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A sweep so close: After opening win, NMU hockey takes 2nd game to OT before falling

After opening win, NMU hockey takes 2nd game to OT before falling

By Steve Brownlee 9 min read

MARQUETTE -- The dream was oh-so-close for the Northern Michigan University hockey team.

In the end, though the Wildcats couldn't quite pull out a series sweep against visiting NCAA Division I independent Stonehill on Saturday night.

NMU dominated in a 5-1 victory on Friday night against their visitors from Easton, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb. Going for their first series sweep since January 2025, Northern scored the opening goal in game two and took the game to overtime before the SkyHawks prevailed 2-1.

The Wildcats swept a series at Bemidji State, 4-1 and 3-1, on Jan. 17-18, 2025, the only back-to-back wins of head coach Dave Shyiak's inaugural year at NMU. Last season, while Northern didn't sweep a series, they did put together consecutive victories at Michigan Tech, 3-2, on Jan. 24, then a blanking of Bemidji 2-0 on Jan. 30.

Stonehill improved to 3-1 and was receiving votes in both national polls last week after a home sweep of ECAC member Colgate the previous weekend.

Whether they want it or not, the Wildcats (2-4) get a weekend off before opening Central Collegiate Hockey Association play on Halloween weekend, traveling to newest league member Augustana in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for games at 8:07 p.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 30, and 7:07 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Here are details from the Berry Events Center over the weekend:

NMU 5, Stonehill 1

On Friday night, just looking at sheer quantity, the Wildcats didn't really dominate as they were outshot 28-27.

But between the quality of chances coming from all over the roster, and simply exemplary goaltending of sophomore All-American candidate Oliver Auyeung-Ashton, Northern jumped out to a 4-0 lead before Stonehill broke its scoreless barrier in the final minute of the second period.

In an interesting contrast to last weekend at Michigan State, when special teams produced the vast majority of goals for both teams, all of Friday's goals were 5-on-5 until a final power play one by NMU in the last four minutes.

"We did a lot of good things," Shyiak said in an NMU Sports Information news release detailing the game. "We knew they were going to be hard and heavy.

"They're real physical, they don't give up easy offense, and I thought, first of all, we started great."

Freshman defenseman Darik Olson accounted for two goals as he now has the early-season Wildcats goal-scoring lead with three that included the power play tally with 3:57 to go that point an exclamation point on the victory.

He bracketed that with the only score of the opening period with 8:50 left, not something at all unnoticed by his coach.

"I thought we were better in the first period," Shyiak said about play that included the Skyhawks getting just one shot on goal in the first 12 minutes and three total in the first period. "We talked about getting out of our zone quicker so we could have more time in the offensive zone.

"We threw a puck to the net, and it went off them. You have to get pucks and bodies to the net, and you get lucky once in a while, and (Olson) did a good job of that.

"Getting the first goal of the game is really good, especially at home here. We're a young team still growing and getting better.

"We'll watch a little bit of film ... and we talked a little bit in the locker room. We just gotta bring it and sustain that attacking mode for 60 minutes by taking care of the puck and playing the offensive zone."

Another freshman, forward Owen Pitters, assisted on both of Olson's goals while scoring his own in the latter stages of period No. 2 for a three-point night.

In fact, Pitters' entire line that included sophomore Michael Burchill and freshman Nik Gudmundson was quite productive as the latter two assisted on Pitters' tally -- it was Gudmundson's first collegiate point -- while Burchill scored his own goal for what proved to be the game winner and began a three-goal onslaught over a 10-minute stretch of the second.

“Obviously, Pitters' line, I thought, was really good," their coach said. "They did a lot of good things, and they were rewarded and got some points.

"It was nice to see (production) from some young guys."

Pitters goal was described as coming from the stick of Burchill, whose "spin-o-rama" assist puts the entire goal up for a candidate for goal of the year, according to NMU SI. Gudmundson made the breakout pass that allowed the play to happen.

The Wildcats' other goal came from sophomore forward Mathew Ward, his first goal, after he stole a pass when coming off the bench. And alternate captain and junior defenseman Joe Schiller recorded a pair of assists, with sophomore forward Peter Cisar and freshman blueliner Evan Depatie also notching an assist apiece.

Auyeung-Ashton made all that more meaningful by stopping 27 of 28 shots, a .964 saves percentage. While he wasn't tested a lot in the first period, he faced 16 shots in the second, giving up the lone goal, plus another nine in the third.

Stonehill netminder Linards Lipskis made 22 stops, including 10 in each of the first two periods.

