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Northern Michigan University

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Hockey vs LSSU
1
Northern Mich. NMU 1-21-0, 1-13-0
2
Winner Lake Superior St. LSS 8-13-1, 5-9-0
Northern Mich. NMU
1-21-0, 1-13-0
1
Final
2
Lake Superior St. LSS
8-13-1, 5-9-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 F
Northern Mich. NMU 0 1 0 1
Lake Superior St. LSS 1 0 1 2

Game Recap: Hockey | | Braden Golisek - Assistant Director of Sports Information

Special Teams Propel Lakers to 2-1 Win over Wildcats

LSSU: 1/3 on the power play, 4/4 on the penalty kill, and scored a short-handed game-winning goal in the third period

SAULT STE MARIE, Mich. --  The Wildcat dropped game two of the Cappo Cup series by a score of 2-1 in regulation.

The Wildcats (1-21-0, 1-13-0 CCHA) outshot the Lakers (8-13-1, 5-9-0 CCHA) 44-30, including 73 shot attempts to 55. Senior alternate captain Caiden Gault scored his 12th goal of the season, and the line of Gault, Girts Silkalns, and Kyle Bettens continued its great stretch of play, with Bettens adding an assist on the Gault goal. Freshman netminder Oliver Auyeung-Ashton made 28 saves in back-to-back nights, posting another .933 SV%. 

Special teams were crucial, as LSSU went 1/3 on their mad-advantage opportunities while holding NMU off the board on four attempts before scoring the eventual game-winning goal while short-handed. 

The Wildcats, in a similar fashion to last night, jumped out to a fast start. Auyeung-Ashton made some big saves in his second consecutive start, Jakub Altrichter hit the post, and NMU outshot LSSU 13-9 with 21 attempts to 16 before Matthew Ward was shistled for a penalty. The Wildcat kill was exceptional for a minute and 52 seconds, holding the Lakers without a shot on target and only two attempts, but Hadley Hudak found a bounce in the slot to score his first career collegiate goal and point.

Netminder Auyeung-Ashton had to be sharp to start the second frame, and the freshman goalie came up big on multiple occasions, springboarding the 'Cats to a dominant next handful of minutes. After the Wildcats controlled play and generated numerous grade-A chances, Caiden Gault scored his 12th of the season after finishing off a great rush from Kyle Bettens. NMU carried momentum after scoring, garnering their first power play of the night and out-shooting LSSU 8-4 before an NMU penalty with a minute to go. William Ahlrik was whistled for winning the ensuing faceoff with his hand, Ward and Adam Barone took coincidental penalties a minute later, and the teams would begin period three at four-on-four. 

The Wildcats had two chances on the power play in the final frame but were unable to capitalize on either chance before giving up a short-handed goal to Connor Milburn, who stripped the puck off Altrichter's stick and went down the ice, scoring the eventual game-winning goal after cleaning up his own rebound.

'Cat Nips
  • Gault (12-0--12) scored goals in back-to-back games and now has seven goals since December 5th, a number that is second to only Hayden Stavroff of Dartmouth, who has eight goals since the beginning of December.
  • Bettens (0-8--8) continued his great stretch of play, giving him assists in back-to-back games out of the holiday break, and five assists in his last five games
  • Ewart (0-7--7) is second on the Wildcats in assists, earning his first assist in three games.
  • The Wildcats have scored 11 goals since December 5, with eight of those coming from the second line of Gault, Silkalns, and Bettens. Gault leads the CCHA with seven goals scored since that mark.
    • The 'Cats have recorded 28 points since that same mark: the trio of Gault (7-0--7), Bettens (0-5--5), and Silkalns (1-3--4) have combined for 16 of those 28 Wildcat points. The next two highest point getters in that frame are defensemen Warren Clark (1-2--3) and Tynan Ewart (0-2--2).



How It Happened
After a dominant penalty kill from the 'Cats, the Lakers broke through with four seconds remaining in the man advantage. A shot from the point was blocked and landed in the slot amidst traffic. Hudak, who hadn't recorded a collegiate point heading into this game, found a loose puck in the slot and was able to beat Auyeung-Ashton, who hadn't picked up the blocked shot. 

The 'Cats evened the scoring, and it was Gault who capitalized on a great rush from Bettens. Bettens took an outlet pass and used his speed around the right side to beat a defender wide. The right-handed winger, while crashing the net, made a move to the backhand that was initially stopped. But Gault followed up the play to the blue paint and collected the rebound, scoring his 12th of the season and scoring goals in back-to-back games.
  The Wildcats, on its second man-advantage of the third period, were regrouping in the neutral zone, and Milburn forced a turnover off the stick of Altrichter in front of the NMU bench. The LSSU captain broke in on a partial breakaway, and Auyeung-Ashton made the initial save, but Milburn powered through the NMU defenders and found his own rebound.

Up Next
The Wildcats return home, welcoming the Augustana Vikings to Marquette for a Friday-Saturday series on January 9 and 10, 2026.



 
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