Northern Michigan University’s Joe Schiller, left, clears the puck away from goalie Ryan Ouellette, second from left, while three more Wildcats watch the play — clockwise from Ouellette, Tynan Ewart, Jesse Tucker and Matthew Romer — against Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Oct. 11. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — The Northern Michigan University starts its CCHA campaign with a bang this weekend, first hosting, then playing at Michigan Tech.

The Wildcats host Tech at 7:07 p.m. Friday at the Berry Events Center before both teams hit the road and head north and west to play at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena in Houghton at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

NMU is not unexpectedly struggling to start this season at 1-5, while the Huskies are at .500 at 2-2, all in nonconference games.

The Wildcats have all but started over this season, welcoming new head coach Dave Shyiak, who assembled his 28-player roster after he arrived in late June with just four holdovers from last season.

Friday’s game will be televised by WLUC-TV6 and Saturday’s will be on Fox-U.P., with both also available to watch on the streaming service MidcoSports Plus and listen to on Marquette radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point. Fans can also follow @NMUHockey on X, formerly Twitter, to get updates leading up to games and for live updates while NMU is playing.

Or check the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the hockey schedule for links to watching on Upper Peninsula or MidcoSports television, live audio, live statistics and ticket information.

“It’s always good to see Michigan Tech come down here,” Shyiak said this week in an NMU Sports Information news release previewing the series. “(MTU) is not only our biggest rivalry, but it is one of the best in college hockey.

“Everyone talks about Michigan vs. Michigan State, Boston (University) vs. Boston College, and those are good rivalries, but this one is really unique; (we’re) 90 miles away, it’s bragging rights for the U.P., there’s great venues and great crowds, and we couldn’t be more excited to start off league play against Michigan Tech.”

Fans are encouraged to get to the rink a bit early on Friday to welcome the players and tailgate before the game.

The Wildcats will partake in a “Green Carpet Entrance” from 4:45 to 5 p.m. on the east side of the building, where fans can bring memorabilia to get signed, take pictures with the players and tailgate before the doors open.

The Wildcats have already faced the Huskies in Houghton for an exhibition game to open the season, which didn’t count in the standings in any way as the Huskies prevailed 4-3.

NMU now faces Tech for real and at home for the first time under Shyiak.

“We have more cohesiveness to our game (since the exhibition),” the Northern coach said. “I thought we did a good job up there working hard and pressuring pucks, but we have to clean up some aspects of our game.

“That was a first-time outing for a lot of our guys, and they’ve never played in front of a crowd that big (before). The nerves should be out of our game, and we have to play with a little more puck poise up and down the sheet, and when we do that, I think we’ll start generating more offense.”

One of the most storied matchups in college hockey, the Wildcats are 3-1-1 in their last five games against the Huskies, with the tie in that span ending in a 2-1 shootout win for NMU.

Here are some facts about the Wildcats:

• Goalie Ryan Ouellette has been stout between the pipes, as he is tied for third in the nation with 193 saves and ninth with a .941 saves percentage; his saves percentage is actually third best among NCAA goalies who have played at least five games;

• The Wildcats have been outshot in six games 244-115, while being third in saves with 223;

• Northern leads the nation with 129 blocked shots. Rasmus Larsson and Tynan Ewart lead NMU individually with 16 apiece, followed by Anthony Cliche with 14 and Billy Renfrew with 10;

• NMU has played well shorthanded, killing 90% of those situations, 18 of 20, and only allowing one power-play goal in the past four games, going 8 of 9 in that time;

• While on the penalty kill, Ouellette holds a .968 saves percentage with 30 saves.

Looking at the Huskies, Tech comes into the weekend after being swept at home by Clarkson 4-1 and 2-1. MTU received votes in national polls for the fifth consecutive week.

Chase Pietila is on a four-game point streak, leading the Huskies with two goals and two assists for four points in four games, while Stiven Sardarian with two goals and Jack Works with no goals each have three points.

Netminder Max Vayrenen played in the first three games before giving up three goals on 16 shots for a .813 saves percentage in Friday’s loss to Clarkson. Derek Mullahy played Saturday, making 31 saves for a .939 saves percentage in that loss.

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