Altricter and Romer score twice for the Wildcats in win over Bemidji State
BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Northern Michigan University men’s hockey team opened its first road trip of 2025 with a win, defeating the Bemidji State Beavers 4-1 from the Sanford Center.
The Wildcats (3-19-1, 2-12-1 CCHA) have now won two of its last three games, collecting six of a possible nine CCHA points and scoring eight goals in that frame. The Beavers (8-11-4, 5-7-3 CCHA) are now 0-3-1 since the holiday break and winless its past seven games.
Freshman Jakub Altrichter (2-8–10) broke out with his first two career collegiate goals and game-winning goal to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes of play, both coming in four-on-four situations.
Netminder Ryan Ouellette had a solid night between the pipes, making 24 saves on 25 shots for a .960 SV%, with the Beavers only goal of the evening coming on the teams only power-play opportunity early in the third period.
Late in the final period, Matthew Romer (5-3–8) caused a turnover and stormed in a breakaway to give the ‘Cats its two-goal lead back before sealing the deal with the empty new goal with under a minute left.
The Wildcats were outshot 26-11, marking the first time the ‘Cats won a game with 11 or fewer shots since 10/10/2008 in a 5-2 win against Michigan Tech.
How It Happened
On the ‘Cats first two shot attempts of the game, Altrichter made a slick move to the forehand and out waited a sprawling Sholl. Altricher slid the puck past the netminder, but it deflected off the post. The rebound came right to Ewart at the top of the crease who batted it back towards a wide-open net, but a sprawling Beaver defender made a save to keep the puck across the line.
NM hit the post, and had some shots blocked, but only registered one shot on target in the opening 20 minutes of play. The last time NMU only recorded one shot on goal in the first period was on 11/16/2012 in a 2-0 loss to Ohio State.
The ‘Cats once again had the best chance to start the period and the best chance of the game for NMU. Ewart walked the blueline and fed a backhand pass to Hutchinson in the near side corner. Hutchinson made a seeing-eye cross-seam pass to Altrichter sneaking down the left wing who fired a one-timer from the faceoff dot, but Sholl made a sprawling glove save to keep the puck from crossing the line.
The two sides took offsetting minor penalties and the teams skated four-on-four midway through the period. Altrichter circled in the bottom right corner before moving to the forehand around his defender. Altrichter stepped between the two faceoff circles and fired a wicked wrister over the catching hand of Sholl on the short side.
The teams were whistled for another pair of offsetting minors, and once again it was Altrichter scoring. Slipec gained the blueline on the left wing in on a two-on-one rush with his centerman streaking down the right-hand side. Slipec made a perfect pass into the wheelhouse of Altrichter who fired a one-timer over the glove and past the ear of Sholl to double-up the ‘Cats lead.
The ‘Cats were whistled for a penalty just two minutes into the final frame, and the Beavers had the game’s first man-advantage. After a great minute and a half of work by the ‘Cats, Funk let go a pass that traveled through everything and found Martin on the back door, giving him a tap-in to bring the Beavers within one.
The Wildcats regained its two-goal advantage late in the third period, this time from the stick of Romer. The Wildcat forward stole the puck from a Beaver defender at the Wildcat blue line and scampered in on Sholl with defenders close on his heels. Romer made a decisive forehand-backhand move and slid the puck over the line before crashing into the end wall.
