and then athletic director from 1990-2005. He was inducted into the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1988.

Norbert Matovich Memorial Outstanding Freshman Award

The award is named after Norbert Matovich, who was a freshman hockey player from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. In 1966, he died in a car accident during Christmas break.

Elov Seger Memorial Award for Improved Player

The award is named after Elov Seger, who died in the mid-60s as a result of a brain tumor. Throughout his career, he fought against great odds and was always successful. He played at Tech from 1959-62 and was an All-American in 1962 when the Huskies won the NCAA championship. He was inducted into the Michigan Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.