Northern Michigan University's Andre Ghantous approaches Bemidji State goaltender Mattias Sholl before scoring during their CCHA playoff game at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Friday. (Photo courtesy Ron Mattson)

MARQUETTE — Sshhh! Keep it a secret, but the Northern Michigan University hockey team’s 7-3 blowout of Bemidji State on Friday night was anything but a blowout for more than 2 1/2 periods.

The opening game of their CCHA Mason Cup quarterfinal best-of-3 series was tied 3-3 after Bemidji State‘s Ross Armour scored the tying goal about 6 1/2 minutes into the final period.

Then NMU’s late flurry produced a final total of at least seven goals for the third time in what has become a six-game winning streak. Compare that to before the start of the win streak on Feb. 17 — Northern had scored six goals or more just one time all season, and that was on Oct. 21 in a 9-1 nonconference home win over Alaska-Anchorage.

By the time this night was over, though, 15 Wildcats picked up points, led by CCHA February Forward of the Month Andre Ghantous — don’t tell the senior it’s now March — with a goal and two assists.

Freshman Joey Larson and junior Michael Colella each scored two goals as freshman netminder Beni Halasz stopped 28 shots as NMU was actually outshot 31-24.

The winning formula was mixed together in the game’s final 10:17, the amount of time left when Larson scored the game winner on a power play after junior teammate Artem Shlaine got Larson the puck at the wide open back door and he beat a diving Bemidji goalie Mattias Sholl.

Then just 64 seconds later, Colella made up for a wide-open second-period shot that had rang off the post by shooting from the slot literally through Sholl and in to make it 5-3.

With 3:56 remaining, freshman Connor Eddy blocked a BSU shot and streaked back the other way, making a “perfect saucer pass” to Ghantous, who used a head fake to deke Sholl between the legs, according to an account from NMU Sports Information.

Finally, Sholl was pulled in a last-gasp effort despite the Beavers down three goals, but instead, Wildcats senior defenseman Michael Van Unen foiled the strategy with a rink-length shot into the empty net with 51 seconds left.

Up to the time of Larson’s game winner, though, this was a one-goal game throughout.

About 4 1/2 minutes into the game, Bemidji’s Kyle Looft fired a shot from the point through traffic that found its way past Halasz just as a Beavers power play ended.

NMU was penned up, not getting off a shot on goal in the game’s first 10 minutes.

But exactly seven minutes after BSU took the lead, Northern’s Rylan Van Unen evened the score when he took a pass from AJ Vanderbeck and streaked down the ice, beating a defender and driving the net to make it 1-1.

Larson put NMU ahead 37 seconds after that, taking a slick pass from Shlaine, using a toe-drag to beat his defender for a mini breakaway and backhanding the puck in, according to NMU SI.

But the offensive fireworks weren’t just reserved for the home team as Bemidji retied it 2-2 just 67 seconds later after a turnover and Carter Jones beating Halasz on his blocker hand.

Things settled down with no more scoring until late in the second, when with 3:01 to go, Colella tipped a shot by teammate Colby Enns immediately off a faceoff for another one-goal lead.

Bemidji’s Armour tied it once again early in the third before Northern commenced its final scoring barrage.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.