The first time it faced a top-ranked team, it was then-No. 1 Minnesota State in Marquette and the Wildcats ended up splitting with the Mavericks. This time though, NMU took on Cornell, who is tied with North Dakota for the top spot in the USCHO poll.

The Wildcats fought hard and held a 2-1 lead going into the third period, but were forced to settle for a 2-2 tie with the Big Red. NMU goalie Nolan Kent finished with 31 saves.

The first period started off well for Northern (13-7-3, 11-5 WCHA) as it took a 1-0 lead when defenseman Ben Newhouse notched his third goal of the year. Newhouse got a pass from Brandon Schultz near the blue line and one-timed a shot past Big Red goalie Matthew Galajda at the 12:20 mark.

Cornell (12-1-3, 8-1-1 ECAC) answered back though as Michael Regush picked up his seventh goal at the 15:04 mark.

Kent shut down the potent Big Red offense the rest of the period and it was 1-1 after the first.

Things stayed tied until late in the second period when Wildcats winger Vincent de Mey continued his hot streak. With Northern racing up ice, de Mey collected the puck by the Wildcats bench, skated into the Cornell defensive zone and snapped a shot in the slot past Galajda at the 17:09 mark. NMU led 2-1 going into the third.

The Big Red wouldn’t go away quietly though as Cornell’s Ben Berard scored on the power play at the 3:23 mark of the third. That was all either team could manage in the period and the game went in to overtime.

Northern tangles with the Big Red again at 7 p.m. tonight

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Ryan Stieg. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.