The Falcon hockey team was swept for the first time this season against the Northern Michigan Wildcats, losing 3-2 in overtime Saturday night after falling 5-2 Friday night.
“Obviously I’m not very happy with the series overall,” Falcons head coach Chris Bergeron said. “We had a three point lead for second place (in the WCHA standings) and we ended up going backwards.”
Friday’s game saw Northern Michigan get off to a good start with a pair of power play tallies three minutes apart in the first period to give them a 2-0 lead early. In the second, however, the Falcons were able to cut the lead in half as senior forward Brett D’Andrea scored at 5:15, however Northern Michigan restored the two goal advantage with another power play goal just over two minutes later at 7:19. At 10:27, Northern Michigan capitalized on yet another power play opportunity to make it a 4-1 game, which they held going into the third period. In the third, it was McLain closing the gap for the Falcons at 7:41, however, Northern Michigan scored their only even strength goal of the game with less than five minutes remaining to go on to take the 5-2 victory.
“Their power play made it tough,” Bergeron said. “It was one of those things where our stick was in our hands when it should have been on the ice, we couldn’t get a clear, the little details of our penalty kill weren’t very good and when you play against a power play like Northern Michigan’s, they take advantage of it.”
On Saturday, the Falcons got off to a strong start by capitalizing on a power play opportunity as senior forward Mitch McLain scored at the 7:47 mark of the first period, which they held going into the second. Early in the second period, however, Northern Michigan got on the board with a power play goal of their own at the 1:55 mark. The game remained even at one until Northern Michigan scored again with just 32 seconds remaining in the period to take a 2-1 lead. Throughout most of the third period, the Falcons were unable to get the tying goal, however, with the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, freshman forward Cameron Wright scored as just 1:29 remained in regulation to eventually send the game into overtime.
In overtime, neither team was able to get much momentum offensively until just six seconds remained, when Northern Michigan scored to put the game away 3-2 and secure the sweep.
“We pushed a little bit in the third, we had a couple of chances,” Bergeron said. “(The tying goal) was a good play and we knew that’s what it was going to take to beat this goaltender. He made it very difficult for us, so it was a good play, we just didn’t have enough of them over the course of the weekend.”
The team will next play Friday and Saturday nights at home against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves.
