Photo courtesy of BSU Photo Services

BEMIDJI, Minn. -- The Northern Michigan University hockey team completed the road sweep of No. 17 Bemidji State University with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Beavers Saturday night.

It took the NMU skaters just 22 seconds to find the back of the net, hitting twine on their first shot of the night as Andre Ghantous carried the puck along the far boards before Joseph Nardi deflected the puck through the five-hole for the opening tally.

Both sides had a handful of chances throughout the remainder of the period, including two crossbars for the Wildcats as they took the 1-0 lead to the locker room after one period of play.

Rico DiMatteo robbed the Beavers of a few chances as well, including stifling a breakaway chance with less than three minutes left in the period to keep a clean slate through the first 20 minutes between the pipes.

With 2:07 gone in the second period, the Beavers found the back of the net to even things up at 1-1.

Both teams killed their first penalties of the contest to remain tied at one as the Wildcats continued to pressure the Beavers end with shots. They finally capitalized as Garrett Klee picked up a rebound in the slot at 14:37 of the middle frame for the second NMU tally of the night.

The Wildcats carried the 2-1 lead into the final period, leading the Beavers in shots through 40 minutes of play, 22-20.

BSU would tie things up midway through the final period to force the overtime session as the Beavers held the edge in shots heading into the extra session on hockey, 29-26.

Although both sides saw chances in the extra period of play, the Wildcats dominated the shots on net, 4-0, including the final game-winning shot from Ben Newhouse with 3:03 elapsed in the overtime frame. 

The Wildcats finished the evening with 30 shots on net while DiMatteo stopped 27 of 29 shots faced in net for NMU.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 7-11-0 on the season and are 5-3-0 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play.

GOALS

• For the second straight game, Joseph Nardi gave his Wildcats the 1-0 lead, lighting the lamp on his first shift of the game, sneaking the puck through the five-hole of the BSU netminder just 22 seconds into the first period. Andre Ghantous earned the primary assist while Mikey Colella also tallied a point on the goal.

• David Keefer carried the puck into the Beaver zone where he fired a wrister on net which hit the right pad of BSU's Driscoll in goal for the second attempt. Garrett Klee stood at the ready in the slot as the rebound landed on the tape of his stick for the 2-1 tally and his second goal of the weekend.

• Ben Newhouse's first goal of the season came at the perfect time as the senior net the overtime game-winning goal. Ghantous and Newhouse rushed down the ice as the pair formed a two-on-one chance. Ghantous fired the puck over to Newhouse who sent the puck high on the blocker side for the 3-2 victory.

KEY STATS

• The Wildcats posted 30 shots on net in the victory while allowing 29. Rico DiMatteo stood tall in net, stopping 27 of the 29 shots faced Saturday night.

• The Wildcats were perfect on the penalty kill, denying every shot on the Beaver's two man-advantage chances, including in the final five minutes of the third period.

• Mikey Colella led the team in shots with six on net, while Ben Newhouse registered four shots on goal, including the game-winner in overtime to complete the sweep.

• Three Wildcats own point-streaks following the win. Ghantous, who skated in his 50th career game Saturday night, had two assists to improve to four goals and 11 assists in his last seven games for a 15-point run. Joseph Nardi has eight points in his last four games, including four goals and four assists, and Garrett Klee now rides a two-game point-streak having scored a goal in both contests against BSU this weekend.

• 3rd - Ghantous' 13 assists in 14 games played ranks third in the country in assists/per game average (0.93)

• 5th - Following his goal in the first period, Nardi's 1.28 points per game (18 GP; 9-14-23) ranks fifth in the nation.

• 13th - Ghantous averages 1.21 points per game for 13th nationally as the sophomore forward had 17 points off four goals and 13 assists in 14 games played.

• 25th - The senior captain, Nardi is averaging a goal every other game this season (0.50 g/gm) and ranks 25th in the nation in the category.

UP NEXT

The men return to the Berry Events Center for four games in the next eight days, beginning with a two-game mid-week series against the Chargers of Alabama-Huntsville, Feb. 16-17. The team then returns to the ice to face Bowling Green State University Feb. 20-21.