NMU is mired in the basement of the CCHA with records of 5-26-1 overall and 4-19-1 in league games. While points percentage is being used this season to determine the standings, the traditional points systems works for all teams except newcomer Augustana, which is only playing about two-thirds of the games every other team will.

With eight of the league’s nine teams making the playoffs, NMU is at 14 points, which trails the pair of seventh-place teams, Ferris and Lake Superior State, by 18 points.

The Bulldogs are 12-18-2 overall and 11-13-0 in the conference, with hopes of moving up to sixth place and facing either Michigan Tech or Bowling Green State in the first round of the league playoffs.

Augustana has completed its league schedule and locked up second place in the CCHA with a points percentage of .625, as Tech and BGSU are tied for third at .556 and can’t move up above .600 this weekend even with a regulation sweep of their games.

Northern Michigan University’s Jesse Tucker, center with stick vertical, would be able to gain control of the puck on a faceoff as Lake Superior State's Dawson Tritt, center right, falls on his back while the Lakers’ Evan Bushy, right, and the Wildcats’ Anthony Cliche, second from right, also go after the puck during their CCHA hockey game played in Sault Ste. Marie on Feb. 8. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Minnesota State-Mankato has won the league with a 22-8-2 overall and 17-5-2 league records, a percentage of .722.

Ferris will celebrate Bob Daniels Weekend during this series vs. NMU, recognizing the school’s retiring coach, much like the Wildcats honored players on Senior Night last weekend at home.

Daniels has been head coach for 33 years at FSU, compiling more than 500 wins to rank among the top half-dozen winningest active head coaches in NCAA Division I hockey.

This weekend’s games — at 7:07 p.m. today and 6:07 p.m. Saturday — will be broadcast on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point, while fans can also follow @NMUHockey on X (formerly Twitter) to get updates leading up to and during games, or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the hockey schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics, a series preview and the teams’ history against each other.

NMU had a highlight last weekend during the team’s final home series when one of the honored seniors, alternate captain Jesse Tucker, scored a goal and assist during Senior Night on Saturday night. With seven points for the season, he has accumulated four of those points (two goals and two assists) over his last four games.

Northern Michigan University goaltender Ryan Ouellette, center, makes a save on a shot from Lake Superior State's Connor Milburn, far left, as the Wildcats’ Tynan Ewart, second from left, watches for a rebound to clear during their CCHA hockey game played in Sault Ste. Marie on Feb. 8. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

The Wildcats have scored multiple goals in five of their last six games, but has been shut out twice in the last five weeks, a 4-0 loss at home to Michigan Tech on Jan. 25 and 3-0 setback to St. Thomas last Friday, also at the Berry Events Center.

Last Saturday, however, NMU lost 4-3, tying for its second-highest goal output of the season, though the team has actually scored exactly three goals nine times in the campaign.

Northern trailed 3-0 halfway through the second period and 4-1 entering the third before juniors Jakob Peterson, a Marquette native, and Matthew Argentina pocketed goals for the Wildcats in a span of just over three minutes to pull the home team within one.

St. Thomas was whistled for a penalty with 49 seconds remaining, giving NMU a power play for most of the final minute, but the Wildcats couldn’t cash it in for the tying goal.

Another Northern senior, goalie Ryan Ouellette, made 30 saves on Saturday, including 15 in the first period, to give his teammates a chance down the stretch.

Ouellette has played about 85% of the Wildcats’ minutes in net, accumulating a 2.84 goals-against average and superb .920 saves percentage as he faces 32.5 shots per 60 minutes (one full game) in net.

Youth is being served on the Wildcats offense, however. Freshmen Jakub Altrichter and Grayden Slipec are the only NMU players who have reached double digits in points, Altrichter with three goals and a team-high 14 assists for 17 points and Slipec with a team-leading eight goals and eight assists for 16 points.

After them with nine points apiece are freshmen Anthony Cliche and Aidyn Hutchinson and sophomore Tynan Ewart.

Ferris State has been on a hot streak lately, going 6-3 in its last nine games, including a split in Houghton against Michigan Tech last weekend.

Cole Burtch leads the Bulldogs with seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points, while Caiden Gault has the most goals — 11 — for 19 points. Gault also has team highs of three power play goals and five game-winning goals.

In its recent nine-game hot streak, Burtch has eight points and Gault seven, each scoring three goals, while senior teamamte Kaleb Ergang has the team high of nine points in that span.

Noah West leads FSU goaltenders with a 3.19 goals-against average and .903 saves percentage along with two shutouts.

In their last nine meetings, NMU is 5-3-1 vs. Ferris, which includes 3-1 and 2-1 losses in Marquette in early December.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.