By Alexander Fern / @AlexInTheBooth

The SCSU Men’s Ice Hockey Team started their season off with a win in Mendota Heights against the St. Thomas Tommies.

However, that was not the biggest story of the night. As Sophomore Defenseman Josh Luedtke went down with a head injury and had to be carted off of the ice in the first period.

“The preliminary reports we are hearing is that it at least sounds like it might not have been the worst that we had been fearing from when we were watching.” Head Coach Brett Larson said to The Rink Live’s Mick Hatten after the game Saturday. Luetdke also was coherent leaving the ice and had movement in his extremities.

Larson talked to his players after the injury and said “He’d want us to play for him. He’s an ultimate competitor and he would not have wanted us to not play our fricken game to get it done because of him.” Larson said.

And the team went out there and finished the first period just like Luedtke would want them to, scoring 2 goals in the span of 30 seconds from Senior Transfer Defenseman Dylan Anhorn, and Zach Okabe respectively.

Later in the period Freshman forward, and Nashville Predators draft pick Adam Ingram scored a goal on a wicked wrister to put the Huskies up 3-0 heading into the break.

“For both Anhorn and Ingram to get on the board early is huge for us,” Head Coach Brett Larson said. “They are both going to be huge players for us going forward and I’m excited to see how they do this year.”

The 2nd period did not go the Huskies way, as Carson Peters scored a goal on an odd-man-rush that beat Junior Goaltender Jaxon Castor five-hole to cut the lead to 3-1.

“I really did not like our second period,” Larson said. “Sometimes we have the tendency to think that the goals are going to come easy. And they (St. Thomas) fought back and Jaxon (Castor) had to bail us out.”

The 3rd period was much better from the Huskies, holding St. Thomas to just two shots on goal and having a great penalty kill.

Jaxon Castor got the start on the night, his first game since the NCAA tournament against Quinnipiac last year where he allowed 5 goals on 16 shots.

“I’m really proud of him, I know that this game meant a lot for him mentally.” Larson said. “He looked really sharp.”

The Huskies are back in action at the HBNHC Sunday against the Tommies, that game is scheduled for puck drop to occur at 4 p.m. on 88.1 FM KVSC with Brian Moos on play-by-play and Alexander Fern on Color.