By Journal Sports Staff

BIG RAPIDS – Rallying from a two-goal deficit, the Northern Michigan University hockey team beat host Ferris State 3-2 Saturday night.

Darren Nowick’s 11th goal of the season completed the comeback at 15:26 of the third.

Goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom made 15 of his 36 saves in the final frame to lift the Wildcats (13-11-6 overall, 10-8-4 WCHA) and keep them in the race for home ice in the WCHA tournament.

In an even first period, Northern’s best scoring opportunity came with just over six minutes remaining. After fighting off his defender, Cohen Adair carried the puck behind the net and sent a backhand pass to Brock Maschmeyer in the slot.

Maschmeyer’s blistering one-timer hit the post and deflected harmlessly to the boards.

The Wildcats fell behind, 2-0, in the second period after the Bulldogs netted two goals before the 15:00 mark.

Gerald Mayhew opened the scoring at 8:09, roofing a shot over Dahlstrom’s glove on a transition play. Then, at 14:18, Ferris State capitalized on its second man advantage of the frame, as a Chad McDonald shot beat a screened Dahlstrom.

A minute and 10 seconds after the Bulldogs pulled ahead by two, Gerard Hanson struck to draw the Wildcats back to within one. After a Nowick draw win, Hanson came up with the puck in a goalmouth scramble and sent it past Darren Smith.

Seconds after a Northern man advantage expired, Jordan Klimek’s point shot hit a Bulldog and deflected to Denver Pierce, who was stationed in between the circles. Pierce’s bullet beat Smith cleanly, evening the score at two all with just 34 seconds remaining in the frame.

Early in the third period, Matt Robertson had a chance to regain the lead for Ferris State, but Dahlstrom stopped his initial shot and Robertson sent the rebound wide.

The Bulldogs outshot the Wildcats, 15-5, in the frame, but Dahlstrom stood tall, setting up Nowick’s heroics.

After carrying the puck down low, Dominik Shine found Nowick in the slot through traffic. Nowick buried Shine’s seeing-eye feed on his backhand, sending the puck into the upper left corner of the net.

NMU successfully killed off a late Ferris State power play to maintain its lead.

Then, with Smith pulled for the extra attacker, the Wildcats held fast, with Nowick and Shine each blocking a shot and Dahlstrom denying McDonald with a pad save just as time expired.

The Wildcats return to the ice next weekend, hosting Alabama-Huntsville Friday and Saturday.

Information compiled by Senior Sports Writer Craig Remsburg. He can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 251, or via email at cremsburg@miningjournal.net.