Northern Michigan University goaltender Beni Halasz, center, blocks a puck that comes near him while teammates Aiden Gallacher, second from left, and Connor Eddy, right, try to clear it out before Michigan Tech’s Jack Works, left, can shoot during their game played at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Dec. 9. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

SAULT STE. MARIE — Getting swept on the road over the weekend not only cost possession of the Cappo Cup for the Northern Michigan University hockey team, but hurt the Wildcats in the CCHA standings.

NMU lost 5-1 and 5-2 at Lake Superior State to more than blow the three-goal advantage it had for the Cappo Cup entering the weekend as the Soo team won the four-game, total-goals series 17-13. Northern had won the teams’ mid-November series in Marquette 6-4 and 4-3.

The Wildcats’ long-range prospects took a hit, too. NMU fell to 7-11-2 overall and 5-7 in the league, still stuck at 15 points and tied with Bowling Green State for sixth place in the eight-team loop. While the top three teams in the CCHA have played either three or four more conference games than Northern, the Wildcats trail each of them — St. Thomas, Bemidji State and LSSU — by between nine and 12 points.

What was also frustrating about each game was that Northern scored the only goal of the first period each night.

NMU has a challenge on its hands this weekend, hosting league-leading St. Thomas at the Berry Events Center at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

Here is a rundown of each game at LSSU:

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Colella’s shortie not enough

On Friday, senior Michael Colella scored his second shorthanded goal and fifth overall this season on a breakaway with 6:30 remaining in the opening period. Colella’s two shorties tie him for the top spot in the CCHA in that category and tied for third nationally.

He hopped over the boards on a penalty-killing change, and right at that time, the Lakers’ committed a miscue at their own blueline as Colella stole it and broke free, beating LSSU goalie Ethan Langenegger over his stick-side shoulder, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information.

The Wildcats also had a handful of chances in the final minute of the period, which would loom important soon after.

That’s because the Lakers tied it just 16 seconds in period No. 2 when Carter Batchelder took an outlet pass and broke free down the middle for a breakaway to score on NMU goalie Beni Halasz, according to NMU SI.

On that play, Northern was called for a two-minute slashing penalty, setting up LSSU for the go-ahead goal on the ensuing power play just before the man advantage ended. Branden Piku scored on a two-on-none breakaway on Halasz.

While the scoring abated for awhile, the Lakers put three more past Halasz by game’s end, one by Jake Westcott on a rebound batted out of the air with 5:30 left in the second, another on a power play scored by Harrison Roy, and the final one by John Herrington with 3:33 left on a 2-on-1 opportunity.

Halasz finished with 27 saves, including 12 in the second period, while Langenegger had 23, including 14 in the third.

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Midgame collapse costs ‘Cats

Reilly Funk’s second goal of the season came with about eight minutes left in the first period and held up for NMU for more than a period before the Lakers bagged back-to-back goals 58 seconds apart and a total of four over 6 1/2 minutes extending into the third.

The opening score came after Funk snuck his way behind an LSSU defenseman for great position at the far post. Teammate Zach Michaelis found Funk with a nifty pass from the right half-wall, then Funk was strong on the puck to redirect it into an empty net past Langenegger, according to NMU SI.

It was Funk’s fourth point in his last four games, which includes both his goals, while Michaelis has three points in four games.

While that lead held up for more than a period, another second-period collapse cost the Wildcats.

Piku scored with 4:29 left in the second to tie it, then 58 seconds later, Timo Bakos put in the go-ahead goal against Northern netminder Charlie Glockner.

It got worse as with 32.3 seconds remaining in the second, Tritt Dawson pumped home a power play tally to make it 3-1, while Lake State started the third with a Connor Milburn power play tally for a 4-1 margin.

Northern got one back with 3:44 remaining as Kevin Marx Noren corralled a puck in the slot, turned and fired from the hash marks, beating the Lake State netminder for his third of the season to get it back to 4-2.

NMU head coach Grant Potulny pulled Glockner soon after, but the Lakers made him pay for it with an empty netter by Tritt with 2:44 to go.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.