Marquette, Mich. --- A three-goal second period provided the edge Northern Michigan needed in downing ninth-rated Minnesota State in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played Saturday in Marquette, Mich.
The Mavericks, who claimed a 3-0 win over NMU Friday, owned a 1-0 lead after the first period of play on a goal in which senior forward
C.J. Suess scored on a two-on-one chance with a wrist shot that beat goaltender
Mathias Israelsson stickside.
The host Wildcats responded with three second-period tallies, all of which came via special teams.
Troy Loggins knotted the score at 3:29 with a power play marker. Then, at 14:55 and after he had been knocked to the ice and while he was lying prone in the Maverick crease,
Robbie Payne backhanded a loose puck into the net for a shorthanded goal. It became a 3-1 lead for Northern Michigan right before the end of the middle stanza on a power play goal by
Darien Craighead that beat
Jason Pawloski low on the stick side..
Loggins closed out the scoring in the third period with an empty net tally at the 18:19 mark.
Minnesota State was zero-for-three power play chances, while NMU converted on two-of-five opportunities with the man advantage. The Mavericks owned a 24-19 advantage in shots on goal in the contest.
Minnesota State, which falls to 6-3-0 overall and 4-2-0 WCHA, saw a three-game winning streak come to an end with tonight's loss.
Minnesota State continues WCHA road action next weekend with a pair of league games at Bemidji State.
Head coach
Mike Hastings commented following the game.
