MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan hockey team fell to Alabama-Huntsville, 4-1, Friday night at the Berry Events Center.

The first period was even, with both teams firing 10 shots on net. At 9:32, Dominik Shine netted a shorthanded goal to give the Wildcats a 1-0 advantage. After winning a battle along the boards in the neutral zone, he skated in on net, drew the puck from his forehand to his backhand and then slid it through Jordan Uhelski's five hole.

Less than five minutes later, Cody Marooney batted a bouncing puck past Atte Tolvanen to tie the game at one apiece. With seven seconds remaining in the frame, Brandon Parker fired a shot just over Tolvanen's glove from the outside hash marks of the right circle to put the Chargers up, 2-1.

Alabama-Huntsville outshot Northern Michigan, 17-7, in the middle stanza and extended its lead to 4-1 after netting two goals in a three-minute window just past the halfway point.

At 12:49, Max McHugh won a face-off and sent the puck back to John Teets at the point. Teets's shot was blocked by Denver Pierce, but the puck deflected to McHugh, who beat Tolvanen blocker side. Then, at 15:10, Josh Kestner finished off a transition play by firing a shot just past Tolvanen's outstretched skate.

In the third period, Uhelski made eight saves to keep the Wildcats from cutting into the Chargers' lead. One of his best came in the final minute when he stretched out to make a pad save on Darien Craighead after Philip Beaulieu set him up for a look with a drop pass.

Northern Michigan and Alabama-Huntsville wrap up their series tomorrow at 7:07 p.m. The Wildcats will hold their annual Teddy Bear toss during the first intermission.

NOTES: Northern Michigan leads the all-time series, 11-3-3 ... Shine's goal was his team-leading sixth of the season; it was also Northern Michigan's fifth shorthanded tally ... Tolvanen finished with 29 saves  ... The Wildcats held the Chargers scoreless on six power-play opportunities; they have now only allowed two power-play goals on 27 opportunities over their past five games ... This was Alabama-Huntsville's first victory over Northern Michigan at the Berry Events Center; the Wildcats were 7-0-1 against the Chargers on their home ice entering the game.