By: Andrew Erickson / @CarvellMedia

Friday night’s battle at the Herb brought in the Colorado College Tigers (11-13-3) who were flying high after their win the week before against the then #3 UMD Bulldogs.

The Huskies did a good job to extinguish that flame to start the game as junior Nick Poehling netted his third goal of the season just 1:17 into the game. The Tigers flame came back full force before the period ended as Trevor Gooch and Erik Middendorf scored goals for CC to put the tigers up at the end of the first 2-1.

The score would stay stagnant there all the way until the third period. The second Poehling twin, Jack, would match his brother 8:17 into the period to knot the score at 2.

Both teams were stymied the rest of way, including the 5×5 overtime period. The game was officially marked down in the books as a tie at this point, but the game wasn’t over. NCHC rules state the teams had to play a 3×3 OT for the extra conference point.

The Huskies claimed the extra point with a Power Play goal by the third Poehling brother, Ryan just 1:00 in.

This was the first time the Huskies had gone to OT on their home ice since last year’s NCHC first round match up with Miami (OH) on March 10th.

Saturday’s matchup brought around fireworks to the same extent proving the big game ability of Colorado College but they hit a wall that is senior Patrick Newell.

The first period was tilited towards the Huskies as they got goals from senior Robby Jackson and freshman Sam Hentges to push their lead to two while putting happy thoughts in all the minds of Huskies fans. The period ended with a PP goal by the Tigers Grant Cruikshank to bring it to 2-1.

The game would be all Tigers for the next 45 minutes. The Tigers put in four unanswered including all the goals in the second. Goals were scored by Kristian Blumenschei, a second by Cruikshank and the third of the period in less than five minutes by Gooch.

The air was taken out of the building until there were penalties called on SCSU’s Ryan Poehling and CC’s Bryan Yoon brings the game to 4×4 hockey. This being in favor of the Huskies is a major understatement.

With their best forward in the box the Huskies, and the Herb, exploded. Freshman Nick Perbix tipped a puck into the net off a shot from the side wall by Newell. Less than a minute later Newell himself tied the game and would send it to OT for the second night in a row.

Right place at the right time for Newell as he would win the game on a Jackson pass from the corner out front and the rest is history. Four unanswered goals to three of their own and the Huskies now have a 13 point lead in the NCHC and an actual chance to clinch the Penrose from their couches this weekend.

The Huskies moved into first place in the Pairwise after Saturday night and remain the #1 team in the country in the polls.

The Huskies have one series remaining at home before the NCHC playoffs begin and that will be March 8 and 9 against UMD. Friday night’s puck drop will be at 7:07 and Saturday night’s will be at 4:07. Both games will be live on 88.1 KVSC.