Wildcats look to solve scoring issues

MARQUETTE – Things did not go according to plan for the ‘Cats last week against Bemidji State.

NMU entered the weekend with a four–point cushion against the Beavers. That cushion is now gone and Bemidji is neck and neck with the Wildcats for home ice come playoff time.

A big problem for the ‘Cats as of late has been in the goal scoring department. NMU has scored just five goals in their last four games, with three of those goals coming in one of those games. In order to try and jump start the offense, head coach Walt Kyle has played with his line combinations, among other things.

“When you get shots you have to shoot for the net and you have to make sure you get rebounds, second chances, screening goaltenders, just little detailed things,” said Kyle. “Right now we need to find a way to put some pucks into the net– that’s the honest truth. We’re struggling to score even when we are getting shots. We have to try and do everything we can to create goals.”

“If we had the magic formula I think we’d all be a little happier right now,” said Wildcats co-captain Ryan Kesti. “We just have to keep it simple– get bodies to the net, get shots through, and we have to find rebounds. I think a lot of times we’re settling for perimeter shots and we’re not having enough traffic at the net. Playing on a small sheet this weekend, we might have a chance to get a few pucks at the net with guys close.”

“The guys are working hard, they’re going to try and keep putting pucks in the net and do what they have to do. My job is to keep the puck out of our net. My job doesn’t change,” said NMU goaltender Michael Doan. “I don’t go into a game thinking hoping that we’re going to win 5–4 or something like that. If it was up to me, we would win every game 1–0.”

The Wildcats have six regular season games remaining, with the next two coming this weekend at No. 8 Bowling Green. ‘Cats starting goalie Mathias Dahlstrom is not available again this weekend due to a lower body injury.