NMU GOES FOR SPLIT IN SERIES FINALE AT WISCONSIN

            The NMU Wildcats will try to rebound after dropping their season opener in Madison and try for a series split. The ‘Cats will be without scoring threat Junior forward Reed Seckel for the second straight game as they battle on the no. 3 ranked Wisconsin Badgers tonight at 9:00 pm est.

The Wildcats will have to come with a stronger start  than last night’s game, where freshmen players showed their nerves and seniors couldn’t hold the team together until they had dug themselves too large of a defecate to come back.

The Defense will have to be much stronger than the first game, where fundamental breakdowns gave the Badgers four open goals in the first two periods, one of them a shorthanded goal in the second. If the defense can’t find it’s rhythm fast, they’ll fall behind quickly in the game just like last night.

A player to watch for the Wildcats in this game is Stephan Vigier, who had 6 shots on net last night and recorded his first goal of the season late in last night’s game. If Vigier has the same performance he did last night, there’s a good chance he’ll find the back of the net again tonight and possibly give the ‘Cats a chance to grab a non-conference win leaving Madison tonight.

Michael Doan will fill in between the pipes tonight for Mathias Dahlstrom for the ‘Cats, where last night he allowed 5 goals on 38 shots. It was tough to place all the blame on Dahlstrom though, as the defense left him out to dry time after time, with him also making some incredible saves that give us optimism for the season in net.

Dahlstrom will be facing Rumple, who is filling in for Landon Peterson, who made 18 saves on 20 shots last night. The Wildcats will certainly need to send more pucks his way tonight, as the Badgers outshout them nearly 2-1.

The Puck drop tonight is at 9:00 pm est., and can be seen tonight on InsideBadgerSports.com, or heard on 100. 3 The Point.

WILDCATS  LOSE  SEASON  OPENER
IN WISCONSIN 5 - 2

The Northern Michigan University Wildcats dropped their first game of the season to the Wisconsin Badgers on Friday night. Stephan Vigier and CJ Ludwig found the back of the net for the 'Cats, but the NMU defense couldn't hold up against the no. 3 ranked team in the country's offense, who scored five goals on 38 shots.

The no. 3 ranked Wisconsin Badgers scored just five minutes into the game, when Joseph Labate got the puck past diving NMU goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom at 5:07. The Badgers would score again two minutes later on the Wildcats first power play of the game, when Jake McCabe scored a shorthanded goal cutting through the NMU defense at 7:39.

"We did not have a lot of our guys play well," coach Walt Kyle said. "I thought we were nervous when (Wisconsin) started scoring. Our upperclassman have to have better composure than to let it go away like that."

Stephan Vigier had a goal waved off shortly after McCabe's goal in the second, in a controversial call where the officials ruled that Ryan Daugherty interfered with the goaltender crease.

"That was a big point in the game," Kyle said. "We could have maybe put our finger in the dike if that goal goes in."

Michael Mersch would score with two minutes left in the first period to give the Badgers a 3-0 lead heading into the second period. In the second, CJ Ludwig scored the first goal of the season for the 'Cats at 17:41, but the Badgers matched that with a goal of their own a minute later when Tyler Barnes scored on a delayed penalty with a minute left in the period.

"I think we could have slowed the game down a bit," Ludwig said. "Too much panic on our team, we've just got to settle it down and get it going."

Both teams would score in the third period as Grant Besse scored for the Badgers 1:43 into the period, and Stephan Vigier got one past with one minute remaining in the game.

Northern Michigan goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom saved 33 of 38 shots on goal, while Wisconsin goaltender stopped 18 of 20 shots. The Wildcats were 2 for 9 on the powerplay, while the Badgers were 1 for 7.

The Wildcats will look to take a series split tomorrow when they play the Badgers again on Saturday, October 12 at 9:00 pm est. The game can be watched on Americanonesports.com or listened to on 100.3 FM The Point.