‘Cats capture Cappo Cup with win vs. Lakers
Courtesy of NMU Athletics
MARQUETTE, Mich. — The Northern Michigan University hockey team captured the Cappo Cup with a 5-1 win over Lake Superior State in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action Saturday at the Berry Events Center.
The Wildcats improve to 12-16-2 overall with a 10-11-1 WCHA record. Lake Superior State fell to 14-15-1 with a 10-12-0 league mark.
“I was really disappointed last night, I was disappointed with our consistency, execution and a number of things. I thought tonight we were much better,” said NMU head coach Walt Kyle. “I thought in the third we got a little sloppy with the puck, they were pressing and I thought they did a good job. I was really impressed with our senior leadership tonight. Seckel, Higby, Vigier and Epp were some of the best guys on the ice and we need that, we need that every night. I thought our passion was much better tonight.”
NMU took a 1-0 lead just 2:54 into the first period when senior forward Stephan Vigier > scored on the power play. Freshman defenseman Brock Maschmeyer and junior defenseman Mitch Jones assisted on Vigier’s goal.
Lake Superior State’s Alex Globke scored just before the end of the first period (19:20) to even the game at 1-1. Kevin Czuczman and Dan Radke assisted on the play.
The Wildcats then scored two goals in both the second and third period to pick up the win. Senior forward Erik Higy scored two goal within just over a minute when he scored at 5:15 of the second period on assists from freshmen forwards John Siemer and Sami Salminen and then scored at the 6:21 mark on assists from junior forward Ryan Daugherty and junior defenseman Luke Eibler.
NMU took a 3-1 advantage into the third period before scoring two insurance goals. Siemer scored an extra attacker goal on a delayed penalty on assists from sophomore defenseman Barrett Kaib and Salminen at the 2:44 mark of the third period.
Freshman forward Dominik Shine scored the Wildcats final goal at 12:50 when he finished an even-strength goal from freshman forward Shane Sooth and senior forward Reed Seckel.
Freshman goalie Mathias Dahlstrom picked up the win improving to 11-14-2 on the season. Dahlstrom made 31 saves in net including 15 during the third period. Kevin Murdock took the loss for the Lakers falling to 7-10-0 on the season and made 28 saves.
NMU was 1-3 on the power play and 5-6 on the penalty kill. NMU out shot Lake Superior State 33-32 including a 20-7 advantage in the second period.
Higby (2g) and Salminen (2a) led all players with two points each.
The Wildcats return to action next week with a home and home series against instate and WCHA rival Michigan Tech. Northern Michigan plays at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena at 7:07 p.m. Friday (Feb. 21) before hosting the Huskies at 7:07 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 22) at the Berry Events Center.