HUNTSVILLE, Ala.â€Â“ The Northern Michigan University hockey team enteredunknown territory on Friday night at the Von Bruan Center in Huntsville, Ala. It was the first time that the â€Â˜Cats would play a College Hockey America(CHA) team on the road.  Entering thegame on Friday night the â€Â˜Cats were 4-0 all-time against the CHA.

The â€Â˜Cats scored the first three goals of the game and thenheld on to defeat the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers 3-2. With the win NMU won their third game in a row and improved to 13-11-1 on the season.  UAH is now 9-9-1.

NMU scored two goals in the first period to get on the boardquick.  Dirk Southern opened the scoringfor the â€Â˜Cats with a goal at 7:21 ofthe opening period, for his eighth of the season.  Matt Ciancio and Bobby Selden assisted on thegoal.  Geoff Waugh made it 2-0 when hescored his first career goal at 17:46of the first period.  Southern andCiancio assisted.

Kevin Gardner made it 3-0 when he scored a power-play goalat 2:56 of the second period for hisseventh of the season.  Alex Sawruk andWaugh assisted.  The Chargers would cutthe lead to 3-1 with a power-play goal by Grant Selinger at 16:22 of the period.  The final score of the night came at 19:22 of the third period on a goal by CraigBushey of UAH.

Craig Kowalski had 22 saves for the â€Â˜Cats on the night.  Scott Munroe for the Chargers backstopped 25shots.  Both teams had one power-playgoal as the â€Â˜Cats were 1-of-4 and UAH was 1-of-6.  NMU had 28 shots to the home teamâ€Â™s 24 on thenight.  Ciancio, Southern and Waugh allended the night with two points each. 

The two teams will play the second game of thenon-conference weekend set tomorrow afternoon at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville, Ala.