MARQUETTE, Mich. – The Northern Michigan University hockey team battled No. 14 Bowling Green to a 5-5 overtime tie in the opening game of a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series Friday at the Berry Events Center.

The tie moved No. 19 NMU to 8-3-2 with a 5-3-1 WCHA record while BGSU moved to 10-3-2 with a 7-1-1 league ledger.

NMU and Bowling Green started fast as the two squads combined for nine goals in the first two periods of action.

NMU went up 1-0 when sophomore forward Shane Sooth scored on the power play with assists from sophomore John Siemer and junior Ryan Trenz at the 5:49 mark of the first period. Trenz and Siemer both sent shots on goal before Sooth put in the rebound for the first score of the game.  

Ben Greiner then scored two straight even strength goals to give the Falcons a 2-1 advantage converting a  scoring chance from Sean Walker and Matt Pohlkamp at the 7:26 mark of the first and then scoring another on assists from Ben Murphy and Mitchell McLain at the 11:38 mark.

Sophomore Gerard Hanson evened the score for the Wildcats in the final minute when senior forward Reed Seckel bounced the puck out of the zone to sophomore forward Darren Nowick who sent the puck to Hanson who sent a wrister into the net at the 17:45 mark of the first period.

Dajon Mingo retook the lead for the Falcons just 1:22 into the second period, 3-2.

Sophomore defenseman Brock Maschmeyer scored his first of two goals when he evened the contest at 3-3 on assists from sophomore forward Sami Salminen and freshman defenseman Jordan Klimek. Maschmeyer took a feed from Salminen who played the puck from Klimek and fired the puck off BGSU goalie Tommy Burke's blocker and into the net.

Brandon Hawkins then scored back-to-back goals at the 8:59 and 10:48 marks of the second to take a 5-3 lead.

Salminen cut the lead to one goal when he scored his first goal of the season on an assist from Klimek. Salminen took the feed from Klimek who was behind the net and found the back of the net from the left side.

The game continued with the Falcons in the lead 5-4 until late in the third period. Maschmeyer tied the game to force overtime on an assist from Seckel with 3:21 left in regulation. Maschmeyer took a bouncing puck from Seckel and sent it past Burke's glove to even the contest at 5-5.

Both teams went 1-2 on the power play and had two penalties for four minutes in the box.

Sophomore goalie Mathias Dahlstrom made 37 saves including 20 in the second period while Burke made 28 saves in the outing.

Bowling Green outshot the Wildcats 42-33 in the game including a 23-10 advantage in the second period. Senior captain Jake Baker led NMU with five shots while senior defenseman Mitch Jones added four.

"I think this is a tough weekend after the Alaska trip and Friday night is the tougher night. You are mentally fatigued you are tired, you aren't winning races to pucks," said NMU head coach Walt Kyle. "But, I give Bowling Green a lot of credit. I think they played really well we were fortunate to tie the game and get the points, I thought we were a little better as the game went on. We have to give our guys credit they won the third period when they were tired and I think that is indicative of the credit we have on our team."

NMU and Bowling Green will complete their WCHA series on Saturday. Puck drop at the Berry Events Center is set for 7:07 p.m.