N.M.U. Hockey heads to Ohio State for CCHA Action

The No. 14 Northern Michigan hockey team travels to Ohio
State for a pair of Central Collegiate Hockey Association games this
weekend. The Wildcats and Buckeyes will meet at 12:05 p.m. on Friday (Nov. 11) in a Veterans Day matinee and at 7:05 p.m. on Saturday (Nov. 12) in Value City Arena.

NMU is ranked No. 14 in the latest United State College Hockey Online Top 25 poll after receiving 290 points. The ‘Cats were no. 17 last week. NMU is 4-3-1 overall and 1-2-1 in the CCHA for seventh place in the conference.

Ohio State is 6-3-1 overall and 3-2-1-1 in conference play. The Buckeyes currently have a three-game winning streak and a five-game unbeaten streak. Ohio State has CCHA splits with Notre Dame and Michigan State and had a win and tie against Alaska. Nonconference opponents have been at split with Quinnipiac and a sweep of Alabama-Huntsville.

NMU and Ohio State have met 72 times, dating back to 1977. OSU leads 21-9-1 in Columbus. NMU has won three of the last five games and six of the last 10.

Senior forwards Andrew Cherniwchan and Justin Florek have played six games against OSU in their careers. Cherniwchan has three goals and two assists. Florek has a goal and an assist. All three goalies, senior Devan Hartigan, sophomore Jared Coreau and senior Reid Ellingson have played in two games against the Buckeyes.

The last time these two teams met, NMU swept the Buckeyes on Oct. 29-30 from the Berry Events Center. The ‘Cats won 2-1 on Friday and 4-3 on Saturday. Last weekend, the ‘Cats tied with Notre Dame on both Friday (Nov. 4) and Saturday (Nov. 5). NMU won the shootout both nights. Ellingson was named CCHA goaltender of the Week for his performance over the weekend. He made 44 saves on Saturday and stopped 69-of-72 shots on the weekend with a 1.50 GAA and .958 save percentage. Ellingson stopped all six shots in two shootout wins.

NMU is 1-3 on the road this season with a split at Wisconsin (Oct. 7-8) to start the season and were swept in their first CCHA road series at Western Michigan (Oct. 28-29). The ‘Cats have played in five overtime games this season and are 1-1-3-2 in those games.

All hockey games can be heard on 100.3 FM “The Point”, the official radio station of the NMU Wildcats.