2019 Michigan Tech vs Bowling Green | Men's WCHA

WCHA RinkRap: Michigan Tech Is Back On Track Plus Hat Tricks Galore

WCHA RinkRap: Michigan Tech Is Back On Track Plus Hat Tricks Galore

Talk about a busy weekend: Hat tricks from multiple players and a Michigan Tech squad back in the hunt. Catch up with all the stories here.

Oct 28, 2019 by Tim Rappleye
WCHA RinkRap: Michigan Tech Is Back On Track Plus Hat Tricks Galore

Another week of college hockey is in the books, and we’ve got a special “trick or treat” Halloween edition of the RinkRap on our hands. Hat tricks were the theme of the weekend, but there are plenty more stories from Minnesota State, Notre Dame, and Alaska.

Let’s dive in.

Hat Trick No. 1: The Natural

Both Michigan Tech and its sophomore forward Tommy Parrottino were struggling heading into Saturday night’s tilt at Bowling Green. Parrottino had but a single point through five games, and the Huskies were mired in a three-game losing skid. Coach Joe Shawhan had a gut feeling.

“It was just a hunch,” Shawhan said. “I had a talk with him [Parrottino] because I thought he was off his game for much of the first period. I made a change and thought he responded very well.” 

Parrottino responded by reeling off three consecutive goals for a “natural” hat trick, including this brilliant individual effort to close out the second period.



Having raised Tommy in the Detroit area, several members of the Parrottino clan commuted an hour south to cheer their prodigal son. 

“My grandparents got to see that, it was special,” said Parrottino, sporting a Colin Farell five o’clock shadow in the post-game. 

The hat trick, his first since high school, busted open a tie game and helped halt Tech’s losing skid. MTU should consider playing more games in proximity of the Motor City: Before family and friends last December, Parrottini scored the shootout winner to beat Michigan in the Great Lakes Semifinals at Little Caesars Arena. We’ll see where Shawhan’s gut places the gifted forward for this year’s GLI rematch.

Hat Trick No. 2: Big Goals In Big Rapids

Entering the 2019-20 season, Marquette sports airwaves buzzed with concern about filling the shoes of departing Northern Michigan Wildcats All-American Troy Loggins. That question may have been answered after sophomore Griffin Loughran’s memorable road performance against Ferris State. Loughran rang up four goals over the weekend, including a hat trick Saturday and tie-breaking, third-period game-winners on both nights. 

Loughran’s greatest highlight, however, never made the score sheet. While shorthanded in the second period of Friday’s opener, Loughran took a feed from Joe Nardi and drove to the slot in front of Ferris goalie Roni Salmenkangas. Without pausing, Loughran placed his stick between his own legs and roofed the puck over the Ferris netminder, the puck rebounding silently. At the next whistle, the play was reviewed at length, revealing no definitive evidence necessary to award Loughran the goal. It was a dazzling display nevertheless, one that brought the press box to its feet.

The ‘Cats line of Loughran, Nardi, and Darien Craighead, and the sniping of sophomore winger Vincent de Mey (six goals in six games) should satisfy Marquette’s sports radio jocks’ thirst for offense. 

There is a special vibe on this year’s Wildcat club, a team that lost so much star power from a year ago. 

“This reminds me of our sophomore year, we were a resilient group,” said senior captain Phil Beaulieu. “We have good leadership; everyone fills a spot. We’re all doing it together. In the locker room there’s nothing but positivity.”

A perfect example was immediately following Friday’s hard-fought win. ‘Cats coach Grant Potulny was seen grabbing a taped puck from trainer Megan DeChambeau and then hustling back into the locker room. He brought it into the raucous visiting locker room and presented it to freshman Andre Ghantous in recognition of his first NCAA goal. 

“Coach tossed him the puck, (and) we made sure we razzed him a little bit,” Beaulieu said. “It’s really good to see him get the first one. The kid’s got some talent.” 

