Two goals from defenseman Mitch Jones gave the visiting Northern Michigan Wildcats their first win at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena since Jan. 21, 2012. The Wildcats defeated the No. 8 Michigan Tech Huskies, 5-4, in overtime Saturday night.
Jones’ second goal of the night was the difference in the contest, as he fired a long shot through traffic in overtime for the game-winner at 2:47. Center Darren Nowick assisted on the goal.
“It was a good feeling, but it was very much a Tech-Northern game,” said Wildcats coach Walt Kyle. “It seems like every time we get up they get scoring flurries on us.”
The Wildcats (9-6-5 overall, 6-6-4 WCHA) had the better jump of the two teams in the early going, as Robbie Payne picked up the first shot on goal with a low wrist shot from the right circle just 24 seconds in.
Payne had another scoring chance when he stole the puck in the high slot. His backhand shot was stopped by Huskies goaltender Jamie Phillips.
Dahlstrom came up big several times in the opening frame, none bigger than the stop he made on a wraparound attempt by Huskies winger Joel L’Esperance with just over nine minutes left in the period.
Dahlstrom made two big stops in the same shift, first off a wrist shot from assistant captain Alex Petan, the second off co-captain Tanner Kero just 20 seconds later.
Payne put the Wildcats on the board when he picked the puck near the visitors bench and skated into the offensive zone. Firing a shot just under the cross bar, Payne beat Phillips at 18:37. Zach Diamantoni picked up an assist on the goal.
On their next rush down the ice, the Wildcats scored again. Luke Eibler carried the puck slowly into the offensive zone before firing a shot from just over the blue line. His shot eluded Phillips at 19:49.
Huskies coach Mel Pearson changed goaltenders to start the second from Phillips to Matt Wintjes in an attempt to spark his troops. The gamble worked.
“I give our team credit,” said Pearson. “We dug ourselves a hole. We can’t continue to do that. You’re not going to beat many teams when you give five goals up at home.”
Just 1:06 into the period, winger Tyler Heinonen snatched up a rebound and buried it the back of the net. Defensemen Matt Roy and Shane Hanna both assisted on the goal after Roy’s shot was the one that rebounded back out front.
The Huskies (15-6-1 overall, 10-3-1 WCHA) had a great chance to tie the game when Nowick took an interference penalty. They were unable to tie it on the advantage, but they did even the game shortly after. Winger C.J. Eick cut to the net with the puck. Seeing center Dylan Steman crashing the crease, Eick hit him on the stick with the pass, and Steman tipped the puck past Dahlstrom at 8:56.
On a power play, Petan and Hanna set up at the blue line, switching sides. Hanna took a pass from Petan and skated down to the top of the circle before feeding the puck across the rink to winger Malcolm Gould for a one-timer. Gould’s shot whizzed past Dahltstrom at 12:20.
Steman put the visitors on a power play of their own when he took a roughing penalty just 18 seconds after the Gould goal. The Wildcats tied it when Nowick positioned himself out in the slot. Getting a pass from John Siemer, Nowick ripped a wrist shot past Wintjes at 13:06.
The game remained tied until late in the period when Huskies defenseman Riley Sweeney fired a shot from the right point. His shot was knocked down by Petan in the slot and it caromed right to winger Brent Baltus in front of the net. Baltus’ shot beat Dahlstrom at 18:58.
“I thought we bounced back well in the second period,” said Kero. “We have to learn how to play with a lead in the third.”
Wintjes came out strong in the third period, making a huge save on D.J. Vandercook who got loose in front. Wintjes finished the game with 16 saves.
The Wildcats used an early power play to their advantage. Brock Maschmeyer fed the puck across to Mitch Jones at the left point. Jones’ shot eluded Wintjes at 5:11 to tie the game at 4-4.
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