Great Lakes Wire

The Northern Michigan University (NMU) Wildcats hockey team is preparing for its final home series of the season against the University of St. Thomas Tommies. The games will take place at the Berry Events Center on Friday, February 21, and Saturday, February 22.

The Wildcats currently hold a record of 5-24-1 overall and 4-17-1 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA). They are coming off a break after splitting their last series with Lake Superior State. The Tommies, meanwhile, have a record of 12-13-5 overall and 9-9-4 in the CCHA. They have been performing well recently with an 8-3-1 record over their last eleven games.

St. Thomas is aiming for a first-round home series in the CCHA playoffs and is just five points behind Michigan Tech in that race.

Fans attending Friday's game can participate in NMU's Make-A-Wish efforts. Representatives from SAAC will collect donations and host a silent auction featuring items from athletic teams and local businesses. "If you are unable to attend and would like to donate, the link can be found here," reads part of NMU's announcement.

Saturday's game will honor three seniors: Jesse Tucker, Jakub Lewandowski, and Ryan Ouellette. There will also be an opportunity to bid on game-worn gold jerseys through another silent auction.

After Saturday’s match-up, fans can continue celebrations at Slabz Bar & Grill for a post-game party known as "4th Period."

"Make sure to follow @NMUHockey on X, formerly known as Twitter," NMU advises fans who want updates leading up to the games or live updates during play.

This weekend marks the first time NMU will face St. Thomas under coach Dave Shyiak. In past encounters since St. Thomas became a Division I program, NMU holds an even record of four wins and four losses against them.

Freshmen Jakub Altrichter and Grayden Slipec lead NMU offensively this season with impressive performances in recent games. Senior goaltender Ryan Ouellette ranks second among conference netminders with 830 saves.

For St. Thomas, Liam Malmquist leads in points but has not scored in six consecutive games. Lucas Wahlin and Cooper Gay also contribute significantly to their offense.

Goalkeepers Aaron Trotter and Jake Sibell have shared duties this season for St. Thomas with Sibell recently achieving a program-best performance against Bowling Green.

The Tommies' power-play unit ranks among the best in the CCHA despite recent struggles scoring only once on ten opportunities over five games.