MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. - The Northern Michigan University mens hockey team faced-off against the St. Thomas Tommies, dropping game one of the weekend series by a score of 4-2. 

Grant Potulny talked about winning the special-teams battle, and the 'Cats responded to the coach's task with flying colors, going a perfect 6-6 on the PK and 2-3 on the PP. The caveat? The Wildcats tied the game at two-a-piece early in the third then went on their third man advantage of the evening. The Tommies got a fortnuate bounce off a blocked shot, and scored a short-handed breakaway that would eventually be the game-winner. 

The 'Cats fell behind halfway through the first, with two goals coming less than thirty seconds apart. Artem Shlaine took a nifty feed from Andre Ghantous a minute later to bring the 'Cats within one, and the score would remain that way until the third period. Kristof Papp scored on the power play to tie things up right away in the third, but the misque on the blue line proved to be the difference maker. The Tommies scored a goal that eluded Halasz with a couple of minutes remaining, and the score would finalize at 4-2.

The Wildcats fall to 1-5-1 overall and 1-2-0 in conference play, and the Tommies improve to 3-5-1 overall and 1-2-0 in conference play. The 'Cats will get a chance to bounce back against the Tommies tomorrow night at 7:07 p.m. Eastern. 

Cat Nips

• Both Artem Shlaine and Kristof Papp scored their second goals of the season, both on the power play
• Andre Ghantouns and Josh Zinger registerd multi-point nights with two assists
• Beni Halasz made 31 saves on 35 shots
• The Wildcats were a perfect 6/6 on the PK and 2/3 on the PP while allowing a SHG
• Artem Shlaine continued to dominate the faceoff circle, leading all skaters with 15 wins
• Viking Gustafsson Nyberg led all skaters with five blocks. As a team, the 'Cats had 17 blocks to the Tommies five

How It Happened
1st Period
The game started with plenty of pace, as both the Wildcats and the Tommies recorded high-quality chances in the first seven minutes of play. Beni Halasz was sharp on all four shots sent his direction, and Josh Zinger streaked down the right side and fired one off the post.

The Tommies were able to strike first as J.D. Metz fired a seeing-eye shot from the point that went through bodies and a screen before ringing the pipe and crossing the line. Not 30 seconds later, the puck squirted from a scrum in the left corner and landed on the stick of an unattended Lucas Wahlin, who picked his spot over the glove of Halasz.

It was a scoring frenzy halfway through the period, as the 'Cats power play struck on the first opportunity. Andre Ghantous circled behind the net and made a slick behind-the-back pass to Artem Shlaine, who had a wide-open net as Aaron Trotter was moving from left to right, and made no mistake to bury his second goal of the year.

2nd Period
The Wildcats were unable to get much offense going for a majority of the middle frame, as they spent six of the first 12 minutes on the penalty kill. Though the 'Cats couldn't manage to stay out of the box, the penalty kill looked extremely sharp with four succesfull kills up to this point.

Halasz had his best sequnce of the night, going full splits to stop the third shot of a mad scramble and deny the Tommie forward from finding the back of the net.

The Tommies took a penalty with under a minute left, tripping Kevin Marx Noren to deny a sure goal, and the 'Cats skated to the locker room down a goal but up a man. 

The 'Cats were thoroughly out played for the most of the period, and rightfully so, as the 'Cats took three penalties. The Tommies outshot the 'Cats 18-7, with six on target to NMU's four. The Wildcats did an excellent job to get in front of the puck, blocking a total of 13 pucks through 40 minutes.

3rd Period
The 'Cats opened the period on the power play, and tied up the game right away. Ghantous flew down the right wing, beating his defender and getting an odd-man rush with Kristof Papp. Ghantous made a slick feed to Papp, who had a wide open net to look at and tie the game and two-a-piece.

The 'Cats were then awarded their second power play opportunity of the period, but a blocked shot led Lucas Wahlin on a breakaway and he scored to give the Tommies the lead once agian.

The Tommies doubled-up the lead with just over two minutes remaining, as Mack Byers sniffed out a rebound and poked the puck past Halasz.

The 'Cats pulled Halasz in an effort to claw back, but couldn't find the back of the net, and the game finished 4-2 St. Thomas.

Up Next
Game two from Mendota Heights comes tomorrow night at 7:07 p.m. Eastern