Feb. 10, 2004

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2003-04 - Games 27 & 28

WSU MEN'S HOCKEY (6-18-2, 2-12-0 CHA)
vs. Northern Michigan (14-12-2, 11-11-0 CHA)
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 13-14 - Plymouth, Mich.

MATCH-UP AT A GLANCE:

Arena -- Compuware Sports Arena (4,000)
Surface -- 200' x 85'
Face-off -- 7:05 p.m. Eastern
Site -- Plymouth, Mich.
Series Record -- Northern Michigan leads 2-0-0

THE GAMES

The Wayne State University men's hockey team returns home to entertain CCHA member Northern Michigan for a non-conference series this Friday and Saturday at the Compuware Sports Arena in Plymouth. Face-off both nights is at 7:05 p.m.

The Warriors will try to snap a six-game losing streak in which they have been outscored 29-9. WSU is 1-0-0 in non-conference home games this year but 0-7-0 in CHA home contests.

Following the Wildcat series, the Warriors then have a home-and-home series against Findlay (Feb. 21 at Findlay and Feb. 22 in Plymouth) which precedes a two-game CHA series at Alabama-Huntsville (Feb. 28-29). Wayne State wraps-up the regular season at home versus the U.S. Air Force Academy on March 5-6.

The CHA quarterfinals will take place on Friday, March 12 at the Tri-City Arena in Kearney, Neb.

THE COACHES

WSU head coach Bill Wilkinson is in his fifth season as the Warrior bench boss. He has a 78-76-13 record at WSU with an overall collegiate head coaching mark of 391-377-66 in his 22nd season.

Walt Kyle, a 1981 graduate of Northern Michigan, has a 36-29-4 mark in his second year at his alma mater.

THE SERIES

Wayne State trails 0-2-0 in the all-time series. Northern Michigan won twice in Marquette (6-3, 4-1) on Jan. 17-18, 2002. Bryce Cockburn had a goal and three assists in the opener and Mike Stutzel had two goals and two assists the next night.

IN THE POLLS

The Warriors were selected fourth in the College Hockey America (CHA) preseason coaches poll after finishing tied-for-third in 2002-03. Northern Michigan was picked fifth in the conference by the CCHA coaches.

SCOUTING NORTHERN MICHIGAN

The Wildcats had a five-game (4-0-1) unbeaten streak end last Saturday with a 6-2 home loss to Western Michigan.

Darin Olver (11-15--26) leads the team in goals and points. Nathan Oystrick (5-17--22) leads the squad in assists. Craig Kowalski (14-12-2, 2.81, .917) has started all but one game this season.

NMU's power play has scored 21 times in 122 opportunities (17.2%), while the penalty-killing units have stopped 130 of 148 (87.8%) opponent chances.

NIAGARA RECAP

Wayne State had its losing streak extended to six games with two losses at Niagara, 4-1 and 3-0.

The Friday contest was the first game for WSU since Jan. 24 and saw all five goals scored at the same end of the ice.

The Purple Eagles stormed out of the gates outshooting WSU 20-6 in the opening period. NU broke the scoreless tie with 7:57 remaining in the first period when Barret Ehgoetz scored his team-leading 19th goal of the season. His team-best seventh man-advantage marker of the year was assisted by Justin Cross and Bryan Mills. The first goal of the contest came nine seconds after a penalty to Billy Collins and marked the fourth consecutive game and eighth time in the last nine matches that the Warriors had allowed a power-play goal.

NU increased its lead to 2-0 with four seconds remaining in the opening stanza when Aaron Clarke netted his fourth of the season.

In the middle period, WSU outshot the hosts 15-7 and scored the lone goal. Freshman Mark Nebus scored his first collegiate power-play goal and third of the season off assists from Nate Higgins and Billy Collins. It was Nebus' first game since scoring Jan. 3 at Denver (he missed six consecutive games with an injury). He has three goals in his last five games played. The assist increases Higgins' team-leading total to 11, while the helper was the first in 2004 for Collins.

Niagara scored a power-play goal 1:06 into the third period off the stick of Andrew Lackner and Ehgoetz, the nation's third-leading scorer in terms of points per game, added an even-strength goal at the 6:17 mark.

WSU sophomore netminder Matt Kelly was credited with 31 saves, while Niagara's Jeff VanNynatten turned aside 28 Warrior shots. Wayne State scored one power-play goal in three chances, with the Purple Eagles netting two man-advantage markers in four opportunities. It was the third straight game WSU had allowed two power-play goals in a contest.

The next night, the Purple Eagles started fast scoring just 41 seconds into the contest on a goal by Nick Kormanyos.

NU increased its lead to 2-0 at the 10:53 mark of the opening period on a short-handed goal by Barret Ehgoetz. WSU was narrowly outshot in the opening 20 minutes, 11-10.

Niagara held a 15-7 shots on goal advantage in the middle stanza and scored the only goal of the period on a power play. The Warriors were whistled for too many men on the ice as the first period horn sounded. Justin Cross scored on a rebound 1:04 into the second period off an assist from Ehgoetz and Joe Tallari.

Wayne State outshot the hosts 7-6 in the third period but were unable to get the puck past Jeff VanNynatten.

Carlson finished the contest with 29 saves, while VanNynatten made 24 stops for his first collegiate shutout. WSU went zero-for-six on the power play, with the Purple Eagles scoring once in eight man-advantage opportunities.