The 2011–12 Michigan Tech Huskies men's ice hockey team represented Michigan Technological University in the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season. The team was coached by Mel Pearson, a 1981 Michigan Tech alumnus in his first season as a head coach after spending the past 23 seasons as an assistant/associate coach for the Michigan Wolverines. The Huskies played their home games at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena on the campus of Michigan Tech in Houghton, Michigan, and compete in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA).
Michigan Tech enters the 2011–12 season after winning 4 of their 38 games the previous season. The team's 4–30–4 record led to the resignation of head coach Jamie Russell shortly after the season's completion. Mel Pearson was hired as Russell's replacement in May.
Offseason coaching change Jamie Russell, Michigan Tech's eighth-year head coach, resigned following the 2010–11 season, in which the Huskies won 4 games and endured a 26‑game winless streak. "The best memories are of the players and the guys I've worked with, that's what I'll remember", Russell said. "Successes, obviously, there weren't enough of them." Russell accepted an assistant coaching position with Providence a few months later. Michigan Tech athletic director Suzanne Sanregret began searching for Russell's replacement immediately after his resignation, saying university president Glenn Mroz gave her the authority and many alumni gave her the resources to "go after the best coach". Among Sanregret's interviewees were Michigan Tech alumnus and Michigan associate coach Mel Pearson, Nebraska–Omaha associate coach Mike Hastings and Green Bay (USHL) head coach Eric Rud. Pearson's interview took place four days after his team lost the NCAA Division I national championship game to Minnesota–Duluth, and when Sanregret gave him 48 hours to decide whether to accept the position, he ultimately could not say yes. "[W]ith everything going on, it was just a tough time to make ... a life-changing decision", Pearson said. "So I just think I went with the safe way and said no".
Sanregret continued the search after Pearson turned down the job, but she met with Pearson again in early May at the American Hockey Coaches Association convention in Naples, Florida, and this time he was ready to accept. Pearson signed a five-year contract and was introduced at the Grant Hockey Educational Center on Michigan Tech's campus on May 10. At the press conference, Pearson posited that what separates him from the previous alumni who have returned to coach the Huskies is his 30 years of experience. "As you're in the game longer you get a bigger network of people who can help you recruit, so I think that's the biggest difference right now", Pearson said. Bill Muckalt, a veteran of five National Hockey League (NHL) seasons who was coached by Pearson at Michigan, was hired as an assistant coach in June; Damon Whitten was retained as the other assistant coach. "Our coaching staff has done a lot of winning and we want to instill the attitude that we're going to win", Whitten said. Pearson spoke of changing the team's style of play to emphasize skill, speed and offensive creativity, and said his staff's efforts would be focused on recruiting for the next few months. He brought in Steve Shields, another former NHL player who played under Pearson at Michigan, as a volunteer goaltending coach in September.
Recruiting
Most of Michigan Tech's incoming freshmen for the 2011–12 season had been recruited and verbally committed during Jamie Russell's tenure. The first was forward Tanner Kero, whose hometown of Hancock, Michigan, is across Portage Lake from Michigan Tech. Kero committed in late 2009 while a member of the Marquette Rangers of the North American Hockey League (NAHL). He spent the 2010–11 season with the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and was named to the USHL Western Conference All-Star Team while scoring 37 points in 55 games. Defenseman Nick Cecere committed to play at Nebraska–Omaha while a member of Northwood School's "Junior Team", but switched to Michigan Tech after a coaching change at Nebraska–Omaha. Explaining why he chose Michigan Tech, Cecere said, "Since I've been in prep school, I'm used to a smaller, close-knit community, and that's what I like. ... I fell in love with [Michigan Tech], and my parents did as well". Indiana Ice (USHL) forward David Johnstone, brother of Michigan Tech sophomore forward Jacob Johnstone, committed two months later. Justin Fillion, who was in his third season with the Prince George Spruce Kings of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), also committed in December. He credited his coach, former Michigan Tech player Ed Dempsey, with helping him earn the scholarship that Tech offered. Blake Pietila, a forward with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, originally committed to Northern Michigan, but switched when his older brother Chad decided to transfer from Northern Michigan to Michigan Tech. Blake was drafted by the New Jersey Devils with the 129th pick of the 2011 NHL entry draft, becoming Michigan Tech's first drafted player since Jordan Foote was selected in 2004.
Two recruits decommitted after Russell's resignation. Sam Labrecque, a defenseman with the Nanaimo Clippers (BCHL), had committed to Michigan Tech in October 2010, but switched to Clarkson. Andrew Kolb, a forward with the Michigan Warriors (NAHL), instead joined Division III Wisconsin–Stevens Point.
