SATURDAY GAME RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan University hockey program completed the sweep of the weekend with a 5-3 victory over Western Collegiate Hockey Association foe Ferris State Saturday night. Five Wildcats lit the lamp in the contest while four individuals recorded multi-point nights.

Although scoreless through the first period of play, the Wildcats and Bulldogs both saw a handful of quality chances on net with NMU holding the slight edge in shots, 10-8.

The Wildcats broke the 0-0 tie at 6:43 of the middle frame when Alex Frye found the back of the net off a wraparound shot.

The Bulldogs got a goal back with 8:09 to play in the period to knot things up at 1-1 but NMU would answer back when Andre Ghantous found twine at 14:18 of the middle frame for the 2-1 lead. 

NMU extended their lead to two goals when Brandon Schultz found the back of the net during four-on-four hockey. 

The two teams would skate to the locker rooms for the second intermission following a four-goal period which saw the Wildcats up 3-1.

Colby Enns scored for the Wildcats in the third period, ringing a shot off the pipe and into the net, unassisted, for the 4-1 lead.

FSU found their second of the game at 5:09 of the third period to cut the Wildcat lead back to two as the Wildcats continued to skate on, up 4-2.

With just 2:42 left in regulation, the Bulldogs pulled within one when they grabbed the loose puck and beat Nolan Kent in the crease for the 4-3 tally. Griffin Loughran sealed the deal for the Wildcats Saturday night, finding the empty net for the 5-3 final.

MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan University hockey team snapped a season-long losing streak with a 5-4 victory over Ferris State University Friday night.

The Wildcats, hungry to get back in the win column, took no time finding the back of the net as they took the 1-0 lead just 33 seconds into regulation. The Bulldogs answered right back, scoring a goal of their own at 4:10 of the first period to make it a 1-1 game. They would strike again with 7:15 left in the period for the 2-1 lead. 

FSU would strike once more in the opening period, capitalizing on the power play, but the Wildcats got one back with less than a minute to go for the 3-2 Bulldogs' lead after 20 minutes of play.

A slower second period in regards to goals, both teams spent the majority of the middle frame firing shots on net but unable to break either goaltender. Mike Van Unen changed that when he went top-shelf on the breakaway to knot things up 3-3 with 8:42 remaining in the middle frame, a score that would carry the Wildcats into the second intermission.

With momentum from the second period goal in their favor, the Wildcats broke the stalemate just under five minutes into the third period when Nardi scored his second goal of the night.

AJ Vanderbeck continued the charge for NMU, finding the back of the net at 10:14 of the final period to make it a 5-3 game. 

Opting for the extra attacker, FSU made it a 5-4 game at 18:13 of the third period for the final goal of the contest. With that, the Wildcats get their first conference win of the season and are now 1-2-0 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.
 

• Griffin Loughran, in his first game back, tallied three points on the night off a goal and two assists. 

• Joseph Nardi led the team in points, picking up four as he registered two goals and two assists in the win. The two goals and four points ties his career-highs in both categories, having previously tallied four points against FSU in their road contest last month. In 2020-21, Nardi boasts nine points against the Bulldogs (4-5-9).

   

• Tim Erkkila tallied an assist on the final Wildcat goal of the evening, picking up his first career point as a Wildcat.

• Ben Newhouse and Erkkila both posted four blocked shots in the contest, tied for the team-lead. 

• Alex Frye led the team in shots on goal with four while Nardi, Loughran, Ghantous and Vanderbeck each had three.