MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Wildcats of Northern Michigan return home to host Western Collegiate Hockey Association foe, Alabama Huntsville, this Friday and Saturday, November 1-2. Northern Michigan is coming off a weekend sweep at Ferris State and are currently tied for second in the WCHA with six points and a 2-0-0-0 record. Puck drop for Friday night is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. before a 6:07 p.m. start on Saturday.
Overall, the Wildcats are 4-1-1 on the season and have the second longest undefeated stretch in the nation, with a 4-0-1 record in their last five games.
WEEKLY NOTES
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AGAINST THE CHARGERS |
In 27 all-time meetings between the Wildcats and Chargers, Northern Michigan holds a 16-7-4 edge, including a 1-0-1 record last season.
In Friday’s 2-2 tie, the Wildcats scored two power play goals to force the overtime period in Huntsville. They bounced back Saturday night with a 6-3 win, including two additional power play tallies. Eight current members of the team found their name on the box score against the Chargers, including senior captain Philip Beaulieu who posted a team-best four points on the weekend off four helpers.
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FOLLOW ALONG |
Social Media: https://twitter.com/NMU_Wildcats and https://twitter.com/NMUHockey
Radio: http://www.rrnsports.
com/
Live Stats: http://www.nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2019-20/boxscores/20191101_qx4u.xml
Video: http://bit.ly/32loSGT
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LAST TIME OUT |
Last weekend, the Wildcats swept the Bulldogs of Ferris State in their first WCHA series of the season. Northern Michigan outscored their opponent 10-7 en route to 4-3 and 6-4 victories in Big Rapids, Michigan. Fourteen Wildcats found their name on the box score, including nine who had their name highlighted multiple times.
Griffin Loughran headlined the weekend with his game-winning goal Friday evening before a second straight game-winner on top of his first career hat trick Saturday night to help his team complete the weekend sweep. Garrett Klee, Adam Roeder and Mitchel Slattery all netted their first goals of the year against Ferris State while Luke Voltin tallied his first point of the season behind an assist on Friday night.
John Hawthorne saved 32 shots in Friday’s contest for a .914 save percentage, backstopping the Wildcats to a 4-3 victory Friday evening before Nolan Kent took over between the pipes Saturday night in a 6-4 win, stopping 39 shots faced for a .907 save percentage.
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NATIONAL RANKINGS |
For the first time in the 2019-20 season, the Wildcats broke into the national rankings at No. 20 of the USCHO Poll released Monday, October 28.
- With two game-winners at Ferris State, sophomore forward Griffin Loughran leads the nation in game-winning goals with three.
- Loughran also ranks among the nation’s best in goals per game (third, 1.00) and power play goals (sixth, 2).
- The other Wildcat leader in points, Vincent de Mey is second nationally in power play goals (3), tied with Loughran in goals per game (third, 1.00) and 12th in game-winners (1).
- At the last line of defense, both John Hawthorne and Nolan Kent rank in the top-15 of goaltenders in the nation. Hawthorne is seventh in overall win percentage, with a 2-0-1 record for .833 average while Kent is 15th with a .667 percentage behind a 2-1-0 record. The rookie netminder also ranks sixth in shutouts following the 2-0 win in his first career start.
- The team has the ninth best scoring offense, averaging 3.83 goals per game and their .750 win percentage is eighth in the nation. Heading into their series against Alabama Huntsville they hold the second longest undefeated streak in the nation with a 4-0-1 record in their last five games.
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WEEKLY AWARDS |
After their weekend sweep at Ferris State to open WCHA play, Griffin Loughran and Nolan Kent were named players of the week by the league. Loughran scored four goals in two games in Big Rapids, including the game-winner Friday night before netting his first-career hat trick in Saturday’s win. His six goals on the season and eight total points are tied for the team lead with Vincent de Mey. Earning the first WCHA victory of his career in Saturday’s 6-4 victory over Ferris State, Kent stopped a career-high 39 shots for a .907 save percentage.
Previous Wildcat honors include Vincent de Mey who was named WCHA Forward of the Week following his three-point weekend against Michigan State. He earned the honor for the second consecutive week after his three-goal weekend at Boston University.
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NEW AT HOME IN 2019-20 |
New this season, a hospitality room will be available for fans to purchase tickets to ahead of time. Located in the Wildcat Room of the Berry Events Center, admission will include a pre-game dinner buffet, bar, snacks and coat check.
