Wildcats could not score on six power play chances
MARQUETTE, Mich. – The NMU hockey team dropped game one of the weekend series against the best team in the country, losing 4-0 to the Michigan State Spartans.
The Wildcats (0-7-0, 0-0-0 CCHA) had its chances to score, including six power play attempts and a shot off the post, but were unsuccessful in its man-advantage opportunities, marking the first time the ‘Cats have been shut out this season. Joe Schiller, Mathew Ward, and Kyle Bettens paced the team with five shot attempts, while Schiller led the team with four on target. Freshman netminder Oliver Auyeung-Ashton earned his third career start, turning aside 36 for a .923 SV%.
The ‘Cats blocked 18 shots to the Spartans’ 14, led by Anthony Cliche’s four. Jakub Altrichter (10), Girts Silkalns (9), and Tobias Pitka (8) led the team in faceoff wins.
The Spartans (4-1-0, 0-0-0 B1G) got a 24-save shutout from the Detroit Red Wings’ 2023 second-round draft pick, Trey Augustine, the first of the season and seventh of his career. The sixth overall draft pick in the 2025 NHL draft, Porter Martone, led the Spartans with a goal and an assist, including the game-winning goal. The Buffalo Sabres 2023 second-round draft pick, Maxim Strbak, collected a pair of assists.
The Spartans successfully killed all six of its penalties, while scoring one goal in four attempts with the man-advantage before adding the empty net goal to close out the game. Charlie Stramel, 2023 first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, scored his third goal of the season to go along with winning 17 faceoffs.
How It Happened
The Wildcats had an opportunity to score first, as an Ewart shot was saved by Augustine, but the rebound landed on the stick of Bettens. Bettens shoveled a shot on target toward a wide-open cage, but Barnhill made a sprawling block to keep the game scoreless.
After the Spartans escaped a dangerous Wildcat power play, Martone knocked down an airborne puck at the left circle. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick spun and fired, beating Auyeung-Ashton over the shoulder on the glove hand.
The Spartans capitalized on a hard-working forecheck at the end of the first period to double its lead. Russell, tied up with a Wildcat defender behind the net, kicked the puck towards the net and onto the stick of Martone. Martone’s shot was saved, but the rebound landed on the stick of Stramel, who was unattended on the side of the net.
Ward had a chance to score directly off a faceoff, as the forward was atop the left circle. Altrichter won it directly back, and his wrist shot rang off the pipe by the glove hand of Augustine.
The Spartans added its third on a power play, as a blast from the point off the stick of Strbak missed the net, but the end wall kicked the puck directly onto the stick of O’Connell, who had a wide open net to look at off the fortunate bounce.
Up Next
Game two tomorrow night is set for 6:07 p.m. from the Berry Events Center.
