NEW KIDS ON BLOCK: Vikings Top Northern, 5-3

These stories, photo, courtesy of NMU Sports Information

SATURDAY GAME RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. -
 The NMU hockey team dropped game two of its weekend series with the Augustana University Vikings by a score of 5-3, with an empty net goal.

Despite two five-minute major and game misconduct penalties called against the 'Cats in the first period, the 'Cats scored twice and held a 2-1 lead going into the locker room after the first period. It was an inversed second period as the Vikings struck twice and the 'Cats scored once, and the teams skated an even three-goal a piece heading into the final 20 minutes. The Vikings struck 25 seconds into the third frame to take a 4-3 lead, and the 'Cats couldn't crack the code down the stretch before the Vikings potted the empty net goal to seal the deal.

The 'Cats outshot the Vikings 30-19 and held the edge in the faceoff dot 33-26. The 'Cats went  1/3 (33.3%) on the PP and 3/4 (75.0%) on the PK, amassing 32 penalty minutes to AU's six. The 'Cats recorded 22 blocks.

The Wildcats fall to 6-8-2 overall, and the Vikings improve to 5-7-2.
  • Andre Ghantous scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season and registered an assist, his fifth multi-point game and second 3+ point night of this season, bringing him to 20 points (6-14--20)
  • Connor Eddy registered his fourth goal of the season, bringing him to eight points (4-4--8). He is also riding a three-game point streak (2-1--3)
  • Artem Shlaine recorded two assists, bringing him to 14 points (6-8--14). Shlaine also won 20/30 faceoffs (66.7%).
  • Josh Zinger registered an assist, bringing him to 14 points with 12 assists (2-12--14)
  • Kristof Papp registered an assist, bringing him to 14 points  (4-10--14)
  • Mitch Deelstra found the score sheet again as he registered an assist, moving him to two points on the season (1-1--2)
FRIDAY NIGHT RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. -
 The NMU hockey team welcomed the Augustana University Vikings to the Berry Events Center for the first time in history, playing to a 2-2 tie before falling in the shootout 1-0. 

The 'Cats struggled in the first period, going down 0-2 after the first 20 minutes. It was all NMU after that, scoring a goal in both the second and the third period before out-working the Vikings in the final 10 minutes of the third period. It was all NMU towards the end of the third and the overtime frame, but the 'Cats were unable to score in either frame. The 'Cats skated to a shootout, the first since 2021, falling 1-0 to the Vikings.
  • Michael Colella scored his fourth goal of the season and extended his scoring streak to three games (3-0--3)
  • Michael Mesic scored his third goal of the season, extending his point total to five
  • Isack Bandu registered two helpers, his first career multi-point game, extending his point total to three
  • Both Connor Eddy and Matvei Kabanov added assists, bringing their season point totals to seven and three, respectively
  • Beni Halasz stopped 25 of 27 shots faced, a .926 sv%
  • Artem Shlaine led all centermen with 17 faceoff wins
  • The 'Cats outshot the Vikings 43-27, went 5/5 on the PK and 0/4 on the PP, and won 40/69 faceoffs
  • This is the first time the 'Cats participated in a shootout since Nov. 27, 2021 (vs. Bowling Green, NMU won 2-1 in four rds)
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