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NEW SEASON BEGINS: NMU Hockey In Duluth
 DULUTH, Minn.---The Northern Michigan University hockey team scored ten goals in their two-game season-opening series on the road at Minnesota-Duluth this weekend, but could not get a win, playing to a 5-5 tie on Friday before losing 8-5 on Saturday. SATURDAY GAME RECAP By NMU SPORTS INFORMATION The Northern Michigan University hockey team concluded its weekend series with the 17th-ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, dropping an offense-driven game by a final score of 8-5. Special teams were the story from this evening, as there was a combined total of 17 penalties called throughout the game between both teams. The Wildcats surrendered four goals from the UMD power play, and the Wildcats scored three goals from nine power-play attempts. The Wildcats started hot, scoring on the first shot on goal in the first thirty seconds, but it went downhill after that for the first period. The special teams were the glaring issue in the first period, as the Wildcats allowed two PPGs and one short-handed goal. The 'Cats couldn't convert on any chances of their own, including a 5-on-3 opportunity that wasn't very dangerous. The 'Cats cranked up the intensity and urgency in the second period, as Tanner Latsch continued to stay hot with his fourth goal of the weekend and Mitch Deelstra scored a beauty for his first as a Wildcat, but the lapses in coverage continued to plague the Wildcats. The 'Cats allowed two more PPGs along with a clear-cut breakaway that resulted in a goal. The third period was another wild ride, this time with the 'Cats scoring two on the power play and successfully killing its only infraction. Kristof Papp scored his first of the season, and Latsch scored once again while also contributing an assist. The game would end with an empty net tally for the Bulldogs, finishing this wild-wild west shootout by a score of 8-5. The Wildcats drop to 0-1-1 overall, and the Bulldogs improve to 1-0-2 overall. Fans were still getting to their seats as the Wildcats scored the opening goal of the game, as Andre Ghantous pulled the puck on a string to toe-drag around the defenseman and fired a wicked wrister over the glove of Stejskal. The Bulldogs were awarded a power play opportunity, and Ben Steeves was left alone down the right side to walk right in on Beni Halasz, making a move to the backhand and beating Halasz in tight. The Wildcats coughed up a puck at the blue line during a power play opportunity, and Cole Spicer picked up the puck and gained a clear-cut breakaway from the red line. He made a move to the backhand and beat Halasz through the five-hole, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead. The Bulldogs capitalized on the man advantage once again, as a deflected shot landed on the stick of Luke Loheit who poked it past a sprawling Halasz. The 'Cats had two great opportunities to score in the dying minutes of the first period. Kristof Papp had a puck jump over his stick looking at a yawning cage, and Michael Colella beat a defenseman to walk in one-on-one and Stejskal made his biggest save of the game. The Wildcats were short-handed to start the frame, and the Bulldogs special teams came through again, making it 4-1 early into the frame. The Wildcats' power play finally broke through, as a nice tic-tac-toe play went from Artem Shlaine on the half wall to Ghantous in the corner who floated a perfect saucer pass to a wide-open Tanner Latsch on the back door to slam home his fourth goal of the weekend and cut the deficit to two. The Bulldogs responded with another PPG, and the Wildcat PK continued to struggle. Charlie Glockner entered the game in relief after Halasz allowed five goals on 20 shots. Not a minute later, Rylan Van Unen was able to spring Mitch Deelstra on a breakaway, and he stepped up and rifled a wrister bar down over the glove hand of Stejskal to cut the Bulldog lead back to two. Ben Steeves was sprung on a breakaway, making a backhand to forehand move before finishing up over the blocker of Glockner. Although it didn't go down as a power play goal, as it was scored a second after the penalty expired, the Bulldogs scored its seventh goal on what essentially was still a man advantage as the Wildcat was stepping out of the box. The Wildcats responded in this wild back-and-forth match, as Tanner Latsch fed Andre Ghantous below the goal line who then found Kristof Papp wide open on the back door to cut into the Bulldog lead with a slick passing play on the power play. Guess what? Another penalty was called and the Wildcats earned a power play. Latsch's hot hand continued, as he collected the puck and rounded the left circle before turning and firing a wrister by the ear of Stejskal. The Wildcats pulled the goalie with just over four and a