The new coaching staff spent much of the summer recruiting for 2011–12 and beyond. Pearson spotted defenseman Jimmy Davis at a June tryout camp for the Muskegon Lumberjacks, a USHL team for which Davis was trying to earn a roster spot after two all-state seasons with East Kentwood High School, and Davis accepted his scholarship offer. Michigan Tech's recruiting of defenseman Riley Sweeney, who played for the Surrey Eagles (BCHL), began during the Jamie Russell era, and he ultimately committed after speaking with Bill Muckalt at a hockey camp in July. The final addition of Sweeney meant eight players joined the team for the 2011–12 season. Six of those players were available at the start of the season; until the end of the fall semester, however, Chad Pietila was not eligible to play in any games and Fillion was not eligible to join the team.
+2011–12 incoming playersNick Cecere Defense Des Moines, Iowa Lincoln (USHL) 7 assists in 58 games with Lincoln in 2010–11Jimmy Davis Defense Caledonia, Michigan East Kentwood (USHS–MI) Two-time all-state defenseman at East KentwoodJustin Fillion Defense Prince George, British Columbia Victoria (BCHL) 30 goals and 93 assists in 178 career BCHL gamesDavid Johnstone Forward Grand Ledge, Michigan Indiana (USHL) 58 points in 57 games with Indiana in 2010–11Tanner Kero Forward Hancock, Michigan Fargo (USHL) USHL Western Conference All-Star Team in 2010–11Blake Pietila Forward Milford, Michigan US NTDP (USHL) Drafted 129th overall by New Jersey in the 2011 NHL entry draftChad Pietila Forward Milford, Michigan Northern Michigan (CCHA) 3 goals and 4 assists in 39 career games at Northern MichiganRiley Sweeney Defense Delta, British Columbia Surrey (BCHL) 14 goals and 47 assists in 113 career BCHL games
Season events
Preseason The NCAA ice hockey season began on September 15, and head coach Mel Pearson held a practice that day with assistance from goaltending coach Steve Shields while the other assistant coaches were on recruiting trips. Practices continued four days a week, though the coaches were only allowed on the ice two hours a week through September. The results of a WCHA preseason poll were released in late September, and while Pearson finished second place in voting for coach of the year, the team was picked to finish in last place in the standings. Senior captain Brett Olson said, "We're definitely not a last place team.... With everything that's been set in place, attitude and everything, we're definitely going to be contending". Heading into an October 1 exhibition game at home against the Lakehead Thunderwolves, Pearson planned to use at least two goaltenders and prepared his team to play the "up-tempo, aggressive, puck control style that has been the focus of practices so far". The intent was that aggressive backchecking and outnumbering opposition forwards would lead to more turnovers and therefore more offensive chances. The Huskies won the game against Lakehead 5–3 after coming back from 1–2 and 2–3 deficits. Sophomore forward Jacob Johnstone scored a hat trick, and senior goaltender Josh Robinson played the entire game after Shields recommended leaving him in to see how he responded to playing from behind. Pearson cut defenseman Ricky Doriott and forwards Alan L'Esperance and Evan Witt from the roster the following Monday.
Regular season
October The regular season opened on October 7 with a two-game series against visiting American International. Pearson sought to improve the team's defensive zone coverage in practices before the series, but starting goaltender Kevin Genoe gave up three goals in the first period while his Yellow Jackets counterpart, Ben Meisner, stopped all eight Huskies shots. The Huskies' comeback began late in the second period when Blake Pietila's pass deflected off a defender's skate past Meisner. In the third period, goals from Pietila, Steven Seigo and Jordan Baker completed Michigan Tech's 5–3 comeback win. Genoe stopped all 14 shots he faced in the final two periods. In the following night's rematch, Robinson started at goaltender and the Huskies scored first after Riley Sweeney's pass sent Brett Olson on a shorthanded breakaway and Meisner failed to stop Olson's high shot. The Yellow Jackets, however, tied the game 31 seconds later while the Huskies were still shorthanded. Pearson had inserted Mikael Lickteig in the lineup for this game, hoping his speed would be beneficial, and it paid off when Lickteig created a scoring chance for himself that Meisner stopped, but Jacob Johnstone scored on the rebound. In the second period, Johnstone found a loose puck immediately in front of Meisner and made "three quick stick-handling moves for a highlight-reel goal", and the Huskies won 3–1. Robinson stopped 32 of 33 shots, and Pearson called him "the difference in the game". The series sweep was the Huskies' first since December 19–20, 2008, against Northern Michigan. Pietila was named Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Rookie of the Week for his two-goal performance in the series' first game.