This line of players consists of, from left, Lake Superior State’s Connor Milburn, Northern Michigan University’s Olivier Beaulieu, the Lakers’ John Herrington and the Wildcats’ Joe Schiller, all in front of NMU goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton during their CCHA hockey game played at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie on Saturday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

SAULT STE. MARIE — The tough-luck hockey team at Northern Michigan University absorbed another one-goal loss on Sunday evening at Lake Superior State.

The Lakers posted their second straight 2-1 victory to take the lead in their Cappo Cup series determined by the games played between these two Upper Peninsula rivals each season.

NMU gets a rematch with Lake State on Feb. 20-21 in Marquette.

Despite Northern’s anemic 1-21 overall record, Sunday’s loss marked the 13th time in 22 games this season that the Wildcats have been within a single goal entering the final minute of regulation.

The results board only shows seven one-goal losses — plus the Dec. 5 win at Bowling Green State — with the other close games including a final-minute empty-net goal, and one game with two empty-netters, that don’t make them seem as close.

Despite their struggles with a 1-13 CCHA record, the Wildcats had a chance to catch eighth-place Ferris State with a regulation win on Sunday. NMU has five points in the league standings, while Ferris has eight, the three-point difference exactly what a regulation win is worth.

Instead, LSSU netted the game-winner shorthanded just past the midpoint of the third period as NMU freshman goaltender Oliver Auyeung-Ashton finished with 28 saves.

A Northern power play went awry 40 seconds in. With the Wildcats regrouping in the neutral zone, the Lakers’ Connor Milburn forced a turnover off the stick of NMU’s Jakub Altrichter, according to a game account from NMU Sports Information.

The Lake State captain broke in on a partial breakaway, and Auyeung-Ashton made the initial save before Milburn powered through several Northern defenders to slam home his own rebound with 9:33 left.

Other than that, the Wildcats dominated, outshooting their hosts 44-30 in shots on goal and 73-55 on overall shot attempts. LSSU goalie Rorke Applebee made 43 saves, including at least 13 every period.

NMU senior alternate captain Caiden Gault, a transfer in the offseason after leading Ferris in scoring last season, notched his NMU-leading 12th goal, with Kyle Bettens getting his second assist in two nights.

But the Lakers made the best of their special teams, scoring on a power play and shorthanded while killing off all four of NMU’s power plays.

Gault’s goal, which tied the game with 8:01 left in the second, started with a great rush by Bettens, who took an outlet pass and sped around the right side to beat a defender wide.

While crashing the net, Bettens was initially stopped, but Gault followed it up to collect the rebound in close and knock it home.

Gault’s goal each night gives him seven since Dec. 5, second in the nation only to Dartmouth’s Hayden Stavroff in that time span.

Bettens’ back-to-back nights with assists give him five in his last five games and eight points this season, all on assists.

Tynan Ewart, who was credited with the other assist on Gault’s goal, now has seven points this year, again all on assists.

Lake State’s opening goal was scored with 2:48 left in the first, four seconds before its first power play expired. While Northern was dominant for most of their man disadvantage, not allowing a shot on goal, in the late going a shot from the point was blocked, landing in the slot busy with traffic.

The Lakers’ Hadley Hudak, held without a point all season, found the loose puck and slipped it past Auyeung-Ashton, who apparently hadn’t picked up the blocked shot.

Northern had some excellent scoring chances before the first goal, including Atrichter hitting a post.

Then Auyeung-Ashton had to come up big during the middle period, which he did, setting up his teammates for more good scoring opportunities, including the game-tying marker.

The Wildcats had two chances on power plays in the third, but instead LSSU got a goal out of them.

Now the Wildcats come home for a CCHA series against Augustana at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday. The Vikings, 12-6-3 overall and 6-4-3 in the CCHA, are fourth in the league with 24 points, just four points behind league-leading Minnesota State-Mankato.

Northern’s second and final Blue Line Luncheon of the season will also be held Friday at the Slabz Bar and Grill inside the Ramada Inn of Marquette on West Washington Street.

Tickets are $25 per person that includes a catered lunch. Doors open at 11:45 a.m. with lunch served promptly at noon so that the program can begin at 12:15 p.m.

Visit the NMU Tickets website at tickets.nmu.edu or go in person to the NMU Ticket office at the Superior Dome or by calling 227-1032.

Lake Superior St. 2, NMU 1

Sunday at Sault Ste. Marie

Summary:

First period — 1. LSSU, Hadley Hudak (Brown, Dahlheimer) ppg 17:12

Second period — 2. NMU, Caiden Gault (Bettens, Ewart) 11:59

Third period — 3. LSSU, Connor Milburn (unassisted) shg 9:33

Penalties-minutes: NMU 6-23, Lake Superior St. 5-10

Power-play opportunities: NMU 0 of 4, Lake Superior St. 1 of 3

Goalie saves: NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 28 (13-10-5); Lake Superior St., Rorke Applebee 43 (14-13-16)

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