MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University hockey team returns home for the first time since January as they host four games in the span of six days inside the Berry Events Center.
The team first faces off against the University of Alabama Huntsville Feb. 16-17 in a conference series rescheduled from earlier this season. Although the games are to be played in Marquette, the Chargers will be the designated home team. Puck drop on game one is set for 4:37 p.m. Tuesday before a 7:07 p.m. start on Wednesday.
NMU returns to the ice Feb. 20-21 when they take on No. 13/13 Bowling Green State University Falcons. The two teams previously met in a non-conference series in Ohio earlier this season. Game one is set for a 6:07 p.m. start on Saturday, Feb. 20, before a 4:07 p.m. start the following day to conclude the regular season series.
In the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the Wildcats currently sit in third place, just three points behind the visiting Falcons however, BGSU has two games in hand on NMU.
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WEEKLY NOTES
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AGAINST THE CHARGERS |
In 31 all-time contests between the Wildcats and the Chargers, NMU owns a 19-8-4 advantage over the team from down South.
Their last road trip to Huntsville, Alabama saw the two teams split the regular season finale as the Chargers took game one, 4-2, before NMU won game two, 3-1. Two current Wildcats scored on night two to lift their team to victory, including Garrett Klee with the shorthanded chance to open the scoring.
NMU held the 3-1 edge in last season's meetings, including a home sweep to open November.
Ten current NMU icers highlighted the box score last season against UAH, including Nolan Kent and Tanner Vescio who both registered their first career points against the Chargers. Kent had the primary assist on the Wildcats' second goal of the game in a 4-2 victory (Nov. 2, 2019) while Vescio registered an assist on the final goal of the first game at UAH (Nov. 29, 2019).
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AGAINST THE FALCONS |
The two teams met earlier this season in Bowling Green, Ohio as the then-seventh ranked Falcons earned the weekend sweep over the Wildcats.
Vincent de Mey led the team in points on the weekend, netting two goals and an assist for a three-point weekend while Joseph Nardi had a pair of assists.
Jett Jungels tallied his first career point and goal in game two of the weekend series, scoring the Wildcats' first goal of the contest.
All-time, the Falcons hold a narrow edge in victories, owning a 51-55-9 record over the Wildcats.
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FOLLOW ALONG |
Social Media: https://twitter.com/NMU_Wildcats and https://twitter.com/NMUHockey
Live Stats (Tues.): https://www.nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2020-21/boxscores/20210216_fypa.xml
Live Stats (Wed.): https://www.nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2020-21/boxscores/20210217_gi86.xml
Live Stats (Sat.): https://www.nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2020-21/boxscores/20210220_w575.xml
Live Stats (Sun.): https://www.nmuwildcats.com/sports/mice/2020-21/boxscores/20210221_xipu.xml
Radio: http://www.rrnsports.com/
Video: http://share.flosports.tv/SHI1
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LAST TIME OUT |
The Wildcats most recently swept then-No. 17 Bemidji State. Six individuals scored for NMU on the weekend, including Joseph Nardi and Garrett Klee who each tallied two goals apiece.
Andre Ghantous had five points on the weekend off a goal and four assists, leading the team and all WCHA players in both points and assists on the weekend. His five points and four assists was also second-best among all NCAA Division I players.
Mikey Colella picked up his first collegiate point on Friday night, registering an assist on Nardi's opening goal of the weekend.
On the weekend, NMU outscored the Beavers 8-3 as 12 skaters highlighted the box score.
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NATIONAL RANKINGS |
- 3rd – Andre Ghantous' 13 assists in 14 games puts him third nationally in assists per game (0.93).
- 6th – Joseph Nardi's 1.28 points per game (9-14-23) over the first 18 games of the season ranks sixth nationally.
- 9th – With their shorthanded tallies on the same penalty Friday night, Ghantous and Garrett Klee are tied for ninth in the country in shorthanded goals.
- 12th –Ghantous, who has 17 points in 14 games played, ranks 12th in the nation in points per game with a 1.21 average.
- 15th – AJ Vanderbeck's team-leading 10 goals in 18 games ranks 15th nationally in goals per game (0.56).
- 15th – Nardi, who has 14 assists in 18 games played, ranks 15th in the nation in a/gm (0.78).
- 24th – Nardi and Vanderbeck each boast two game-winning goals for 24th in the nation.
- 25th – Nardi boasts nine goals in 18 games for a 0.50 g/gm average, 25th among all NCAA icers.
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THANK YOU, TIM MCINTOSH |
On Tuesday, January 5, a voice synonymous with NMU Hockey announced his retirement. Serving as the PA announcer since 1976, Tim McIntosh spent 44 years announcing Wildcat hockey games and his legendary "WWWWILDCAT GOAL" will forever ring through the Berry Events Center. Northern Michigan University Athletics and the NMU Hockey program wish to thank Tim for his years of dedication to their program.
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2020-21 AWARD WINNERS |
The most recent Wildcat award winners include Andre Ghantous (forward) and Rico DiMatteo (rookie) as players of the week following the team's weekend sweep of then-17th ranked Bemidji State in mid-February. Ghantous led both the team and league in points (5) and assists (4) over the weekend and was second nationally in both categories as well. DiMatteo continued his impressive start to his collegiate career between the pipes, remaining undefeated in his first three games with a pair of wins over the Beavers. He made 47 saves on 50 shots faced in the two-game stretch while boasting a 1.46 goals against average and .940 save percentage.
Following their performance against FSU in late January, both Griffin Loughran and Tim Erkkila were named Western Collegiate Hockey Association Players of the Week. Loughran registered five points on the weekend, leading the league in the category, while Erkkila recorded his first career point in game one before a two-assist night on Saturday for the first multi-point game of his career.
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ON THE RETURNERS |
NMU brings back 17 individuals who saw ice-time in the 2019-20 season, including all three goaltenders and three of its top-four scorers. The team returns 79 goals from the 2019-20 season as well as 219 points, including league-leading scorer Griffin Loughran who posted 39 points (23-16-39) as a sophomore.
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FRESH FACES |
The Wildcats add 14 new faces to the team in 2020-21, including transfers David Keefer, Connor Ryckman, and Alex Frye.
After sitting out the 2019-20 season due to transfer requirements, Keefer looks poised to make an impact on the offensive side of the puck while Ryckman will likely battle returning Wildcat goaltender Nolan Kent for the starting position.
Jett Jungels returns to the lineup having sat out last season due to injury. He will provide a veteran look to the rookie class.
Joining him at forward are seven others who all dominated at the junior level and look to contribute to the Wildcat offensive efforts early.
At the blue line, the Wildcats look to replace former All-American captain Phil Beaulieu as they welcome five fresh faces who hope to make an immediate impact to the defensive efforts.
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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 2020-21 WCHA Preseason Coaches' Poll. The media picked Northern Michigan to finish fourth as well through the regular season, behind only unanimous favorite Minnesota State, Bemidji State and Bowling Green.
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2020-21 CAPTAINS |
A pair of seniors will lead the Wildcats in 2020-21 as Joseph Nardi was chosen as team captain after serving as an assistant last year, while Ben Newhouse will be the lone team alternate captain.
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YEAR FOUR UNDER COACH POTULNY |
Wildcat head coach Grant Potulny enters his fourth season behind the Wildcat bench. In three previous seasons with the team, Coach Potulny boasts a 64-47-9 record and has led the team to two 20+ win seasons in his three seasons at the helm. Last season the team ranked as high as 15th in the nation, their highest ranking under the current head coach. 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. 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.