Single game tickets are now on sale for the NMU Hockey Hospitality Room and can only be purchased in advance of the game not on the night of the game.
- Single game tickets are $30 per ticket/person
- Season tickets are $360 per ticket/person
- Half season tickets are $200 per ticket/person (either Friday or Saturday)
Your ticket to the hospitality room includes:
- Pre-game dinner buffet (e.g., burger bar, gourmet pizza, pulled pork station, etc.) served from 5:45 - 7:07 p.m. on Fridays and 4:45 - 6:07 p.m. on Saturdays
- 2 drink tickets per game (i.e., soda, water, beer, wine, and call liquor) to be used during pre-game or intermissions
- Coat check
- Intermission snacks (e.g., pretzels, popcorn, etc.)
Tickets can be purchased through NMU ticketing (online at tickets.nmu.edu or through the various ticket outlets). The NMU Ticket Office at the Berry Events Center is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by calling 906-227-1032. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be available the night of the game.
-Tickets are limited and will be sold on a first come, first served basis.
-Entrance to the room will be limited to ticket-bearers, alcohol sales will be limited to those over 21 with valid ID.
-Tickets are issued on a game-by-game basis (similarly to hockey tickets). The ticket bearer will then be exchange their ticket at the entrance to the Wildcat Room for drink tickets and room access for the night. This will also then allow you to have the flexibility to have different users use the tickets on different nights if you use the season ticket option (similarly to season hockey tickets).
-Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be available the night of the game.
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ON THE RETURNERS |
Seventeen members of the 2018-19 squad will lace their skates up again for the Wildcats this season. Nolan Kent looks strong in net as the last line of defense, taking over for all-time Wildcat program leader Atte Tolvanen who was named WCHA Goaltender of the Year in 2018-19. On the blueline, the Wildcats return three members of last season's team, including reigning WCHA Defenseman of the Year in senior captain Philip Beaulieu. He is joined by fellow senior Rylan Yaremko and junior Adam Roeder. Eleven Wildcats are back at the front, in two seniors, three juniors and six sophomores. The offense talent amassed 114 of the Wildcats' total 282 points last season.
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FRESH FACES |
The Wildcats add nine newcomers to the team in 2019-20 as well as junior defenseman, Ben Newhouse, who sat out the 2018-19 season due to transfer requirements. The team also added three goaltenders in the offseason, two of which look to split time between the pipes with sophomore netminder, Nolan Kent.
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MAKING UP POINTS |
In the off-season, Northern Michigan lost 46% of their point-scoring to graduation but the 2019-20 squad seems poised to fill those shoes. Two rising seniors made up part of the team's top-five scorers last year in Philip Beaulieu (6-29-35) and Darien Craighead (10-10-20). The veteran duo now looks to lead the young team to even more time in the offensive zone
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PRESEASON RANKINGS |
The Wildcats were pegged to finish fourth in the WCHA this season as voted on by the league's coaches in the 2019-20 Mankato Free Press WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The media picked Northern Michigan to finish third through the regular season, behind only unanimous favorite Minnesota State and Bowling Green.
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2019-20 CAPTAINS |
Having served as an alternate captain in 2018-19, senior defenseman Philip Beaulieu (Duluth, Minn.) was named captain of the 2019-20 squad prior to the season.
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YEAR THREE UNDER COACH POTULNY |
The third head coach in NMU Hockey history enters his third season behind the bench in 2019-20. In two seasons with the team, Potulny has led the Wildcats to two 20+ win seasons and boasts a career head coaching record of 46-31-5. Last season the team went 21-16-2, which included a berth in the WCHA semifinals where they faced Bowling Green. In his first season at the helm of the Wildcats, Potulny's team recorded a 25-15-3 season, it's first 25-win season since 2001-02 and advanced to the WCHA Championship game.
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50 YEARS OF WOMEN IN SPORT |
Throughout the 2019-20 season, the Wildcats will celebrate the history of Women's Sports at Northern Michigan. Fans are encouraged to contribute with their favorite and most memorable moments and athletes of NMU women's sports. Please go to THIS LINK to contribute your favorite or most memorable moment and athletes. More information on this year's celebration can be found HERE.
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UP NEXT |
The four week home stand continues for the Wildcats next weekend when St. Cloud State comes to town (November 8-9). Last season in St. Cloud, Minnesota, then-freshman Griffin Loughran recorded his first collegiate goal on the power play, assisted by current Wildcat forward Mitchel Slattery.
