SWEET SWEEP: Wildcats Win Two From #1 Duluth

These stories were written by NMU Sports Information

SATURDAY GAME RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Wildcats hockey team completed the sweep over top-ranked University of Minnesota - Duluth in convincing fashion Saturday night, topping the visiting Bulldogs, 5-2.

Bo Hanson took no time lighting the lamp, firing a shot into the back of the net just 97 seconds in. After scoring on their first shot of the contest, the Wildcats would go on to outshoot the Bulldogs, 9-5 in the opening period.

The Wildcats extended their lead to 3-0 with an early second period goal by AJ Vanderbeck and a power play goal from Alex Frye.

UMD got one back at 12:27 of the second stanza to snap Rico DiMatteo's shutout bid but the sophomore netminder continued to turn shot after shot aside, registering 15 saves in the period.

On a five minute power play opportunity, David Keefer capitalized for the final goal of the period, giving NMU the 4-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.

The Bulldogs cut the Wildcats' lead in half just two minutes into the final period when a quick shot beat DiMatteo for the 4-2 score.

That would be the final goal allowed by the home Wildcats while NMU found the back of the empty net at 17:57 when UMD opted in favor of the extra attacker.

The Wildcats improve to 10-6-1 on the season and are undefeated in their last six contests.

Bo Hanson net his first as a Wildcat just 97 seconds into the contest when his shot hit the cross bar and ricocheted down into the net. David Keefer got the puck back to Hank Crone who stood at the top of the near circle. He centered a pass to Hanson who was skating through the slot for the first goal of the night, giving the Wildcats the 1-0 lead.
From his usual spot in the slot, AJ Vanderbeck extended the NMU lead to two with a quick flick of the wrist. Trevor Cosgrove stretched out for the long, cross-ice pass, finding Vanderbeck alone at the line to skate it in uncontested.
Alex Frye scored his first of the season on the power play. The eventual game-winner came at 11:42 of the second period when a loose puck out front was tapped home by Frye to make it 3-0, NMU. Crone and Vanderbeck each picked up assists on the goal.
Rushing in on the power play, Mike Van Unen fed a pass over to David Keefer who shot the puck above the glove of UMD's Patt for the 4-1 score late in the second period.
The Wildcats' final goal of the night came on the empty net when Hank Crone received the puck in neutral ice and skated into the offensive zone. From the top of the far circle he fired a puck into the open net to seal the deal for the 5-2 final.

The Wildcats posted 10 goals on the weekend series against a UMD defense that was averaging 1.25 goals against per game.
NMU's 4.12 goals per game ranks third nationally behind only Denver and Cornell.
With four points Saturday night, Hank Crone now leads the nation with 27 points (7-20-27) and is second in assists.
Despite being outshot by a slim 33-31 margin, the Wildcats had 21 shots blocked in the victory. The home 'Cats also blocked 14 shots of their own, led by Ben Newhouse with four.
Eight Wildcats highlighted the box score, including four with multi-point nights.
Crone led the team in points with his empty net goal and three assists while David Keefer (1-1-2), AJ Vanderbeck (1-1-2) and Bo Hanson (1-1-2) all had a goal and an assist for two points each.
Two Wildcats scored their first goals of the season in the win as Hanson tallied his first for NMU and Alex Frye lit the lamp for the first time in 2021-22.
With his goal in the second period, AJ Vanderbeck extends his goal and point streak to five games, a team best. He now boasts six points over that stretch.
Four other Wildcats currently ride point streaks of two or more games, including Crone who sits at seven points in his last three games (1-6-7). Trevor Cosgrove, who had an assist Saturday, has tallied six points in his last three outings. David Keefer and Vincent de Mey each have two goals on the weekend and an assist for a two-game streak.
Rico DiMatteo made some improbable saves in the game as he improved to 10-5-1 on the season with 31 saves in Saturday night's victory.

