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Zach Michaelis
Zach Michaelis vs St. Thomas last season

Hockey Rylee Haug - Athletic Communications Assistant

PREVIEW: Wildcats Host Tommies for Final Home Stand of 2025

Marquette, Mich. - The NMU hockey team is gearing up for its final season home series, facing off against the University of St. Thomas Tommies.

The Wildcats (5-24-1, 4-17-1 CCHA) enter the weekend rested, having had the weekend off after splitting their series against Lake Superior State two weekends ago. The Tommies (12-13-5, 9-9-4 CCHA) are playing their best hockey in the second half of the season, going 8-3-1 in their past eleven games. 

St. Thomas is pushing for home-ice advantage, just five points behind Michigan Tech for a first-round home series in the CCHA playoffs.

Games from the Berry Events Center are set for Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22, with puck drop at 7:07 p.m. and 6:07 p.m., respectively. 

Fans in attendance on Friday night can participate in NMU's Make-A-Wish efforts. Representatives from SAAC will collect cash donations, online donations, and host a silent auction featuring donation lots from various athletic teams and local businesses. The auction will conclude at the end of the second intermission, and the winners will be announced during the third period. 

If you are unable to attend and would like to donate, the link can be found here.

Saturday is senior night for the Wildcats, who will recognize three skaters before puck drop. Seniors to be recognized are Jesse Tucker, Jakub Lewandowski, and Ryan Ouellette. 

Fans in attendance on Saturday will also have a chance to bid on the Wildcat's game-worn gold jerseys in a silent auction format, running the same as the Yooper Jersey auction earlier this season. 

After Saturday's game, fans can keep the energy going at Slabz Bar & Grill for a "4th Period" post-game party. This event gives fans a chance to celebrate, discuss the game, and interact with fellow hockey enthusiasts. 

Dave Shyiak Mid-Week Press Availability 


Follow Along  
Make sure to follow @NMUHockey on X, formerly known as Twitter, to get updates throughout the week leading up to the games and for live updates while the 'Cats are on the ice. 

Friday, February 21 - vs St. Thomas at 7:07 PM
Tickets | Live Stats | Watch on MidcoSports | Live Audio

Saturday, February 22 - vs St. Thomas at 6:07 PM
Tickets | Live Stats | Watch on MidcoSports | Live Audio

'Cat Nips
This weekend's games mark the first time NMU will face St. Thomas in the Dave Shyiak era. NMU is 4-4-0 against St. Thomas in the team's eight meetings since the program turned DI, most recently producing a split at home at the end of January 2024.

NMU is led by freshmen Jakub Altrichter (3-14--17) and Grayden Slipec (8-7--15), who have turned it on in the second half of the season. Since playing Michigan Tech in the GLI, Altrichter has three goals and nine assists for 12 points in eleven games and Slipec has six goals and two assists for eight points in nine games. In that frame, Altrichter is first in points and assists, and Slipec is second in goals among CCHA freshmen. 

Senior netminder Ryan Ouellette enters the weekend second in saves (830) among conference netminders, posting a 2.82 GAA and .920 SV%. Of CCHA netminders with 18 or more games played, Ouellette's .920 save percentage is third to only Minnesota State's Alex Tracy (.941) and Augustana's Josh Kotai (.939), netminders for the league's top-two teams. 


'Cats vs. Tommies
The Tommies are led in points by Liam Malmquist (12-20--32), who is tied for the league lead in points. The Hobey Baker nominee enters the weekend without points in six consecutive games.

Behind Malmquist are Lucas Wahlin (12-16--28) and Cooper Gay (15-10--25). The trio of Malmquist, Wahlin, and Gay make up three of the top-six-point producers in the CCHA. Gay's 15 goals and 125 shots lead the conference and his six PPGs are second. Wahlin is one of the better centermen in the league, fourth in faceoff wins with 276.

Both Aaron Trotter (7-9-2, 2.63 GAA, .909 SV%) and Jake Sibell (5-4-3, 2.85 GAA, .915 SV%) have seen plenty of action between the pipes this season. Sibell is coming off of a program-best 57-save performance in a 2-1 win over Bowling Green last weekend, smashing the previous record by 12 in his first start since mid-January. Trotter made five consecutive starts prior.

One of the best teams in the CCHA on the power play, St. Thomas has scored 24 PPGs and holds a 25.3% success rate, both second in the conference. The Tommies have only scored one power-play goal on 10 opportunities in their last five games. 


 
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Players Mentioned

Ryan Ouellette

#30 Ryan Ouellette

G
6' 0"
Senior
Jesse Tucker

#19 Jesse Tucker

F
5' 11"
Senior
Jakub Altrichter

#14 Jakub Altrichter

F
5' 11"
Freshman
Jakub Lewandowski

#26 Jakub Lewandowski

F
6' 3"
Senior
Grayden Slipec

#15 Grayden Slipec

F
5' 10"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Ryan Ouellette

#30 Ryan Ouellette

6' 0"
Senior
G
Jesse Tucker

#19 Jesse Tucker

5' 11"
Senior
F
Jakub Altrichter

#14 Jakub Altrichter

5' 11"
Freshman
F
Jakub Lewandowski

#26 Jakub Lewandowski

6' 3"
Senior
F
Grayden Slipec

#15 Grayden Slipec

5' 10"
Freshman
F