Loughran’s heroics overshadowed a remarkable feat by Ferris State captain Nate Kallen Friday night. In the second period of the opener, the senior defenseman made two seemingly effortless plays along the boards, scoring consecutive goals with clean wrist shots, no pinball required. Very few players can make scoring in college hockey look so easy.

Another silver lining for Ferris, who performed valiantly in the two losses, was the play of freshman goalie Carter McPhail Saturday, coming on in relief of Salmenkangas. McPhail made 17 saves on 18 shots, reminding coach Daniels that his Finnish sophomore does not have to carry the entire goaltending load for Ferris this season.

The WCHA’s Traveling Circus

The Minnesota State Mavericks galloped through Nashville en route to their WCHA clash with Alabama Huntsville, making a stop at the NHL Predators practice facility. 



An NHL venue seemed entirely appropriate for No. 2-ranked Minnesota State, who play and travel with professional focus and habits. There is a strong connection between Mavs junior winger Reggie Lutz and Preds assistant Dan Muse. The two shared a USHL championship for the Chicago Steel in 2017. 

In what appears to be a first, Minnesota State started an all-German line of Parker Tuomie, Marc Michaelis, and Julian Napravnik Saturday night in Huntsville. Neither Shane Frederick of the Mankato Free Press nor Nate Ewell of College Hockey, Inc. could recall that ever happening before. The Deutsch troika combined for two goals, two assists, and 23 shots on goal in the Mavs’ weekend sweep of the Chargers

Déjà Vu All Over Again For N.D.’s Jackson

Lake Superior State came to South Bend this weekend, creating a déjà vu for Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson, who got his first Division I coaching job with the Lakers, winning two national titles. 

“Playing Lake State always has a little sentiment to me,” said Jackson, who maintains a woodsy retreat in St. Ignace, 45 minutes from the Lake State campus. “You always look back to where you got your start. I still have good friends and relationships.”

Fifth-ranked Notre Dame swept the Lakers in a series that Jackson expects to continue into the future. 

LSSU coach Damon Whitten finally gave goalie Mareks Mitens a much-deserved night off on Saturday, giving sophomore Roman Bengert his first career NCAA start. Bengert faced a 16-shot first period barrage from the Irish, making 14 saves to survive the stanza. 

Bengert was born in Kyoto, Japan, but raised in Canada. His Laker teammate Yuki Miura is one of two NCAA players born and raised in Japan. Miura is having a solid season, with six points in eight games for LSSU, including a goal Saturday against Notre Dame. Miura’s good pal from Tokyo, Kohei Sato, plays for UNH, the only other “true” Japanese college player in DI. 

Currently, Miura has a single point more than Sato in their respective careers (9-8), making the fleet LSSU winger the all-time leading college scorer of Japanese born and raised players, at least for the time being.

Survival Test In The 49th State

Fighting off potential obscurity, new stars helped Alaska Anchorage salvage a split with in-state rival Fairbanks 4-0 Saturday night. Playing in front of a reported 581 fans in their on-campus venue, the Seawolves got a 29-save shutout from junior netminder Kristian Stead. Freshman centerman Nick Wicks busted out with his first two career NCAA goals Saturday, and senior defenseman Tomi Hiekkavirta dished out three helpers in the gutty win for Anchorage. 

The conventional wisdom swirling around college hockey insiders — wisdom disputed by Fairbanks coach Erik Largen — is that there will only be one survivor between Anchorage and Fairbanks after this season, due to the state budget crisis. With survival as the backstory, the Seawolves-Nanooks battle for the Alaska Airlines Governors Cup had their intensity ratcheted up to new heights. Their battle mode jumped out through the scoresheet: 18 minutes in penalties handed out in the second period alone. The conclusion of the Governors Cup moves to Fairbanks in February. This will be must-see TV.


Author Tim Rappleye just released his latest book: Hobey Baker, Upon Further Review (Mission Point Press). He can be reached on Twitter @TeeRaps.