Wildcats Blank Michigan State To Earn Series Split
MARQUETTE---The Northern Michigan University hockey team shut out the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, 2-0, at the Berry Events Center. Griffin Loughran and Vincent DeMay scored NMU goals and freshman goaltender John Hawthorne got his first career shutout. The 'Cats rebounded from Friday's 5-3 loss to the Spartans.
The followings stories were written by NMU Sports Information:
SATURDAY'S GAME RECAP
The Wildcats of Northern Michigan (1-1-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) and the Spartans of Michigan State (1-1-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) finished their series with a split following a 2-0 shutout victory in front of 4,071 fans Saturday night at the Berry Events Center.
Griffin Loughran, a sophomoe forward netted the game-winning goal just 12:34 into the game as he found the back of the net on the power play. Fellow sophomore forward Vincent de Mey tallied a late goal for his third point of the weekend while senior Philip Beaulieu tallied his first multi-point game of the season.
Freshman goaltender John Hawthorne highlighted the night with his first career shutout in his first career start. Stopping 15 shots on the night, he became the first Wildcat netminder to open his career with a shutout in over a decade.
As the clock wound down on the Wildcat's power play Griffin Loughran redirected Ty Readman's pass to open the scoring at 12:34 of the first frame. Philip Beaulieu carried the puck over the blue line before shooting the puck to the left face-off circle where Readman one-timed a pass to Loughran who beat Michigan State's goaltender Drew DeRidder stick side.
Bringing the puck out of the defensive zone, Vincent de Mey dumped the puck deep towards the net where DeRidder misplayed the puck and it found its way into the netting with 1:59 remaining in regulation. Grant Loven and Philip Beaulieu earned the assists on the play.
The Wildcats came out firing early, posting 11 shots through the first 20 minutes of play. They held the Spartans to a mere three shots in the period to head into the first intermission with the 1-0 lead and 11-3 lead in shots on goal. They outshot the opponent in each period posting a 7-6 edge in the second frame and an 8-6 margin in the final period.
Rookie goaltender John Hawthorne made his debut for the Wildcats stopping 15 shots faced for his first career shutout. It was Northern Michigan's first shutout since Atte Tolvanen blanked Michigan Tech on March 2, 2019 when he stopped 20 shots in route to a 3-0 Wildcat win.
Northern Michigan posted 26 total shots on goal, compared to just 15 for the opposing Spartans. The Wildcats were perfect on the penalty kill while posting a .250 average with the man advantage. Loughran's power play tally in the first period was the team's third of the series, where they went 3-9 on the weekend.
FRIDAY'S GAME RECAP
The Northern Michigan University hockey team (0-1-0, 0-0-0-0 WCHA) fell to down state rival, Michigan State (1-0-0, 0-0-0-0 B1G) Thursday night in front of a loud crowd at the Berry Events Center (4,043).
The Wildcats saw six new faces take the ice in the season-opener, with three adding their name to the box score early. Hank Sorensen netted his first career goal and point, with Ben Newhouse and Andre Ghantous earning their first career points/assists on the goal. Vincent de Mey posted a tally on the power play while Grant Loven netted his first of the season.
Newhouse and Ghantous tied for the team-lead in points with two helpers while Loven posted the team high in shots with five.
Freshman Hank Sorensen, Ben Newhouse and Andre Ghantous connected on a series of passes as time dwindled down in the first period to knot the game at one. Sorensen's goal, the first of his career, came at 17:57 with first career assists for Newhouse and Ghantous.
Vincent de Mey pulled the Wildcats back within one as we neared the halfway point of the final period. His power play goal was assisted by Ben Newhouse and Andre Ghantous.
Shortly after the Spartans regained the two-goal lead, Grant Loven buried one deep off the rebound for the third tally Wildcat of the night. Vincent de Mey and Ty Readman both earned assists on the goal.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats make their first road trip of the season next weekend when they head East to take on Boston University October 18 and 19.