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Happy ‘Cat holidays

NMU?completes sweep of Ferris with 4-2 win

Northern Michigan University’s Rylan Yaremko, top, jumps over Ferris State’s Craig Pefley trying to get to the puck during their game on Saturday at the Berry Events Center in Marquette. (Journal photo by Trinity Carey)

MARQUETTE — Hockey teams always want to head into the holiday break feeling good about themselves and the Northern Michigan University squad is certainly feeling positive.

A year ago, the Wildcats used a home sweep of Ferris State to build momentum for the second half of the season. This weekend, they got another chance to do that and took advantage, finishing off a sweep of the Bulldogs with a 4-2 win Saturday night to head into the holidays in fourth place in the WCHA.

“It was a great response from our guys through the back half of the first half (of the season),” Northern head coach Grant Potulny said. “When you talk about building a program, we’re in a better place today than we were last year at this time.

“I like the way our schedule sets up with some rest and some breaks. We’ve got a couple of guys that need a break right now. Then we go to Alaska and we get a break. It kind of sets up nice for us.

“I feel good about where we’re at. I feel good about how we’ve played. The last five games, Notre Dame, both games (vs.) Tech, both games here, we’re getting closer to being who we are.”

NMU defenseman Tony Bretzman agreed with his coach’s assessment.

“The goal is to come out with two victories and that’s what we did,” he said. “Even though it wasn’t pretty at times, we did what we needed to get done.”

The Wildcats got on the board in the game’s first three minutes as Griffin Loughran’s shot trickled past the near post and into the back of the net. With 14:35 remaining, Northern had a good chance to make it 2-0 as a shot from Darien Craighead was kicked out by Ferris goalie Roni Salmenkangas, but Wildcats center Grant Loven whiffed on the rebound and slid into the net. Two minutes later, Loughran almost got his second goal, but Salmenkangas just got a piece of his shot.

Ferris got a good scoring chance with 6:17 left in the first when a Jacob Hetz shot rang off the pipe. A minute later, NMU got more luck from the pipe as Bretzman’s one-timer deflected off the near post and past Salmenkangas, putting the Wildcats up 2-0.

Late in the period, Northern made it 3-0 when Adam Rockwood got a cross-ice pass from Troy Loggins and backhanded the puck in.

When asked about his fluky goal, Bretzman said he didn’t even see the puck go in and said he was just trying to put a play together. He also said that NMU’s offense, which has struggled through most of the season, is starting to click.

“I was just trying to get the puck through and we were just trying to get as many pucks on net as we could at the start of the game,” he said. “So I just saw a bit of a lane and I just hoped it went through. I didn’t see it go in, but I’ll take them when I can get them.

“I think we’re starting to come together a little more in terms about the chemistry of our team. I think early on in the season it just wasn’t quite coming for us. The offense seems like it’s starting to come and guys are starting to bury the biscuit.”

With NMU up three heading into the second period, the game looked to become a blowout. However, Ferris started to make noise. At the 2:46 mark, Bulldogs defenseman Corey Mackin sent a pretty shot on net that tucked inside the far post to get Ferris on the board. Mackin almost cut Northern’s lead to one with 14:55 left as his shot rang off the crossbar.

A little more than a minute after Mackin’s shot, the Bulldogs did cut down their deficit as Jason Tackett collected a loose puck in front of the net and beat Tolvanen low. Ferris had momentum, but the Wildcats snatched it back with 11 minutes left as Joseph Nardi got a pass from behind the Bulldogs net and backhanded the puck past Salmenkangas. Nardi’s goal put NMU back up by two goals at 4-2 and it maintained that advantage for the rest of the way.

“When we needed a shift in momentum, we got a huge goal by Joe, not just for the game but for that power play unit and for Joe to finish the break having a two-point night,” Potulny said. “He’s an important player for us.”

The third period was mostly uneventful with NMU only generating one good scoring chance as Loughran almost deflected a shot over Salmenkangas with 12:45 left. The Wildcats also got a 5-on-3 power play with 8:51 remaining, but nothing came of it.

NMU is off until Jan. 4-5, when it will spend two straight weekends in Alaska at Fairbanks and Anchorage.

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.

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