Wildcats trailed 2-0 after 90 seconds
BOWLING GREEN, OHIO – The NMU hockey team dropped game two against the Falcons by a final score of 4-3.
The Falcons scored two goals in the opening minute and thirty seconds of the game to jump out to an early lead. A goal before the period ended and a goal to start the third period and the Wildcats tied things up at two-a-piece.
A pair of late goals from Brody Waters saw the Falcons regain its two-goal lead, NMU scored with 30 seconds left to get it back to a one-goal game, a shot with a few seconds left narrowly missed the crossbar, and the Falcons slipped away with the weekend sweep.
The Wildcats (1-16-1, 0-11-1) got goals from Jesse Tucker (1), Aidyn Hutchinson (3), Anthony Cliche (3), and multi-point games from both Hutchinson (1-1–2) and Jakub Lewandowski (0-2–2). The Falcons (7-7-2, 4-4-2) were led by Brody Waters (2-0–2) and Brett Pfoh (0-2–2).
Nicolas Ardanaz, Grayden Slipec, and Matthew Romer all picked up assists on the evening.
Turning in another stellar night between the pipes was Ryan Ouellette, who made 44 saves to go with a .917 SV%, marking the third time this year he’s made 40+ saves in a game and tying his second-highest single-game save total of the season.
The Wildcats were unable to break through on the man advantage, going 0/4 on an evening where the Falcons had a five-minute major called against them. NMU went 3/4 on the penalty kill, with the only power-play goal allowed coming with just over three minutes left in the game.
The Wildcats now have its sights set on the Great Lakes Invitational tournament, where the team will square off against Michigan State from Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Sunday, December 29.
How It Happened
The game started fast, and the first chance went the way of the Wildcats just a minute in. Ewart walked right down Broadway and beat the netminder Stoever, but rang the post on the stick side. Not 30 seconds later, the Falcons capitalized from a tic-tac-toe passing play on an odd-man rush chance.
Just another 30 seconds later, a nothing shot from the post was deflected just a few feet in front of Ouellette, and the redirection went under the glove hand while the Wildcat netminder was tracking the shot to the stick side.
The Falcons took a 2-0 lead only a minute and a half into the period on the first two shots on goal in the game.
The Wildcats were whistled for the first infraction of the game, and similar to last night, the Wildcats did a good job to kill the penalty with Ouellette making two saves. The Falcons took a penalty and the teams would skate 4-on-4 for 47 seconds. Of the ensuing faceoff, Ardanaz fired a shot from the point that Tucker tipped on his way by the net, and the ‘Cats were within one.
Falcon Tommy Passanen was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct after a hit to the head on Altrichter, and the Wildcats had an abbreviated 5-on-3 before an extended man advantage. Hutchinson hit the post, Stoever made four saves, and the Falcons were able to kill the five-minute major with just a minute before the first-period whistle.
After a back-and-forth start to the second period with a couple of penalties that resulted in a four-on-four play, Tucker streaked down on an odd-man rush. The left-handed shooter walked into the right hash marks and fired, but Stoever was able to make the save.
The Wildcats were whistled for a penalty in an important time in the game, with just under three minutes remaining before the horn for the second intermission. A handful of key saves and blocked shots, and the Wildcats escaped danger while short-handed and the remaining minute of the second period to maintain a one-goal deficit.
Ouellette made a spectacular stop early in the third to keep his team down by one, as a driving Falcon walked across the crease from the corner and tried to stuff it in the far side. Ouellette made the sprawling save, extending his leg to meet the puck and losing his glove in the process.
The ‘Cats got what they were looking for, and tied the game at two-a-piece five minutes into the game. A hardworking play, Lewandowski took on two Falcon defenders in the left corner and retrieved the puck for Slipec who followed up the play. Slipec took a look and saw Hutchinson walking in all alone from the point, made the perfect pass, and beat a sprawling Stoever over the glove hand.
The Falcons would retake the lead off a broken play with eight minutes to go in the game. An initial Falcon shot took a deflection that landed on the stick of Brody Waters who had an open cage to look at as Ouellette was square to the initial shot attempt.
The Wildcats were forced into another crucial defensive situation, as the Falcons were awarded a power play with just north of four minutes remaining in the game while down a goal. The Falcons were able to capitalize, as the puck went low to O’Hara below the goal line who in the same motion slid a pass to Waters in the slot who fired a one-timer past the stick side of Ouellette.
The Falcons were whistled for an unsportsmanlike penalty after scoring, and the ‘Cats had an opportunity of its own. The penalty expired, but the Wildcats continued on the forecheck. Cliche found himself with room to work in the slot and fired a wicked wrister over the shoulder of Stoever, and the ‘Cats were back down one goal with 30 seconds remaining.
The ‘Cats had a slapshot from the point with a handful of seconds left that just missed the crossbar, and the Falcons skated away with the 4-3 win.
