Wildcats have won three of their last four games
BEMIDJI, Minn. – The NMU hockey team completed the weekend sweep, defeating the Bemidji State Beavers 3-1 on the road.
The Wildcats (4-19-1, 3-12-1 CCHA) have earned its third win in the past four games, the teams first sweep of the season, and first weekend sweep in Bemidji since February 13, 2021. The Beavers (8-12-4, 5-8-3 CCHA) are now 0-4-1 since the holiday break and winless its past eight games.
The ‘Cats scored three unanswered goals in the second period, opened by Ryan Duguay (6-1–7) continuing his hot hand with a power play goal to give the ‘Cats a lead.
Then in quick succession 10 minutes later, it was Grayden Slipec (4-6–10) and Jakub Altrichter (3-9–12) scoring a minute apart to give the ‘Cats a 3-0 lead.
Netminder Ryan Ouellette was sharp again, making 33 saves (.971 SV%) on 81 shot attempts from the Beavers. Ouellette also recorded his first career point with a secondary assist on the Slipec goal; the last time an NMU goalie recorded an assist was Beni Halasz on 2/24/23 in a 4-2 win over Bowling Green.
Just as last night, the Beavers lone goal came on the power play, and the ‘Cats didn’t allow a single five-on-five goal against the whole weekend. The ‘Cats special teams got it done, going 1/2 (50%) on the power paly and 2/3 (66.7%) on the penalty kill, including a crucial kill with five minutes to go.
Altrichter (1-1–2) and Aidyn Hutchinson (0-2–2) both recorded multi-point games, their fourth and second multi-point games this year, respectively.Tynan Ewart rounded out the scoring with an assist of his own.
The ‘Cats now look ahead to next weekend, bringing momentum into the home-and-home matchup against UP rival the Michigan Tech Huskies. NMU is on the road on Friday, January 24, and home on Saturday, January 25.
How It Happened
The ‘Cats opened the scoring on the games first power play two minutes into the second period. Altrichter walked into the left circle and fired a shot-pass along the ice that found the stick of Duguay crashing the net who redirected the puck past a sliding Sholl.
About halfway through the period, the Beavers were awarded its first man-advantage of the evening. A save and a handful of key blocks, and the Wildcat penalty-killers did the job and maintained the one-goal lead.
The Wildcats doubled its lead on a Beaver own goal. Hutchinson hit Slipec on a long stretch pass out of the zone that Slipec was able to skilfully handle. He made a stop and go move on his defender before looking for a cross-crease pass to a crashing forward. His pass was deflected by a Beaver defender, who unintentionally deflected the pass past Sholl.
The ‘Cats scored its third unanswered goal just a minute later. Hutchinson blocked a shot and sprung Altrichter and Slipec on an odd-man rush. Slipec drove the net, causing a distraction, and Altrichter dropped a pass to Hutchinson on a weave play. The defender took Hutchinson, who made a nice return pass to Altricther, who was all alone with a yawning cage to look at.
The Beavers cut into the Wildcat lead on the teams second power play opportunity of the evening. A shot from the point was deflected wide to the glove side of Ouellette, and the rebound came to the stick of Funk. Funk, behind the goal line, spun and shot a backhand shot that banked off Ouellette as he was getting back to the post and snuck over the line.
The ‘Cats were whistled for a penalty in a critical time in the game, holding a two goal lead with five minutes to go in the game. The Beavers pulled its netminder halfway through the man advantage to get a six-on-four advantage, but the ‘Cats successfully killed the remainder of the penalty and the teams skated six-on-five.
The Wildcats shut it down in the final minutes of play, and the ‘Cats earned the weekend sweep with a 3-1 win on Saturday.
