Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) hockey team faced the Arizona State Sun Devils at the Berry Events Center, marking the first encounter between the two teams at this venue. The game concluded with a 3-1 victory for Arizona State, who secured their win with an empty-net goal.

Throughout most of the match, both teams were evenly matched, maintaining a 1-1 score until the final three minutes when Arizona State managed to break the tie. NMU's head coach Dave Shyiak praised his team's performance despite the loss. "I talked to our group and I don't want them to sag their heads," Shyiak said. He acknowledged Arizona State as a skilled team eager for a win but commended his players' urgency and resilience during critical moments of the game.

Anthony Cliche scored for NMU, tying the game with assistance from Tynan Ewart and Danny Ciccarello. This marked Ciccarello's first career point as a Wildcat. Ryan Ouellette was notable in goal for NMU, making 37 saves and achieving a .949 save percentage.

NMU excelled in penalty killing during the match, successfully defending against all penalties including a five-minute major. However, they only had one power play opportunity themselves.

The Wildcats will continue their series against Arizona State tomorrow night at 6:07 PM at Berry Events Center.