MARQUETTE, Mich. â€Ã‚“ With only two weeks to go in theregular season and the â€Ã‚˜Cats fighting for home ice for the CCHA First Roundthey faced the third place Ohio State Buckeyes on Friday night at the BerryEvents Center. Entering the game NMU was in a three-way tie for fifth place inthe CCHA standings. But after the 5-2win over the Buckeyes on Friday night the â€Ã‚˜Cats are one step closer to homeice. With the win NMU is now 17-14-2overall and 13-11-1 in the CCHA. OhioState falls to 21-10-3 and 15-8-2. Moreimportantly the â€Ã‚˜Cats are 11-2-1 at the Berry Events Center. â€Ã‚œWe are a team built to play on this rink,â€Ã‚ÂÂWalt Kyle, NMU head coach, said. â€Ã‚œAnywin you get right now is important in regards to home ice.â€Ã‚ÂÂ
Jimmy Jackson scored his second goal of the year to give theâ€Ã‚˜Cats the early 1-0 lead at 13:21 of the first period. Bryce Cockburn assisted. Cockburn would then turn around and make it2-0 with his 12th goal of the season at 15:54 of the firstperiod. Andrew Contois and Jackson assisted. OSU would get on the board in the firstperiod at 19:39 when Daymen Bencharski scored a power-play goal.
Mike Stutzel stretched the lead to 3-1 when he knocked homehis 23rd goal of the season at 16:39 of the second period. â€Ã‚œWe just seem to play much better at home,â€Ã‚ÂÂStutzel said. â€Ã‚œThat is why home ice isso important to us.â€Ã‚ Dirk Southernassisted. Jackson then scored his secondgoal of the night, which came on the power play. The goal was his third of the season at 8:00 of the third periodto put the â€Ã‚˜Cats up 4-1. â€Ã‚œI think athome it is important to come out right off the bat in the first period,â€Ã‚ÂÂJackson said. â€Ã‚œThe second goal I justtook my time and saw the guy went down in front of me and stepped aroundhim.â€Ã‚ Peter Michelutti and Stutzelassisted. Southern made it 5-1 at 18:40of the third period with his eighth goal of the season. Dan Donnette and Jamie Milam assisted onSouthernâ€Ã‚™s goal. OSU would add a goalat 18:51 of the third period by Doug Andress for the final margin of 5-2.
Craig Kowalski had 18 saves for the â€Ã‚˜Cats on the night. His counterpart form OSU, Mike Betz, had 17saves. NMU was 1-6 on the power playwhile the Buckeyes were 1-3.
The two teams play game two of the weekend series onSaturday night (March 1) at the Berry Events Center at 7:05 p.m.
