Box Score Click Here to Purchase Tickets to NMU Home Games
HOUGHTON, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Hockey Team traveled US-41 up to Michigan Technological University for a storied matchup, falling short in the third period.
Michigan Tech came out hot in the opening minutes of the first period, but starting netminder
Charlie Glockner was prepped and ready, making back to back big saves to help change the momentum.
Glockner showed his dominance within the paint, laying out and stopping two high quality scoring chances for MTU, shots were 6-4 in favor of Michigan Tech with just under 12 minutes to play in the first period.
Michigan Tech's high powered offense lit the lamp first, scoring on a 3-on-1 off a scrambling puck in the neutral zone, Tommy Parrottio netted the goal off a dish from Trenton Bliss at the 11:30 mark.
Charlie Glockner continued to stand tall between the pipes, making back-to-back saves and helping keep NMU within reach. Glockner stopped 22 shots with 14:08 left to go in the second period.
NMU found a spark at the 10:19 mark in the second period, as
Alex Frye turned great defense into great offense, creating an offensive opportunity for
AJ Vanderbeck. Northern generated a slew of offensive scoring chances in the following minutes.
With 8:44 left in the second period,
Trevor Cosgrove was called on a two-minute minor penalty for interference. Michigan Tech took advantage of the power play, as Tommy Parrottino grabbed his second of the night off a pass from Trenton Bliss and Blake Pietila at the 7:44 mark.
AJ Vanderbeck lit the lamp for the Wildcats with 6:25 left in the second to grab a hold of the number one spot in NCAA Division I scoring leaders, assistant captain
Ben Newhouse and
Mikey Colella grabbed the apples on the goal.
MTU answered back at the 59.3 mark when Huskies forward Brian Halonen put it to the back of the night off a pass from Trenton Bliss, Tyrell Buckly added the secondary assist.
After a slow start to the third period, the action picked up, as MTU challenged a potential major penalty. After a quick review, the refs determined there was no foul play and the game continued on.
After a Huskies turnover in the MTU offensive zone,
David Keefer generated a scoring opportunity, passing it along to sharp shooter
AJ Vanderbeck. NMU came close to netting one but were stopped by MTU's goaltender Blake Pietila, just under 10 minutes to play in the third period.
After a post-whistle scrum between
Andre Ghantous and MTU's Trenton Bliss at the 7:46 mark, the refs put the previous play under review, looking for a potential major penalty. Ghantous was pinged with a five minute major for face masking along with a ten-minute misconduct. Trenton Bliss was hit with a two minute for roughing.
Just a few seconds into the four on four, MTU found the back of the net, Logan Pietila netted it for the Huskies off a pass from Brett Thorne and Tommy Parrottio. Tech led 4-1 with seven minutes to play.
With 4:39 left to play in the third period,
Hampus Eriksson was hit with a two minute minor for interference, leaving the 'Cats with a 5-3 penalty kill.
Michigan Tech found themselves serving time with the Wildcats, as Tristan Ashbrook interfered with the NMU defense, making it a 5 on 4 in favor of the Huskies. Just a short while later, MTU netted their fifth goal of the night at the 3:12 mark, Trenton Bliss scored a power play goal off a pass from Tommy Parrottino and Colin Swoyer.
NMU found themselves on the power play as the Huskies forward Ryland Mosley was hit with a two minute minor for slashing.
After a strong third period from Michigan Tech, they grabbed the win on Tuesday, Feb. 1 by a score of 5-1.
GOALS
- Michigan Tech found the net first, as Tommy Parrottio netted one off a pass from Trenton Bliss.
- Tommy Parrottio grabbed his second goal of the night on a Huskies power play goal, Trenton Bliss and Blake Pietila assisted in the play.
- AJ Vanderbeck got the Wildcats on the board during the second period, Ben Newhouse and Mikey Colella collected the assists. Vanderbeck placed himself atop of the rest as he is now the no.1 leader in scoring for NCAA Division I.
- Brian Halonen made the game 3-1 off a pass from fellow linemate Trenton Bliss and defenseman Tyrell Buckly.
- Logan Pietila put one in for the Huskies off a pass from Brett Thorne and Tommy Parrottino.
- The Huskies fifth goal of the night came from Trenton Bliss, with Tommy Parrottino and Colin Swoyer notching the assists.
KEY STATS
- AJ Vanderbeck second period goal places him in first place for most NCAA Division I goals (18) throughout the 2021-2022 season.
- Netminder Charlie Glockner recorded a career high in saves, stopping 44 of 49 shots, the most shots saved since Nov. 12, 2021 when Rico Dimattio made 43 saves.
- The last time NMU faced over 40 shots on net was on Nov. 20 2021, when the Wildcats faced a total of 44 shots on goal. Northern faced a grand total of 49 shots in tonight's matchup.
- Hampus Erikson was deadly on the faceoff dot tonight, winning 57.1-percent of his faceoffs.
UP NEXT
NMU pushes on with a bus ride up to Bemidji State University for a two game affair to continue CCHA league play. Puck drop is set for 8:07 on Friday, Feb. 4 and 8:07 Saturday, Feb. 5.