Northern Michigan University’s Colby Browne, center, works his way in front of the net to attempt to tip the puck in, but Michigan Tech goalie Derek Mullahy, right, is able to deflect it to the side during their CCHA game played at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

HOUGHTON — With a 3-0 win on Friday and a 6-3 come-from-behind win at home on Saturday, the Michigan Tech hockey team opened their defense of the Mason Cup with a pair of victories over their rivals from Marquette, the Northern Michigan University Wildcats.

Fifth-year goaltender Derek Mullahy earned both wins for the Huskies, who improved to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the CCHA.

Despite scoring just 32 seconds in Saturday night at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena, the Huskies had to climb back from a 3-1 deficit to earn their second straight win.

Probably because they scored almost immediately after the opening puck drop, Huskies coach Joe Shawhan felt that his team fell behind due to a sense that things were going to come easy.

“Even in the first period, it’s one of those things, because we started so well, and everything was coming easy,” he said. “I mean, as far as scoring chances, we get that early goal kind of exercising our will, and then they score, and then at that point, now guys are thinking, ‘OK, we’re going to have a big night offensively.’

“I think we got away from our game. We still only had them at six scoring chances in the first, but three of them ended in our net, two on the power play. So, very proud of the boys for the resilience.”

The Huskies’ early tally came off the stick of sophomore winger Lauri Raiman, who found the net from the right circle. Freshman center Tom Leppa and alternate captain Chase Pietila both earned assists after both had scoring chances before Raiman’s shot found the net.

From there, however, the Wildcats responded with two power play goals from Grayden Slipec at 7:15 and again at 12:21. The first came right off the faceoff that started the advantage, the second came from a nearly identical spot on the ice deeper into that advantage.

The game remained 2-1 in favor of the Wildcats until Medrick Bolduc got behind the Huskies’ defense and scored on a backhand deke at 18:53.

Michigan Tech needed a response, and it came in the form of senior winger Marcus Pedersen just 1:10 into the middle frame. Pedersen hustled up the ice to join the rush, and shortly after he crossed the blue line, he took a pass from junior forward Stiven Sardarian. Pedersen rushed to the net and beat Wildcats goaltender Ryan Ouellette for the tally.

“In the locker room, we all wanted to get back,” Pedersen said. “They had two power play goals, obviously, and we felt like we were pushing hard 5-on-5, and had more chances. We just wanted to get that quick one to get us back into it.

“That pass by Stiven was the perfect time when I was by that guy. I got a good look at it coming into the second period.”

Pedersen added a pair of assists later.

“Even if it wasn’t me scoring the goals (it is fun to help out),” said Pedersen. “Leppa’s line played really good today, as well. They’ve been good for awhile. I don’t care who scores as long as I’m helping us win. If I score, that’s positive, but I’m going to do everything I can for us to win.”

Leppa’s line struck again in the late stages of the second when junior winger Trevor Kukkonen scored his first career goal from the slot on a wrist shot off a feed from freshman center Logan Morrell.

“It was awesome,” Kukkonen said. “I (have been) getting a lot of chances in the last couple games, so it felt really good. Got a couple pucks in the slot, and the first one happened to go in, so it was great.”

Kukkonen struck again in the game’s final second when he scored the Huskies’ second empty net goal of the night.

Sardarian scored a goal of his own, his fourth of the season, 6:51 into the third period to put the Huskies ahead for good. Sophomore center Max Koskipirtti and Pedersen got the assists.

Koskipirtti added an empty net goal of his own at 19:00, when he fired a shot from near the NMU bench into the net. Pedersen and alternate captain Isaac Gordon both earned assists.

Mullahy finished his night with 14 saves to earn the win. Ouellette made 37 for the Wildcats.