MARQUETTE, Mich. — Robbie Payne netted his second goal of the game late in the third period to propel the Northern Michigan hockey team past Minnesota-Duluth, 4-3, in their first meeting at the Berry Events Center since 2010.

The Wildcats erased two deficits to move to 10-9-6 on the season and 3-2-2 in non-conference action.

Neither team could find the back of the net during a disjointed opening frame marred by offsides and icings. Northern Michigan's best scoring opportunity came on its first shot of the game at the 5:57 mark. After taking a cross-ice feed from Shane Sooth, John Siemer made a move to draw Kasimir Kaskisuo out of the net, but Kaskisuo didn't fall for it and covered up his shot.

At 11:40, the Bulldogs were awarded the game's first power play. The Wildcat penalty kill held fast, clogging up the shooting lanes and consistently clearing the puck, and the man advantage ended without a single Minnesota-Duluth shot reaching the net.

Shortly after their second power play expired, Northern Michigan jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 7:18 of the second period when Darren Nowick chipped the puck into the offensive zone and Gerard Hanson beat his defender to it. Hanson curled around the side of the net and sent a shot off Kaskisuo and in.

Minnesota-Duluth responded by netting two goals in a three-minute span to take the lead. First, at 12:29, Dominic Toninato potted a booming Andy Welinski rebound. Then, at 15:13, Adam Johnson finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play from the left circle.

Payne's eighth goal of the year evened the score at 18:14. Fellow sophomore Zach Diamantoni set up the play by picking up a loose puck in the neutral zone and carrying it into the Bulldog end despite being outnumbered three to one. Diamantoni sent a pass back to a trailing Payne, who ultimately roofed his own rebound past Kaskisuo.

Because of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties assessed to Hanson and Austin Farley in the final second of the second, the teams started the third period by skating 4-on-4. Both teams took advantage of the clean and open ice, netting goals 26 seconds apart.

After Welinski put Minnesota-Duluth ahead, 3-2, Brock Maschmeyer evened the score at 1:59, taking a Nowick drop pass and rifling a low shot into the corner of the net. Maschmeyer's goal set up Payne's third game winner of the season. At 15:16, with the Wildcats on the man advantage, Cohen Adair corralled a Siemer rebound and slid it over to Payne for the score.

The teams spent the final minutes of the game on special teams, combining to take six penalties. But the Wildcats kept the Bulldogs from getting many quality chances, and Jordan Klimek iced the game by blocking a heavy Welinski shot in the final seconds.

Northern Michigan and Minnesota-Duluth conclude their series tomorrow at 7:07 p.m.

NOTES: Minnesota-Duluth leads the all-time series, 35-34-1 ...  Northern Michigan last defeated the Bulldogs Oct. 11, 2009, a 3-1 victory in Duluth, Minn ... Payne (2g), Maschmeyer (1g-1a) and Nowick (2a) had multi-point outings ... Payne's goals were his first since his overtime game winner in the Great Lakes Invitational semifinals against Michigan State Dec. 30; this was his third multi-goal effort of the season ... With nine goals, Payne is now tied for second on the team with Nowick ... Nowick became the first Wildcat to reach the 20-point plateau; he is three points shy of his career high set last season ... Maschmeyer's goal was his second in as many games; he netted his first goal since Oct. 16 against Alaska-Fairbanks Jan. 16 ... Hanson ran his point streak to four games with a goal; he has four points (1g-3a) over that span ... Atte Tolvanen made 36 saves to best fellow Finland native Kaskisuo; it was his 12th 30-save effort of the campaign.