Great Lakes Wire

The NMU hockey team is preparing for a weekend series against the Bowling Green Falcons in Ohio. The Wildcats, with a record of 1-14-1 overall and 0-9-1 in the CCHA, will face off against the Falcons, who hold a 5-7-2 overall record and are 2-4-2 in conference play. The games are scheduled for Friday at 7:07 p.m. and Saturday at 6:07 p.m., taking place at the Slater Family Ice Arena. Fans can follow the action via streaming on MidcoSports Plus or through radio coverage on 100.3 The Point.

This marks the first encounter between these teams under coach Dave Shyiak's leadership. Historically, NMU has performed well against Bowling Green, boasting an 11-3-1 record over their last 15 meetings and an impressive 8-2 record when playing away.

Key players for NMU include freshmen Grayden Slipec and Jakub Altrichter, who rank among the top in points within their class in the CCHA. Additionally, Altrichter and Billy Renfrew lead in faceoff wins among CCHA freshmen. Rasmus Larsson stands out defensively with his blocking ability, while goaltender Ryan Ouellette maintains strong statistics with a save percentage second only to Alex Tracy within conference play.

Bowling Green enters this matchup having struggled recently, going winless in their last six games but securing two shootout victories during that span. Senior forward Ryan O'Hara leads their offense alongside sophomore Brody Waters, who excels on power plays.

Falcons' goaltender Cole Moore has been consistent between the pipes but has shown vulnerability while short-handed compared to even strength situations.

Both teams aim to capitalize on each other's weaknesses as they clash this weekend.