SAULT Ste. MARIE, Mich. — After a hot start, including a goal just 29 seconds into the contest, the Northern Michigan University hockey team fell 4-1 at Lake Superior State University, Saturday, Dec. 11.

The two teams went over 50 minutes tied at 1-1, but a pair of Wildcat penalties and an empty net goal late in regulation determined the Wildcats' fate in the final game of 2021.

It took the Wildcats just 29 seconds to light the lamp as Ben Newhouse opened the scoring with his third of the season.

The Lakers tied things back up at 5:12 with a redirected pass out front which beat the right pad of Rico DiMatteo for the 1-1 score.

After a tightly contested first period, the score remained tied at one-all while shots read 5-5 on the board.

DiMatteo registered four saves in the opening frame as the Wildcat defensive corp stood tall in front of the goaltender, blocking three shots fired.

A chippy period, particularly late in the second, came to a close without another goal as the Lakers held the narrow edge in shots, up 15-14. 

NMU had three power plays in the second stanza but were unable to capitalize on the man-advantage and carried the 1-1 score into the third period.

The two teams skated even for the majority of the period before NMU was called for a slash at 5:57 of the period, successfully killing the penalty.

With 5:11 to play in regulation, the Wildcats were called for two minor penalties and had to skate on the wrong end of a five-on-three chance. LSSU capitalized on their power play, making it 2-1 with 3:56 to play.

With one man remaining in the box for NMU, the Lakers struck again to make it 3-1 with three seconds remaining on the penalty kill.

LSSU was whistled for a trip at 18:05 of the third period, looking to get those two goals back from their earlier kills attempts.

The Wildcats opted for the extra attacker as a Laker was sent to the box for a trip with less than two minutes to play in regulation. Despite creating lots of pressure in the offensive zone, the Lakers intercepted a pass and fired the puck the length of the ice into the empty net for the 4-1 final.

Rico DiMatteo registered 18 saves in the contest while the Wildcats fired just 15 shots on goal.


GOALS

• Ben Newhouse opened the scoring Saturday night as his shot from the near-impossible angle found its way to the back of the net, bouncing off the far post and over the goal line. David Keefer and Hank Crone each recorded an assist on the tally.

KEY STATS

• The Wildcats had 15 shots on goal while also having 15 shots blocked by the Laker defense. On the other end of the ice, NMU registered 12 blocked shots, led by Ben Newhouse with three. Connor Marritt also tallied multiple blocked shots, stepping in front of two shots to keep it close late.
• Although he was unable to find the back of the net for the first time in seven games, AJ Vanderbeck led the team in total shots, sending seven attempts towards the net, two of which managed to get to the goaltender.
• Trevor Cosgrove had three shots on goal for a team best, ripping four total shots off.
• Hank Crone tallied the second assist on Ben Newhouse's goal to improve his point streak to five games (1-8-9).

UP NEXT
The Wildcats enter the semester break with a 10-8-1 record and are 8-3-1 in their last 12 outings.

NMU returns home to the Berry Events Center for the first five games of 2022, beginning with a non-conference series against Colgate University, Jan. 7-8.