Marquette, Mich. ---  #1-rated Minnesota State scored first, but three second-period goals by Northern Michigan proved to be the difference as the host Wildcats claimed a 4-2 win Friday in Marquette.

The loss halted a nine-game winning streak for the Mavericks, who hadn't lost since Nov. 26.

Minnesota State held a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period on a power play goal from senior forward Julian Napranik.  Napravnik, who now has 11 goals on the season, wired a shot from the middle of the ice that beat Rico DiMatteo high on the glove side at 18:15. The goal gives Napranik 100 career points with 38 goals and 62 assists in 124 career games played.  He's the 17th Minnesota State player for the NCAA DI-era to accomplish the feat.

The Wildcats knotted things up at 8:13 of the second period when Andre Ghantous scored on a breakaway opportunity. NMU took the lead for the first time at 17:07 after Ben Newhouse found a loose puck at the side of the net and scored to make it a 2-1 game. Northern took a two-goal lead less than a minute later on a marker from AJ Vanderbeck and after two periods of action, the score stood 3-1 in favor of the Wildcats.

The Mavericks pulled within one at 9:07 of the third period after sophomore forward Connor Gregga cashed in for his third goal of the year on a rebound chance.  NMU closed out the scoring in the contest with an empty net goal with three second left in regulation.

Senior netminder Dryden McKay, was credited with 14 saves in the game, now stands 20-4-0 on the year.

Now 20-5-0 for 2021-22, the Mavericks stand 14-3-0 in Central Collegiate Hockey Association play.

The Mavericks close out the two-game league series with Northern Michigan Saturday with a 5:37 p.m. CST face-off scheduled.

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