GRAND RAPIDS, MICH. - The NMU hockey team erased a two-goal deficit with a pair of power-play goals in the third period, but ultimately fell 4-3 in overtime to the Michigan Tech Huskies in the third-place game of the 58th Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) hockey tournament.

The Wildcats' special teams were a major factor as all three of the 'Cats goals came on the man advantage (3/4, 75%). NMU surpassed the previous single-game high of two power-play goals, scored against Michigan Tech on November 2, 2024, including two goals in the final half of the period to force overtime. 

Matthew Argentina opened the scoring for NMU in the first period, tallying his first as a Wildcat in his second game with the team. Both Tanner Latsch and Grayden Slipec scored their third goals of the season to force overtime, and Tynan Ewart, Medrick Bolduc, Jakub Altrichter, Matthew Romer, and Jakob Peterson all recorded assists.

The shorthanded group did exceptional, going 4/5 on the penalty kill and killing four straight of a season-high 23 penalty minutes, including a five-minute major and netminder Ethan Barwick making nine saves while shorthanded. Barwick posted a career-high 38 saves in his second start of the season, and a career-high single-period 17 saves in the middle frame.

Jesse Tucker led all skaters with 14 faceoff wins, and both Ewart and Peterson paced all skaters with four blocks.  

The 'Cats were outshot 42-25, but outshot the Huskies 10-7 amidst the third-period comeback effort. Faceoffs were nearly even, with Tech holding a 40-38 advantage, and NMU blocked 22 shots to six.

The 'Cats now look ahead to January 10 and 11, when they are set to host the #11 Minnesota State Mavericks as conference play resumes following the holiday break. 

How It Happened
It appeared that Kukkonen and the Huskies scored first, but after a successful challenge from Dave Shyiak and his staff, the officials determined the play was offside entering the zone, and the game remained scoreless. 

Off a set faceoff play, the Huskies found the game's first goal. Sardarian spun and walked down into the right faceoff circle. Sardarian drew the defender's eyes to him before making a cross-seam pass to the defender Campbell who was sneaking in from the blueline. Barwick, expecting a shot from Sardarian, wasn't able to react in time to the pass and Campbell converted.

After a game with no penalties the day before, the Wildcats were awarded the game's first-man advantage just under the halfway mark of the first period. After generating just one shot in the first minute and 57 seconds, Romer corraled a puck on the left sidewall, turned, and saw a streaking Argentina down the right wing. Argentina was able to catch and release from in tight and beat Mullahy over the shoulder on the short side to tie the game. 

The Huskies would regain, capitalizing off of a broken play. A shot from the point took a strange bounce off the end wall, bounced between the legs of the Wildcat defender and on the stick of Koskipirtti. The Finland native spun and threw a no-look pass to the slot, which took a deflection off a Wildcat skate and found its way to the stick of Works who had an open net to look at on the back door. The Huskies regained its lead with just 45 seconds to go in the period.

The first two grade-a chances to start the middle frame came from the Wildcats. Hutchinson streaked in on an abbreviated breakaway and sent his backhand shot just high, then Slipec had a wide-open look from the slot that was denied by Manzella, who entered the game to start the second period for the Huskies. 

The Huskies first opportunity on the power play came two minutes into the frame. Pederson finished off a slick passing play with a one-timer from Ovechkin's office, and the Huskies garnered a two-goal advantage. 

Shortly after the goal, Diamond was whistled for a five-minute major and game misconduct, giving the Huskies five straight minutes of uninterrupted power play time. The 'Cats penalty kill was excellent, only allowing three shots on goal from five attempts, while NMU gathered two shots on target of their own. 

Altrichter received a pass down the left wing and crossed over the blue line. He made a move around his defender, going inside to out, and gained a step to walk in all alone from the left circle. He fired a decisive wrist shot that beat Manzella on the short side but rang off the crossbar and out of play. 

The 'Cats were whistled for its third penalty of the period, and once again the special teams came through, as Barwick made a pair of saves to go along with three NMU blocks.

Tech was awarded its fourth man advantage of the period, and the special teams were put to the test once again. Barwick made two saves, Ewart blocked a pair of shots, and NMU was successful on the penalty kill once again. 

The officials awarded the Huskies another man advantage to open the final period of regulation. A few ten-bell saves from Barwick, and the special teams came through to keep the deficit at a pair. 

After five consecutive MTU power plays, the Huskies were finally whistled for an infraction. 40 seconds later the Huskies committed another foul, and the Wildcats had an extended 5-on-3 advantage. With 11 seconds remaining in the initial penalty, Latsch finished off a sweet pass from Altrichter, and the 'Cats were within one with 50 seconds remaining on the second penalty. The Huskies returned to full strength, but the momentum was now in favor of the 'Cats.

The 'Cats got a bounce of their own from the back wall, and it was Slipec who was on the spot to convert. A shot from the point took a hard bounce off the glass, hit a spinning Manzella in the back, and landed in the blue paint. Slipec was on the spot first, and the game was tied with five minutes to go.

It took just 20 seconds of overtime for the game to be decided, coming off the stick of Morrell. Sardarian circled behind the net and caught everyone moving in one direction. He dropped a pass to Morrell on the back door who had a yawning cage to look at, and made no mistake.