Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) hockey team is preparing for a challenging road trip to Mankato, Minnesota, where they will face the 16th-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks. This series marks NMU's third weekend of conference play and begins a four-week stretch with three away series.

"Every game is going to be a challenge, and we have to be at our best and learn from it," stated head coach Dave Shyiak. He emphasized the importance of strong special teams and goaltending, saying, "If we do that, we have a chance to win."

The Wildcats currently hold a record of 1-9-0 overall and 0-4-0 in conference play. They are set to play against the Mavericks (7-4-1 overall, 2-1-1 in conference) on Friday at 8:07 p.m. ET and Saturday at 7:07 p.m. ET in Mankato. Fans can follow the games via streaming on Midco Sports Plus or listen on 100.3 The Point radio.

Despite two recent losses against Lake Superior State, Shyiak expressed optimism about his team's performance. "The first night as you mentioned [being a 5-0 loss], as oddly as this will sound, I thought could have been 5-0 the other way," he remarked. The Wildcats had notable offensive efforts but were unable to capitalize.

Shyiak acknowledged that their young team faces challenges with scoring consistency but remains focused on development. "They're a young team, and we're putting a lot of guys into scoring roles where they may not be quite ready for," he explained.

Looking ahead, NMU aims to improve upon their current standing by leveraging strengths such as leading the nation in blocked shots (191) and having players like Ryan Ouellette who ranks second in the CCHA in saves (301).

Minnesota State presents formidable opposition with their strong defense led by Alex Tracy and top scorers Brian Carrabes and Rhett Pitlick each tallying ten points this season.

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