Wildcats win exhibition, name captains

The Northern Michigan University hockey team had a tune-up for the 2007-08 season on Sunday afternoon at the Berry Events Center as the Wildcats defeated the University of Toronto in an exhibition game, 8-0.

NMU scored four times in the first period, three in the second and once in the third.

Mark Olver and Andrew Sarauer scored twice and Tim Hartung, Jared Brown, Billy Smith and Derek May added singles.

Brian Stewart and Derek Janzen both saw time between the pipes. Stewart turned away six shots, while Janzen had 10 saves.

NMU will take to the road for the first weekend of the regular season for the Superior Showcase. Friday night, the team will be at Michigan Tech and the next night at Minnesota-Duluth.

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TJ Miller and Billy Smith have been named co-captains for the 2007-08 Northern Michigan Wildcats.

“In my opinion, these two guys have proven to be emerging leaders on the team,” said NMU head coach Walt Kyle. “They have the respect of the guys in the room and coaching staff. They have what it takes to take the team in the direction we want to go.”

Miller, a sophomore defenseman from Placentia, Calif., had two goals and 12 assists for 14 points last year in 37 games.

Smith is a sophomore forward from Sterling, Alaska, and has yet to skate for the Wildcats. He had to sit out last year after transferring from Alaska-Anchorage. In his only season of action at UAA (2005-06), he had eight points on four goals and four assists in 32 games of action.