HOUGHTON, Mich. - It took until the bottom of the third, but the Wildcats earned two of a possible three points by way of a shootout in Houghton. The game goes down as a 3-3 tie, but the 'Cats gain the crucial extra CCHA point.

Michael Colella played a big part down the stretch for the green and gold, scoring in the dying minutes of the third period to force overtime before he sealed the deal in the bottom of the third round of the shootout to earn the 'Cats the extra point. Matvei Kabanov, for the second weekend in a row, scored in the shootout; this time beating Pietila with a slick move to open up the goalie and slide the puck five-hole.

Connor Eddy opened the scoring in the first, followed by Kristof Papp in the second before Colella in the third. Kevin Marx Noren recorded another multi-point night with two assists, and Beni Halasz made crucial saves when he needed to, stopping 35 saves for a .921 SV%.

The Huskies outshot the 'Cats 41-37, and both teams were clinical on the man advantage; the Wildcats scored on their only attempt (1/1), and the Huskies scored on both of their opportunities (2/2). 

The 'Cats now move to 9-13-4 overall and 7-9-2 in CCHA play with 25 points. The Huskies move to 11-12-6 overall and 8-8-2 in CCHA play with 27 points.

Cat Nips

• Michael Colella (7-3--10) was the hero for the 'Cats, tying the game at three and then scoring the game-winner in the shootout
• Connor Eddy scored his fifth goal of the season to open the scoring, his first goal in nine games (5-6--11)
• Kristof Papp evened the game at two-a-piece with his fifth goal of the year and first in 15 games. Papp recorded two points on the weekend (1-1--2)
• Beni Halasz stopped 35 shots faced, including four in the overtime frame and two in the shootout
• Matvei Kabanov scored in the shootout - his second consecutive weekend with a shootout goal
• Kevin Marx Noren registered two assists, giving him four points on the weekend (0-4--4)
• Josh Zinger picked up the primary assist on the Eddy goal, giving him two assists on the weekend (3-15--18)
• Michael Mesic now has points in consecutive games, recording an assist tonight (4-3--7)
• Andre Ghantous recorded his team-leading 17th assist (7-17--24)
• Viking Gustafsson Nyberg notched his first assist of the season (2-1--3)

How It Happened
1st Period
Eddy opened the scoring six minutes into the first. Mesic made a great play to enter the zone and be patient one-on-four, found the trailing Zinger who used his speed to beat a defender wide around the right circle before wrapping around the other end. The puck landed on the stick of Eddy, who made no mistake in burying his fifth of the year.

The Huskie struck in quick succession, with goals two and a half minutes apart to gather a 2-1 lead going into the middle frame.

The 'Cats recorded eight shots and eight faceoff wins while recording four blocks in the frame.

2nd Period
The 'Cats tied the game on their first power play opportunity of the evening, as Papp gained the zone and dished a backhand pass to Marx Noren on the right half-wall. Papp, streaking to the net, gathered a pass from Marx Noren and redirected it past Pietila to tie the game at two.

The Huskies would regain the lead on their only power play opportunity of the period, as Mosley let go a seeing-eye shot from the right circle that beat Halasz through the five-hole. 

Shots were relatively even at 11-12 in favor of Tech, both teams scored on their respective power play opportunity, and the 'Cats won 10 faceoffs to seven.  

3rd Period
It didn't come until late, but Colella found a loose puck in the crease with five minutes left in period 3 and poked the puck past Pietila, tying the game in the dying minutes of regulation.

Overtime/ Shootout
Five minutes of three-on-three wasn't enough, and the teams skated to a shootout to determine who gained the final point. Tech opened the scoring in the first round, but Kabanov scored in the second round (once again) and Halasz made two more saves en route to Colella burying his chance in the bottom of the third to defeat the Huskies on their home ice.

Up Next
The 'Cats are back home next weekend, where they square off against the Bemidji State Beavers on Friday, February 9, and Saturday, February 10.