HOUGHTON, Mich. – For the second consecutive night the game-winning goal was scored in the first period as the Michigan Tech Huskies (1-1-4, 1-1-0 WCHA) scored two first-period goals in their 4-1 defeat of the Northern Michigan University Wildcats (2-4-0, 1-1-0 WCHA) on Saturday, October 26.  The victory for MTU marked a split of the two-game home-and-home series between the Huskies and Wildcats.  The Wildcats won 2-0 on Friday (Oct. 25) in Marquette, Mich., before travelling to Houghton, Mich. to fall to the Huskies on Saturday (Oct. 26). The two teams will face each other again in February.

Blake Hietala put the Huskies on the board at 6:33 of the first period when he buried his first goal of the season on Wildcat goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom. Max Vallis assisted on the goal. A minute later (7:34) Hietala scored again, this time off the face-off while the Huskies were on the power play. Hietala's second tally was assisted by David Johnstone and Daniel Holmberg.  The Huskies carried the 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

Just 39 seconds into the second frame MTU's Alex Petan score an even strength goal, assisted by Mike Neville and Shane Hanna.  Wildcat senior Stephan Vigier responded just 38 seconds later when he scored an unassisted goal at 1:17 of the second period.  Huskie forward Johnstone put the final goal of the night past Wildcat goalie Mathias Dahlstrom at 7:37 of the second period.  Shane Hanna and Mike Neville assisted on the goal. 

Pheonix Copley had 14 saves on the night for the Huskies while Dahlstrom ended the night with 29 saves on 33 shots.  Tanner Kero and Walker Hyland each had four shots for the Huskies while Reed Seckel led the Wildcats with three. 

Northern Michigan proved to be the more penalized team as they served 29 minutes on 9 penalties while the Huskies were whistled for 5 infractions totaling 10 minutes.  The Wildcats were 0 for 5 on the power play while Michigan Tech went 1 for 7. 

Up next for the hockey Wildcats is the first of two regular season trips to Alaska. The Wildcats will travel to Fairbanks, Alaska next weekend (Nov. 1-2) to play the Nanooks. The puck will drop both nights at 11:07 p.m. (eastern time) and both games will be broadcast on 100.3 The Point.