NMU Hockey earns two points at Minnesota State

Wildcats block 17 Maverick shots

MANKATO, Minn. – The NMU hockey team earned its first two CCHA conference points of the season, ending the game in a 1-1 tie before downing the no. 16 Minnesota State Mavericks in a shootout.

In another superb defensive showing against a top team in the nation, the Wildcats (1-10-1, 0-5-1, 2 pts) earned two critical conference points on the road against the Mavericks (8-4-2, 3-1-2, 12 pts) before heading into the Wildcats’ bye-weekend.

NMU blocked 17 Maverick shots to maintain its national-best pace, led by Zach Michaelis and Anthony Cliche with three. 10 separate Wildcats recorded at least one block.

Will Diamond scored his first career collegiate goal to tie the game halfway through the third period, Jakub Altrichter scored the only goal in the shootout, his first career collegiate shootout goal, and Ryan Ouellette made all three saves in the shootout to go along with 26 saves in regulation and overtime (.963 SV%) en route to the Wildcats securing the extra CCHA point.

Brendan Poshak picked up his first career collegiate point with the primary assist on the Diamond goal, with Danny Ciccarello picking up the secondary tally.

Ouellette was outstanding, posting his third-highest single-game save percentage and making 1.5 goals saved above expected, according to CollegeHockeyNews.

Grayden Slipec was all over the ice, nearly scoring on two separate occasions in overtime, and leading all skaters in shots (10) and shots on target (4).

The Wildcats played well defensively for the second straight night against a top-20 team in the nation, killing both penalties and holding the Mavericks to 23 shots or fewer in regulation for the second straight game.

The Wildcats outshot the Mavericks in the first and third periods, including holding Minnesota State to its third-fewest shots-for in the third period with six.

The ‘Cats held the Mavericks to just 50 shots over two games, the third-fewest two-game combined shots on goal from the Mavericks all season, and the fewest two-game combined shots allowed by the Wildcats all season.

The tie snaps a four-game losing streak to the Mavericks, with the most previous prevail coming in a shootout win on February 26, 2024, in Mankato.

The Wildcats now enter its bye-week, and next see action on the weekend of November 29th and 30th, when they travel to North Dakota to take on the Augustana Vikings.

How It Happened
As the night before, Hillman opened the scoring once again. A jumping puck in the neutral zone was picked up by Hillman who carried over the blueline right down the middle. The Wildcat defender stepped up to poke-check the puck, but Hillman fired from atop the circles before the ‘Cats could get a stick on the puck. Hillman used the defenseman as a screen and beat Ouellette over the glove.

Despite down 1-0, the Wildcats had a successful period, outshooting the Mavericks 9-7, the fourth-fewest shots on goal in an opening period the Mavericks have had all year while the ‘Cats recorded the fourth-most shots on net the Mavericks have allowed all year.

In a scoreless middle frame, it was a period mainly dominated by the Wildcats, aside from the late Maverick power play to close out the period where Ouellette made four saves. The ‘Cats only allowed the Mavericks four shots in the first 15 minutes of the period.

The Wildcats were finally able to breakthrough, halfway through the third period. Poshak streaked down the right wing and to the faceoff dot. Firing a shot off the far pad to shoot for a rebound, Diamond was on the doorstep and shoveled the puck into the yawning cage to tie the game.

The teams skated to overtime, and despite glorious looks from both teams, the game ended in a tie and would go to a shootout to determine who would get the extra CCHA point.

Altrichter, the second shooter for the ‘Cats, was the lone goal scorer in the shootout. Ouellette stoned Carrabes in the third round, securing the Wildcats the second CCHA point.

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MANKATO, Minn. – The NMU hockey team earned its first two CCHA conference points of the season, ending the game in a 1-1 tie before downing the no. 16 Minnesota State Mavericks in a shootout.

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AuthorMike Ludlum

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