HOUGHTON, Mich. – Scoring on a third-period penalty shot and again on a deflection in the crease with nine seconds left in regulation, Michigan Tech completed its comeback and defeated Minnesota State 4-3 in the CCHA Semifinal game Saturday night at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.
 
The Mavericks' season came to its conclusion with the loss. The Huskies will play for the CCHA Championship against the winner of No. 1 seed Bemidji State and No. 7 seed Lake Superior State next weekend.
 
Opening the game with nearly six minutes of uninterrupted play, the Mavericks scored first at even strength at 7:08. Lucas Sowder notched his 13^th of the year as he skated through the neutral zone with a bouncing puck and wristed it over goaltender Blake Pietila with Sam Morton closing in on the far side.
 
Jack Works tied it 1-1 three minutes into the second for Michigan Tech with Max Koskipirtti and Tyrone Bronte assisting. After a failed clearing attempt, Koskipirtti threw one into the low slot and it deflected off Works' skate under Alex Tracy.
 
Will Hillman chipped in a rebound, his second season goal six minutes later at even strength. Tyler Haskins and Mason Wheeler assisted. Haskins took the initial shot from the top of the left circle and Pietila kicked it out on the far side for Hillman on the forehand one-timer shot.
 
The Mavericks headed into the break with a 2-1 lead and even 23-23 in shots on goal with the Huskies (15-10 Minnesota State in the middle period).
 
MTU used a power play to start the third period with a goal as Kash Rasmussen put it past Tracy, assisted by Koskipirtti and Ryland Mosley.
 
Adam Eisele answered with a wicked wrister after wheeling through the neutral zone. He shelved one from the top of the right circle at 5:57. Luc Wilson assisted.
 
A scramble in the crease resulted in a penalty shot goal for Logan Pietila at 15:27, after it was ruled a Maverick player closed his hand on the puck in the crease. The play was not reviewed.
 
Logan Pietila was credited with the game-winner after the puck sailed back into the crease off the end glass and deflected off an MSU defender with 9.1 ticks left.
 
The Huskies outshot the Mavericks 38-32 and MSU went 0-2 on the power play.
 
Minnesota State finished the season 18-15-4 overall while Michigan Tech improved to 18-14-6.

"Obviously, they play a good home game there's no question," said head coach Luke Strand. "They get behind you and they skate. I wasn't really worried because I thought we were in a good spot. We were keeping shots to the outside. But then, just in the trench of the game, you had to raise the intensity. Credit to the opposition."
 
Friday marked the final games in a Purple and Gold sweater for eight seniors, including captain Sam Morton and fellow first-liner Lucas Sowder, who skated in 133 games for the Mavericks.

"The guys that stayed committed to the family and the program and the logo here," Strand said. "The seniors who did it are exceptional in my opinion. The guys that came in dug in with both feet. They are tremendous people and the seniors deserve the most merit."