half minutes left in a last-ditch effort to pull within one and tie the game. Despite terrific effort to find a goal, the Bulldogs created a turnover and found the back of the net to seal the deal for the Bulldogs. FRIDAY GAME RECAP BY NMU SPORTS INFORMATION DULUTH, Minn. - The Northern Michigan University men's hockey team opened its season at the 17th-ranked University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, ultimately playing to a 5-5 tie. The Bulldogs would go on to win the exhibition shootout. Andre Ghantous opened the scoring on the 2023-34 season for the Wildcats, followed by Tanner Latsch recording a natural hat-trick in his collegiate debut. Fellow freshman Michael Mesic scored his first collegiate goal, and Josh Zinger registered three assists. The Wildcats started the game short-handed after receiving a delay of game violation during warmups. Beni Halasz was thrown right into the fire, having to make seven saves on the UMD power play. The 'Cats first grade-A chance of the night came from Andre Ghantous. Ghantous pushed the defenseman back with his speed and dropped a blind pass onto the tape of newcomer Jack Perbix. Perbix was one-on-one from the right faceoff dot, and the UMD goalkeeper made a big save to keep the game scoreless. The Bulldogs were awarded with an abbreviated 5-on-3 power play opportunity, and they made no mistake in taking advantage. Ben Steeves was left all alone in the slot and one-timed it through the legs of Halasz. On the ensuing 5-on-4 power play, not a minute later, Bast received a pass on the right side and fired a one-timer past the blocker side of Halasz, doubling the score to two. A fortunate bounce for the Bulldogs, a dump in ricochet off a stanchion and landed right on the stick of a Bulldog who was streaking in between the Wildcat defense. Bettens made a nifty move to the backhand and elevated a puck past the blocker of Halasz. The Wildcats opened the second period exactly how they needed to, and it was Andre Ghantous on the power play that got the Wildcats on the board. Ghantous picked up a rebound from a Josh Zinger point shot and deposited the puck into the yawning cage to claw back within two. Andre Ghantous drew another UMD penalty, and the 'Cats went back to work. A slick passing play wound up on the stick of Tanner Latsch who scored his first career goal in a Wildcat uniform. The 'Cats really came out of the period humming, and a scramble in front of the Duluth net found a bouncing puck that landed on the stick of Latsch in the high slot who ripped a wicked wrister past the goalie. The 'Cats scored three goals in six and a half minutes to start the second frame, tying the game at three-a-piece. The 'Cats opened the second frame out shooting the 'Dogs 9-0, really pushing the tempo and bringing an intensity that wasn't quite there in the first. The Bulldogs were awarded with a power play and didn't waste any time in regaining the lead, scoring within 10 seconds of the infraction to take a 4-3 lead. The Wildcats were awarded a 5-on-3 power play to end the second frame, but were unable to score before the horn. The 'Cats would go on to have just under a minute in 5-on-3 time to start the third frame. The 'Cats were unable to convert on the opening power play, not only not scoring, but unable to record a shot on target. Kristof Papp disrupted the UMD power play and found himself on a short handed breakaway. He made a move to the forehand and tried to chip it back the other way, but Stejskal made the pad save. Latsch made quite the collegiate debut, as he was 'Johnny on the spot' on the Wildcat power play as a rebound deflected right on his stick and he had the full frame of the net to shoot at, making no mistake to tie the game at four-a-piece. The freshman came to play for the Wildcats, as Michael Mesic picked up a puck on the far faceoff dot and rifled a wrist shot over the glove hand of Stejskal, scoring his first collegiate goal and giving the Wildcats a 5-4 lead. Anthony Menghini picked up a burst of speed to get around the NMU defenseman, leading to a breakaway from the top of the circle down. Halasz made the initial save, but Menghini picked up his own rebound and scored to tie the game. The Wildcats and Bulldogs ended the third frame each a man down, and with the Wildcats set to come out of the box first, the potential of a power play in overtime was real. The Wildcats started the overtime frame with an abbreviated power play, about a minute and a half of power play time, but the 'Cats were unable to capitalize on its chances. The game would end in an overtime tie, a final score of 5-5, and the teams prepared for a shootout. Kristof Papp had to score to keep the shootout alive, and he made a nifty move to the backhand to extend the shootout. Jack Perbix had to score to keep it alive, but to no avail. |
