MARQUETTE, Mich. – The NMU hockey team dropped its penultimate home game of the season by a score of 3-0 to the St. Thomas Tommies.
The Wildcats (5-25-1, 4-18-1 CCHA) had scored two or more goals in nine of its last eleven games, including the last four games straight, before Jake Sibell and the Tommies snapped its streak. St. Thomas (13-13-5, 10-9-4 CCHA) scored twice in the first period thanks to a pair of fortunate bounces before scoring late in the third on an empty net goal to seal the deal.
Reigning CCHA Goaltender of the Week, St. Thomas senior netminder Jake Sibell, made all 21 saves on the evening, earning him his first career collegiate shutout.
Hobey Baker Award nominee Liam Malmquist snapped his six-game point drought with a pair of assists, and Lucas Wahlin scored a goal and assist.
The Wildcats went 2/2 on the penalty kill and were unsuccessful on its only man-advantage opportunity of the night.
NMU now looks to tomorrow night, celebrating its seniors before puck-drop on the final home contest of 2024/25.
How It Happened
The Tommies opened the scoring with a fortunate bounce, as a shot from the point ricocheted off the back wall, off the back side of Ouellette, and into the back of the net to give the Tommies a 1-0 lead.
The Tommies capitalized on another fortunate bounce later in the first. A St. Thomas pass from behind the net was intercepted by a Wildcat defender, but the puck rode up his shaft and into his pants. The puck fell between his feet, and before the defender was able to find the loose change, a Tommie fired it home from between the NMU defender’s legs to double the lead.
After a goalless second period and nineteen minutes of the third, the Tommies scored an empty net goal to seal the game at 3-0.
