North Michigan News

The Northern Michigan University Wildcats hockey team is set to host the Arizona State Sun Devils at the Berry Events Center this weekend. This marks the first time in program history that the Sun Devils will play at this venue.

The games are scheduled for 7:07 PM on Friday and 6:07 PM on Saturday. Fans can watch the matches via streaming on Midco Sports Plus or listen to radio coverage on 100.3 The Point.

Recently, the Wildcats secured their first win under head coach Dave Shyiak with a 2-1 victory during their home opener. Reflecting on the win, Shyiak stated, "[To get that first win] was nice. It was our first game at the Berry Events Center with this new group; the guys were a little nervous early, there were over 50 parents, family, and friends here, and it was a great weekend."

Arizona State was ranked 20th nationally before falling out of the top 20 rankings but continues to receive votes in Division I hockey polls. Shyiak acknowledged the challenge ahead: "This is going to be a real real challenge this weekend. They've got some really speedy forwards, there's going to be a lot of NHL scouts in the building, and they have [Cullen] Potter who is going to be an NHL first-round pick. Our job is to contain their speed, and in order to do that, we need to have the puck and have a bit more time of possession in the [offensive] zone."

Historically, NMU has faced Arizona State three times before this encounter, most recently meeting last season in Tempe.

Fans attending Saturday's game are invited to wear Halloween costumes as part of a celebration featuring a costume parade during intermission and trick-or-treating in suites.

Updates leading up to and during the games will be available by following @NMUHockey on X (formerly Twitter).

Key players for NMU include Tynan Ewart, who was named CCHA Defenseman of the Week after contributing significantly against Alaska Anchorage. Tanner Latsch also remains consistent with his scoring streak.

Ryan Ouellette stands out among CCHA goaltenders with notable saves and statistics entering this weekend's games. The Wildcats lead CCHA teams in blocked shots and show strong performance in penalty kills.

Arizona State's lineup features standout junior Bennett Schimek and defenseman Noah Beck alongside freshman Cullen Potter. Former NMU captain Artem Shlaine is now part of Arizona State but has not yet played this season due to previous injuries.

The Sun Devils average 2.8 goals per game with varying success rates in faceoffs and power plays so far this season.