MARQUETTE, Mich. - The NMU hockey team dropped game two of its weekend series with the Augustana University Vikings by a score of 3-5, with an empty net goal.

Despite two five-minute major and game misconduct penalties called against the 'Cats in the first period, the 'Cats scored twice and held a 2-1 lead going into the locker room after the first period. It was an inversed second period as the Vikings struck twice and the 'Cats scored once, and the teams skated an even three-goal a piece heading into the final 20 minutes. The Vikings struck 25 seconds into the third frame to take a 4-3 lead, and the 'Cats couldn't crack the code down the stretch before the Vikings potted the empty net goal to seal the deal.

The 'Cats outshot the Vikings 30-19 and held the edge in the faceoff dot 33-26. The 'Cats went  1/3 (33.3%) on the PP and 3/4 (75.0%) on the PK, amassing 32 penalty minutes to AU's six. The 'Cats recorded 22 blocks.

The Wildcats fall to 6-8-2 overall, and the Vikings improve to 5-7-2.

Cat Nips

• Andre Ghantous scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season and registered an assist, his fifth multi-point game and second 3+ point night of this season, bringing him to 20 points (6-14--20)
• Connor Eddy registered his fourth goal of the season, bringing him to eight points (4-4--8). He is also riding a three-game point streak (2-1--3)
• Artem Shlaine recorded two assists, bringing him to 14 points (6-8--14). Shlaine also won 20/30 faceoffs (66.7%).
• Josh Zinger registered an assist, bringing him to 14 points with 12 assists (2-12--14)
• Kristof Papp registered an assist, bringing him to 14 points  (4-10--14)
• Mitch Deelstra found the score sheet again as he registered an assist, moving him to two points on the season (1-1--2)

How It Happened
1st Period
The Wildcats were whistled for a five-minute major and game misconduct in the opening seconds of the match and were immediately tasked with killing a lengthy penalty. The PK units came up huge, killing off all five minutes and returning to full strength.

Shortly after, the 'Cats were awarded their first advantage of the match and were able to make it count. Papp moved the puck to Zinger who let go of a wrister from the point. Ghantous was providing a screen and deflected the puck past Kotai to open the scoring.

The 'Cats struck once again, as Shlaine carried the puck over the blue line and worked his way into the slot. He fired a shot that generated a juicy rebound which landed on the stick of Eddy who made no mistake in extending the 'Cats lead to two.

The 'Cats were whistled for yet another five-minute misconduct, and this time the Vikings were able to strike. Evan McIntyre took a weak shot from the point that deflected off a Wildcat stick and trickled in on net and over the goal line, fooling the Wildcat skaters and bringing the game back to a one-goal deficit. 

The 'Cats skated to the locker room with a 2-1 lead despite being given 30 minutes of penalty time in the opening 20 (Two game misconducts, two five-minute majors, and one minor), 11+ of which had to be played short-handed. The 'Cats outshot the Vikings 8-6 along with going 1/1 on the PP and 2/3 on the PK. The 'Cats held the edge in the faceoff dot (12-7) and blocks (10-5). 

2nd Period
The 'Cats thought they scored in the opening minute and a half, but after review it was determined the puck didn't fully cross the goal line, leaving the game at 2-1.

The Vikings took advantage of a Wildcat turnover and completed a one-touch pass play to a wide-open Luke Mobley in the slot who tied the game at two-a-piece. 

It only took three minutes for the Wildcats to respond, as Shlaine made an incredible no-look one-touch pass to Ghantous who cut in on goal from right to left. He evaded the netminder's poke-check and tucked it past the goalie on the far side to give the 'Cats their one-goal lead back. 

The Vikings tied it up just past the five-minute remaining mark in the middle frame off of a seeing-eye shot that was let go from the point from Anthony Stark, as he fired a wrister through traffic that picked the upper corner over the stick-side of Glockner, tying the game once again. 

The teams skated even 3-3 going into the third period. The 'Cats were outshot 9-11 but held the edge in the faceoff circle 11-7.

3rd Period
It took the Vikings 25 seconds into the period to score the frame's first goal, as Ryan Naumovski received a feed from Colton Friesen and beat Glockner through the five-hole from in tight. 

The Vikings were able to seal the deal with 22 seconds left, scoring an empty net goal after the puck took a funny hop past the NMU defender, and the Vikings made it 5-3 to finish the series. 

Up Next
The 'Cats have its first series with the Michigan Tech Huskies on the schedule, traveling to Houghton on Friday, December 8 before heading back home on Saturday, December 9.