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Shine polishes game

EDMONTON, Alberta – A Northern Michigan University hockey player is getting a chance to showcase his skills for a National Hockey League franchise in a couple of days.

Wildcats soon-to-be-senior forward Dominik Shine has been invited to the Edmonton Oilers orientation camp, which will run for six days starting Saturday.

After going taking part in medical and fitness testing the first day at the Oilers’ former arena, the Rexall Place, Shine will go participate in on-ice sessions Sunday through Wednesday at the Jasper Fitness Centre in Jasper, Alberta.

The camp also has 4-on-4 scrimmages Wednesday night for the annual Billy Moores Cup before one last session on the ice on Thursday.

A native of downstate Pinckney, Shine will be in great company in Alberta – he will be joined by Oilers’ first- and second-round draft picks Jesse Puljujarvi and Tyler Benson.

Also attending the camp will be former North Dakota star Drake Caggiula, who just won the NCAA title in April, as well as Shane Hanna, Mark Auk and Jake Lucchini from WCHA regular-season co-champion Michigan Tech.

Shine had a stellar year last season at NMU, leading the Wildcats in goals with 15 and finishing second in points with 30, giving the NMU offense a good 1-2 punch with Darren Nowick.

Shine also led the team in shots by a wide margin with 114 and tied Robbie Payne for the high on the team in game-winning goals with four.

In the WCHA, Shine tied for third with 25 points in 25 games and was named the league’s Player of the Month twice.

Shine had a nine-game point streak from Jan. 30 to Feb. 7, racking up 12 points in that span.

He was named to the All-WCHA Second Team and also earned a spot on the Great Lakes Invitational All-Tournament Team. Shine scored the tying goal late in the third-place game against Michigan State and also briefly gave NMU the lead in its opening game against Michigan.

Shine has increased his point total each season with the Wildcats and has accumulated 67 points over his three-year collegiate career.

He is the second Wildcat to attend an NHL camp this offseason as incoming freshman defenseman Rylan Yaremko is attending the New York Rangers development camp. Shine also attended the Detroit Red Wings development camp in 2013.

Northern opens up its season with an exhibition game against a British Columbia school, the University of Victoria, on Oct. 2 at the Berry Events Center. NMU’s first regular-season series is against Wisconsin Oct. 7-8 at the Resch Center in Green Bay.

Ryan Stieg can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 246.

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