MARQUETTE, Mich.â€Â“ By looking at the numbers the Northern Michigan University hockey teamprobably should have not won the game on Friday night.  The â€Â˜Cats received twofirst period goals and added one in the second period for the 3-2 win over theWestern Michigan Broncos.  With the win the â€Â˜Cats improve to 14-11-2 overall and 11-10-0 in the CCHA.  The Broncos fall to 14-13-3 and 10-10-2 in the conference.  â€ÂœI thought that we played well in the first period and did notplay well after that,â€Â Walt Kyle, NMUâ€Â™s head coach, said.  â€ÂœWe got sloppy, theyare a dangerous team and came at us.â€Â

Patrick Murphy gave the â€Â˜Cats the1-0 lead when he scored his third goal of the season at 17:55 of the opening period.  Matt Ciancio and Dusty Collins assisted on the goal.  Darin Olver wouldthen score a shorthanded goal, at 10:12 of the period, for his 10^thof the season to make it 2-0.  Justin Kinnunen assisted.  Ã‚ ÃƒÃ‚¢Ãƒ‚€Ã‚ÂœDarin did a goodjob for us,â€Â Kyle added.  â€ÂœWe need that out of him on a consistent basis.â€ÂÃƒÃ‚‚ 

The Broncos made it 2-1 with a goalby Paul Szczechura at 4:45 of the first period.  Olver then scored his secondgoal of the night and 11^th of the season at 15:49 of the second period.  Olverâ€Â™s second goal gave the â€Â˜Cats the lead at 3-1.  â€ÂœIt would have beennice to get one (a hat trick),â€Â Olver said.  â€ÂœI was not worrying about it atall.â€ÂÃƒÃ‚‚  Bobby Selden and Pat Bateman assisted.  WMU would narrow the â€Â˜Cats leadto 3-2 when Szczechura scored his second goal of the night at 2:19 of the third period.

WMU out-shot the â€Â˜Cats on the nightby a 32-18 count. Ã‚  Craig Kowalski had 30 saves on the night. Ã‚ ÃƒÃ‚‚  â€ÂœI made thesaves that I had to,â€Â Kowalski said.  â€ÂœIt got a little scary at the end.â€ÂÃƒÃ‚‚  NMUwas shutout on the power play in five chances, while WMU had nine opportunitiesand scored once.

The two teams will play theirsecond game of the weekend set tomorrow night at 7:35 p.m. and the Berry Events Center.