Bemidji, Minn. - The Northern Michigan University hockey team bounced back in Bemidji, securing the weekend split by a final score of 5-2. The Wildcats improve to 12-12-0 and 8-8-0 in conference games, including remaining a perfect 6-0-0 when leading after two periods and 5-0-0 when leading after one.

Three 'Cats had multi-point nights, including Aiden Gallachers' first two goals in a Wildcat sweater along with both AJ Vanderbeck and Artem Shlaine each posting a goal and an assist. Connor Eddy scored to get the Wildcats started, and Andre Ghantous, David Keefer, Joey Larson, Alex Frye, and Josh Zinger all recorded an assist. Goalie Beni Halasz bounced back nicely after getting replaced last night, backstopping the 'Cats to a win by stopping 35/37 and posting a .946 sv%. 

The Wildcats were outshot 22-37 with shot attempts 40-71 in favor of Bemidji. The 'Cats were 1/4 on the powerplay and killed all three of their penalties. The teams were dead even in the faceoff circle winning 28 a piece, and the Wildcats blocked 14 shots to Bemidji's nine. 


How It Happened
The Wildcats came out of the gate fast looking for a good start to game two, and the momentum was all NMU in the first few minutes. The 'Cats had a couple of chances to score early with four shot attempts, two of them getting on target and testing Sholl early.

The play was continuous with lots of up and down action as there was only one whistle in the first 6:48 of play. Goaltender Beni Halasz had to be sharp a couple of minutes later as the Beavers got their best chance of the night.

Just over halfway through the frame, Josh Zinger gained the offensive zone blueline and fired a shot wide. The puck bounced off the end wall and Connor Eddy was "Johnny on the spot" as he found the loose puck and jammed the puck home for his third goal of the season.

Momentum switched as Bemidji tried to respond to the Wildcats' goal, and this caused the Wildcats to take a penalty and send the Beavers to the first man advantage of the evening. Beni Halasz stood tall, stopping all three shots on goal and the 'Cats would kill the infraction. The Wildcats would go into the locker room holding a 1-0 lead. 

The Beavers committed a five-minute major to end period one, and the Wildcats would start the middle frame on an extended man advantage. On the first shot of the advantage, Sholl denied David Keefer on the back door going post-to-post. That would go on to be the only shot on the five-minute advantage, as the 'Cats failed to find any sort of sustained pressure.

Immediately following the penalty kill the Beavers took another penalty, this one a minor, and the Wildcats were back to the power play. Michael Van Unen ripped a one-timer that rang the iron past the glove hand of Sholl, Keefer got denied from between the hash marks, and even though the 'Cats had many more chances they failed to find the back of the net. 

NMU got tagged for a penalty and Beni Halasz really had to stand tall, making three saves to keep the game scoreless. A little deja vu, as seconds after the 'Cats killed their first penalty they were tagged for another penalty. The Beavers hit the post as the final seconds wound down on the man advantage, but the 'Cats would eventually kill the remainder of the infraction. 

It was all Bemidji after a couple of power-play attempts, but a quick odd-man rush proved too much for the Beavers to handle as Joey Larson dropped a pass to Artem Shlaine who fired the puck over the blocker hand from the right circle to give him his ninth of the season. Another flurry of goals, as 22 seconds later the 'Cats would strike again as Andre Ghantous slid the puck across to a wide-open Aiden Gallacher and he made no mistake to deposit the puck into the net for his first goal as a Wildcat.

The Wildcats would go into the intermission with a 3-0 lead while being outshot 17-24. 

The 'Cats came out of the third period with defense in mind, denying any grade-A chances and taking away time and space from the Beavers in an effort to close out the game with a three-goal cushion.

David Keefer blocked a shot at the point and made a terrific diving play to bat the puck and spring AJ Vanderbeck on a breakaway, who made no mistake to whistle a shot past the ear of Sholl and go bar-down, giving AJ his 12th goal of the year and second point of the night. 

The Beavers were finally able to break through on their 31st shot of the evening, as Elias Rosen was found all alone in the slot and he made no mistake to bury his opportunity. 

The Wildcats get whistled for a penalty with just over two minutes left, and the Beavers in response pull their goalie to give them a 2-man advantage. Five seconds into the penalty kill, Aiden Gallacher fired the puck 100 feet and it found the back of the net to pad the 'Cats lead late in the game. 50 seconds later, Ross Armour slid the puck past Halasz to cut the deficit back to three. 

The Beavers would take a "too many men on the ice" penalty with 32 seconds left, and the Wildcats secured the weekend split by a score of 5-2. 

Post Game Notes

• The 'Cats improve to 12-12-0 and 8-8-0 in conference games. The Wildcats are now a stellar 6-0-0 when leading after two periods and 5-0-0 when leading after one period.
• Ten different Wildcats found the score sheet, including multi-point nights from Aiden Gallacher (2G, 0A), AJ Vanderbeck (1G, 1A), and Artem Shlaine (1G, 1A). 
• Beni Halasz bounced back after getting pulled last night, stopping 35/37 shots and posting a .946 sv%.
• The Wildcats went 1/4 on the man advantage, killed all three of their penalties, and recorded a short-handed goal.
• The Wildcats are 10-2-0 on the season when both AJ Vanderbeck (1G, 1A) and Andre Ghantous (0G, 1A) record at least one point.
• The 'Cats are 4-0 this season when scoring 5 or more goals.
• The Wildcats have been involved in four 5-2 games in their last six contests. They are 2-2-0 in those contests. 
• Elias Rosen recorded his sixth multi-point night with a goal and an assist. 

Goal Summary
1st Period
11:32 - Connor Eddy (NMU, 1-0) - Assisted by Josh Zinger and Alex Frye

2nd Period
16:03 - Artem Shlaine (NMU, 2-0) - Assisted by Joey Larson and Kristof Papp
16:25 - Aiden Gallacher (NMU, 3-0) - Assisted by Andre Ghantous and AJ Vanderbeck

3rd Period
5:56 - AJ Vanderbeck (NMU, 4-0) - Assisted by David Keefer
11:14 - Elias Rosen (BSU, 4-1) - Assisted by Kaden Pickering and Will Zmolek
17:39 - Aiden Gallacher (NMU SHG, 5-1) - Assisted by Artem Shlaine
18:28 - Ross Armour (BSU PPG, 5-2) - Assisted by Carter Jones and Elias Rosen

Up Next
The Wildcats have a home-and-home series with the Michigan Tech Huskies. The 'Cats will be in Houghton on Friday, January 27 at 7:07 pm, and in Marquette on Saturday, January 28 at 6:07 pm.