NMU Hockey team ready for Bulldogs

Courtesy of NMU Athletics

MARQUETTE, Mich.- The Northern Michigan University hockey team hosts Ferris State University this weekend in a Collegiate Hockey Association series from the Berry Events Center. The puck drops at 7:35 p.m. on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 8-9) night. All fans are incited to the fourth period party at Coco’s after Saturday night’s game.

NMU is hosting the Pink Wave on Saturday at the Berry Events Center. The Wildcats host Ferris State in men’s basketball at 11 a.m., women’s basketball at 1 p.m. and hockey at 7:35 p.m. Money raised will benefit Cancer Care of Marquette County. T-shirts, hooded sweatshirts, crew sweatshirts and polos are available at the ‘Cats Corner Store, NMU Bookstore and PEIF Info Center.

NMU is 11-12-4 overall and 5-11-4-1 in the CCHA. The Wildcats currently sit in 10th place in the CCHA with 20 conference points. Northern received a vote in the USCHO.com top 20 poll. The ‘Cats are 5-2-1 in the New Year and are currently on a two-game losing streak after a pair of losses at Alaska on Jan. 25-26.

Senior forward Matt Thurber (3-20) leads NMU with 23 points. His 20 assists lead the CCHA and rank him seventh in the nation. Sophomore forward Reed Seckel (9-8=17) and junior forward Stephen Vigier (4-11=15) also have over 14 points. Seckel and sophomore forward Ryan Daugherty lead the team with nine goals. Junior goaltender Jared Coreau is 11-12-4 on the season with a 2.62 goals against average and a 92.0 save percentage.

FSU is 13-11-4 overall and fourth in the CCHA at 11-9-2-1 with 36 conference points. Garrett Thompson (10-12-22) and Kyle Bonis (14-7-21) lead the offense. CJ Motte (2.14 goals against average, 92.7 save percentage) is 12-10-4 between the pipes. The Bulldogs are winless in their last three games after winning six of their previous seven.

Northern leads the all-time series against the Bulldogs 49-21-4 and 28-12-1 in Marquette. NMU has one loss in the last seven meetings. In last season’s meeting at the Berry Events Center, the two teams tied (5-5) with a shootout win by NMU on Friday and the Bulldogs won 3-1 on Saturday.

Thurber was named the Warrior CCHA Player of the Month for January. He helped the Wildcats to a 5-2-1 record in January by notching two goals and adding nine assists, leading the league with 11 points for the month. Thurber notched points in 7-of-8 games while scoring a power-play goal and recording a +6 rating. He had three multiple-point games in the month is currently on a five-game point streak. He has two goals and five assists in the stretch.

NMU is 6-2-3 at the Berry Events Center this season and 5-2-3 in CCHA action. Senior forward Matt Thurber has a goal and 10 assists at home. Sophomore forward Reed Seckel and junior forward Erik Higby lead the team with four goals. Junior goaltender Jared Coreau has a 92.1 save percentage on home ice and a 2.49 goals against average.