The MSU hockey team continued CCHA play this weekend in Marquette, Mich., earning a split against No. 20 Northern Michigan.
The Wildcats (5-6-3, 2-5-3 CCHA) were in the business of ending streaks Saturday as they snapped MSU’s (7-5-0, 4-4-0) five-game winning streak with a goal by forward Brian Nugent on a two-on-one past sophomore goalkeeper Will Yanakeff to secure the 2-1 victory. With the win, Northern Michigan snapped its own eight-game winless streak dating back to Oct. 21.
Freshman forward Matt Berry had the lone Spartan goal at 12:24 in the third period. Berry squeezed a goal behind the leg of Wildcat goalie Justin Coreau to knot the game, 1-1. Three minutes later, Nugent’s tally would be enough to push Northern Michigan over the top.
On Friday, sophomore forward Lee Reimer led the way with a goal and two assists to help the Spartans open up the series with a 4-2 victory. Yanakeff — whose personal winning streak also was ended Saturday — picked up his fifth straight victory in the game Friday.
It didn’t take long for the Spartans to get on the board as junior defenseman Torey Krug notched a goal after a pair of shots at 2:37 in the first period to put his team up, 1-0. After a Wildcat goal at 9:19, Reimer found senior defenseman Tim Buttery in the left circle, and he buried the shot to regain the lead, 2-1.
The Spartans will return home to Munn Ice Arena this weekend to open up a two-game weekend series against top-ranked Minnesota (11-3-0, 8-2-0 WCHA).
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