HOUGHTON, Mich. – Senior Wildcat defenseman Mitch Jones (Delta, B.C.) scored at 2:47 of overtime to give the Northern Michigan University Hockey Wildcats a 5-4 win over their Upper Peninsula rival Michigan Tech Huskies.  The Wildcats improve to 9-6-5, 6-6-4 in the WCHA as the Huskies fall to 15-6-1, 10-3-1 in the WCHA.  The overtime match-up was the second consecutive night of overtime for the two teams.

Robbie Payne (freshman, Gaylord, Mich.) opened the scoring on the night at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena at 18:37 of the first period as he scored his third goal of the season, Zach Diamantoni (freshman, Boca Raton, Fla.) assisted on the goal. Just 1:12 later Wildcat senior defenseman Luke Eibler (Pickney, Mich.) added to the Wildcat lead when he scored an unassisted goal to close out the first period. Both first period Wildcat goals were scored at even strength against Husky goaltender Jamie Phillips, who was pulled after the opening period of play.

Michigan Tech came out in the second period and tied the game with a pair of even strength goals.  The first came just one minute into the period as Tyler Heinonen beat the Wildcat defenders and sophomore goalie Mathias Dahlstrom (Smedjebacken, Sweden), and the second came at 8:56 and was scored by Dylan Steman.

Malcolm Gould gave Michigan Tech their first lead of the game at 12:20 on the Husky power play.  Just 46 seconds later the Wildcats responded with a power play goal of their own when junior center Darren Nowick (Long Beach, Calif.) lit the lamp to tie the game at 3-3, with John Siemer (sophomore, Baldwin Park, Calif.) and Reed Seckel (senior, Melvin, Mich.) assisted on the goal.  Brent Baltus closed out the second period scoring when he scored for Michigan Tech at 18:58, giving the Huskies a 4-3 lead.

The Wildcats and Huskies traded chances in the third period until the 5:11 mark when defenseman Mitch Jones scored a power play goal from the left point with assists going to Brock Maschmeyer (sophomore, Bruederheim, Alta.) and Zach Diamantoni.

The Wildcats had seven penalties for 14 minutes, giving the Huskies four power plays.  The Wildcat had three power play opportunities on 12 Husky penalty minutes from six infractions. 

Dahlstrom finished the game with 34 saves on 38 shots for the Wildcats.   Phillips had five saves on seven shots for the Huskies while Matt Winties finished the game with 16 saves on 19 shots.