Shyiak was even pleased with the one forward line that didn't record a point -- senior Girts Silkalns, junior Grayden Slipec and freshman Aapo Katavisto.

"Silkalns line, even though they didn't get points, I thought they were one of the best lines on the ice because they're hard, they're heavy, they protected pucks, they took care of the (defensive zone), they chewed up good minutes in the (offensive zone), and they drew some penalties," Shyiak said.

Each of the Wildcats' second period goals were described as coming off the rush from counterattacks and turnovers, according to NMU SI. Burchill fired a quick one-timer on an odd-man rush, Ward stole the pick after jumping on the ice for his goal, while Pitters was off the slick pass from Burchill.

"I thought in the second period (Stonehill) had a real strong push where we couldn't generate anything," Shyiak said, talking about the beginning stages before goals starting going in. "They were physical, and they didn't go away.

"Our puck play a little bit in the third, no matter what the score is, we have to make better puck decisions at the lines. We talked about that, and we gotta clean it up ... and learn to play the right way for 60 minutes. 

"(Friday night), I thought maybe for 45-plus minutes, we played the game the right way; special teams were good, Olly came up with a couple good saves, and that's a tough team to play against; I give them credit for that."

Stonehill 2, NMU 1 (OT)

On Saturday evening, while the Wildcats were outshot again, they put together a 10-5 edge in shots in the third period in the effort to end the game in regulation.

Auyeung-Ashton finished with 25 saves, facing 10 shots in each of the first two periods and two in OT, while a new Stonehill goalie, Mason Vaccari, made 23 saves but none in the extra period.

Northern held the lead 106 seconds in all after Gudmundson's notched his first collegiate goal with 8:43 left in the first period before the Skyhawks quickly answered on a goal by Liam Fitzpatrick less than two minutes later.

Gudmundson's third line also including Pitters and Burchill got a point with assists on the goal. Pitters was described as laying a breakout pass to Burchill, who flew up the right board into Stonehill's zone. He dropped a pass to Gudmundson, who fired a wicked wrist shot high on the short side past the SH goalie, according to an NMI SI account of this game.

Stonehill's answer came after Matthew Rafalski fired a pass from the right corner to Owen Drury, who redirected the pass for a shot on goal. The rebound landed on Fitzpatrick's stick and he converted, according to NMU SI.

While the shots on goal were fairly even, the Skyhawks had a 23-11 advantage in attempts in the first period.

Northern's third-period success wasn't just in quantity, but quality as seven of their attempts came inside "the house," the high-danger area that can also variously be called Grade A chances.

Just over three minutes into overtime, Anthony Galante rushed up from his own end and wound up on a shot from a high-quality area in the slot and past Auyeung-Ashton on his stick side to end the weekend.

Northern's last OT game at the Berry was the same score, 2-1, to No. 19 Colorado College on Oct. 17, 2025.

Pitters led all skaters with six shot attempts and five shots on goal, while also winning six of 10 faceoffs (60%) and having a plus-1 rating.

Silkalns led the Wildcats in faceoff wins with seven, while Schiller paced the team with three blocks. 

NMU 5, Stonehill 1

Friday at Berry Events Center

Summary:

First period -- 1. NMU, Darik Olson (Depatie, Pitters) 11:10

Second period -- 2. NMU, Michael Burchill (Cisar, Schiller) 8:23; 3. NMU, Mathew Ward (unassisted) 13:26; 4. NMU, Owen Pitters (Burchill, Gudmundson) 17:35; 5. STO, Matthew Romer (Grainda, Renfrew) 19:28

Third period -- 6. NMU, Olson (Schiller, Pitters) ppg 16:03

Penalties-minutes: Stonehill 4-8, NMU 3-6

Power-play opportunities: Stonehill 0 of 3, NMU 1 of 4

Goalie saves: Stonehill, Lindards Lipskis 22 (9-7-6); NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 27 (3-15-9)

Stonehill 2, NMU 1 (OT)

Saturday at Berry Events Center

Summary:

First period -- 1. NMU, Nik Gudmundson (Burchill, Pitters) 11:17; 2. STO, Liam Fitzpatrick (Drury, Rafalski) 13:03

Second period -- No scoring

Third period -- No scoring

Overtime -- 3. STO, Anthony Galante (Lepper, Melady) 3:07

Penalties-minutes: Stonehill 2-4, NMU 2-4

Power-play opportunities: Stonehill 0 of 2, NMU 0 of 2

Goalie saves: Stonehill, Mason Vaccari 23 (7-6-10-0); NMU, Oliver Auyeung-Ashton 25 (9-10-5-1)

Story contents based on a pair of Northern Michigan University Sports Information press releases reviewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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