The Wildcats return to Central Collegiate Hockey Association action next weekend with a trip across the Upper Peninsula to Lake Superior State University, Dec. 10-11.

Puck drop on Friday night is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.

FRIDAY GAME RECAP

MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Northern Michigan University Wildcat hockey team defeated top-ranked University of Minnesota-Duluth, 5-4, in an offensive shootout inside the Berry Events Center, Friday night.

A physical first period saw both teams find twine on the power play as well as registering a successful penalty kill but ultimately it was the Bulldogs who skated to the locker room with the 2-1 lead.

The Wildcats struck first when AJ Vanderbeck's shot from the point beat the UMD netminder on a five-on-three advantage.

UMD answered with a power play tally of their own at 8:57 of the first to knot things up 1-1.

The Bulldogs found themselves up 2-1 after one period of play despite the Wildcats' late pressure in the offensive zone.

The second period was all Wildcats as they outshot their opponent, 18-5, including an 8-2 mark to open the second stanza.

The Wildcats would net two in the period to carry a 3-2 lead into the final period of play behind goals from Trevor Cosgrove and David Keefer.

UMD, again, tied things up early in the third with a shot at 4:48 to make it a 3-3 score.

With a packed barn, the Wildcats would not be deterred, clawing their way to victory with a pair of goals from senior forward Vincent de Mey late in regulation to secure the 5-4 win.

Rico DiMatteo finished the night with 26 saves on 30 shots faced while the 'Cats peppered the UMD net with 35 shots in the game one win.

AJ Vanderbeck opened the scoring with his sixth power play goal of the season. His shot from the point at 2:12 of the opening period beat the UMD goaltender stick side while the 'Cats skated with a five-on-three advantage. Hank Crone and Ben Newhouse each picked up assists on the goal.

Trevor Cosgrove lit the lamp just over half way through the second period to knot things up 2-2. His saucer from the blueline wound up top shelf for his third goal of the year. Newhouse, who sent the puck out of the defensive zone, earned the lone assist on the goal.

David Keefer broke the stalemate late in the second period on a diving play off the face off. Wildcat center Garrett Klee won the draw and Keefer gathered the puck at the near dot. The senior forward sent the puck bar down from inside the slot to give NMU the 3-2 edge heading into the final period.

After the Bulldogs tied it up early in the third, Vincent de Mey swung momentum in the Wildcats' favor with his first goal of the night at 16:33 of the third frame. Creating an odd-man rush, de Mey passed the puck over to Crone whose initial shot bounced off the back boards, finding de Mey's stick and a quick tap home gave NMU the 4-3 lead. Cosgrove also earned an assist on the fourth goal of the night.

De Mey followed it up less than two minutes with an empty net goal and eventual-game winner when Cosgrove chipped a pass from deep in the defensive zone, out to de Mey at the opposite blueline. He centered the pass, sending it on goal and into the back of the empty net for the 5-4 final.

The Wildcats are undefeated in their last five contests, boasting a record of 4-0-1 and improving to 9-6-1 on the season.

Trevor Cosgrove's saucer in the second to make it 2-2 was his lone goal of the night but the senior blueliner fired a team-high seven pucks on net and tallied three points (1-2-3).

Eight Wildcats highlighted the box score Friday night, with four boasting multi-point games. Cosgrove (1-2-3), Ben Newhouse (0-2-2), Vincent de Mey (2-0-2) and Hank Crone (0-2-2) all found their names on the box score multiple times in the win.

De Mey led the team in goals with two on the night, netting the eventual game-winner on an empty net at 18:28 of the contest.

Both teams boasted 13 blocked shots in the contest as Tim Erkkila and Newhouse combined for six total with three a piece.

The Wildcats outshot UMD, 35-30 in the win, including a season-high 18 in the second period.

With his sixth power play goal of the year, Vanderbeck is tied for fourth nationally in the category.

Crone's two assists in the win lift him to 23 points this season, tied for second nationally and best among all CCHA skaters.