Da Yooper Report Week 7, eh?

Tuomas Tarkki posted his first shutout of the season Saturday against LSSU

(photo courtesy of Northern Michigan University Athletic Dept.)

M-28 Series Split; Huskies Sioux’ed

by Brandon Craig
MiCHO Upper Peninsula Correspondent

SAULT STE MARIE and MARQUETTE – Even the shortest road trips can be kind of painful, especially in the U.P.

The early standings for the Father Cappo cup are tied at one-all as the Northern Michigan Wildcats split the weekend with the Lake Superior State Lakers. Each team won in their respective buildings, LSSU on Friday at Taffy Abel and NMU on Saturday at the Berry.

Lake State’s Kory Scoran scored the game-winning goal on the power play at 8:13 of the second period to lift the Lakers (4-7-1, 4-5-1 CCHA) past Northern (6-4-2, 4-3-1 CCHA) on Friday. Nathan Ward opened the scoring for Lake State at 5:04 of the first period and Matt Restoule notched the Lakers' third goal of the evening. Northern’s Andrew Contois fired the lone `Cat goal. Streaky freshman goaltender Bill Zaniboni made 28 saves in the loss.

Andrew Contois's empty net goal sealed a 3-0 victory for Northern Michigan Saturday night. The Wildcats bounced back from a Friday night loss to earn the split with Lake Superior State. The goal was Contois's second of the night and third tally of the weekend. Wildcat netminder Tuomas Tarkki made 18 stops, while Jeff Jakaitis made 28 saves for the Lakers.

Northern will resume play next weekend hosting the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks at the Berry Events Center this Friday and Saturday.

LSSU will host non-conference Bemidji State at Taffy Abel Arena.

HOUGHTON – “The wheels on the bus…”

Well, they just fall right off.

The Michigan Tech Huskies nearly made a sensational comeback to tie North Dakota at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena Saturday, but the Huskies fell just short and the visiting Sioux walked away with a 3-2 WCHA victory and the road sweep.

Friday Michigan Tech (1-12-1, 1-11-0 WCHA) tallied three power play goals including two in the second period, but it wasn't enough to get past seventh-ranked North Dakota. The visiting Sioux took a 3-0 lead in the first period and skated to a 6-3 decision at MacInnes.

The Sioux opened scoring at 8:10 into the game and added two more goals just :55 apart later in the period for a 3-0 advantage at the intermission.

The Huskies will host No. 9 Denver at MacInnes this Friday and Saturday.