Northern Michigan University’s Jakob Peterson watches for a shot in front of his goal during a CCHA hockey game played against Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie on Feb. 8. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE — This is the true home stretch for the Northern Michigan University hockey team, whose season will end in just over a week.

After taking last weekend off, the Wildcats host St. Thomas this weekend for their final home games of the season, hosting the Tommies at 7:07 p.m. today and 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

NMU then travels downstate to Big Rapids to face Ferris State at the same times the following Friday and Saturday.

With the CCHA only taking eight of its nine teams to its tournament, the Wildcats will be left out, trailing the two teams immediately ahead of them, Ferris and Bemidji State, by 15 points apiece with only 12 more points available to be earned these final two weekends.

Though the points-earned percentage determines standings this season, the actual points are as good when Augustana is not involved, as the Vikings plays a much smaller set of games while all other league teams have 26 CCHA games this season.

Northern sits at 5-24-1 overall and 4-17-1 in league contests, while St. Thomas is in fifth at 12-13-5 and 9-9-4. Like NMU, the Tommies have been playing much better in recent games, going 8-3-1 in their past dozen games.

Northern is 4-6 since the calendar turned to 2025.

Fans tonight can participate in NMU’s Make-A-Wish efforts. Representatives from the school’s Student Athletic Advisory Committee are collecting cash donations, online donations and host a silent auctions featuring lots from various athletic teams and local businesses. The auction will conclude at the end of the second intermission, and winners will be announced during the third period.

Saturday is Senior Night for the Wildcats, who will recognize Jesse Tucker, Jakub Lewandowski and Ryan Ouellette.

Fans on Saturday can also bid on the Wildcats’ game-worn gold jerseys in a silent auction, running the same as the Yooper Jersey auction earlier this season.

After that game, fans can keep the energy going at Slabz Bar & Grill for a 4th Period postgame party, giving them a chance to celebrate, discuss the game and interact with fellow hockey enthusiasts.

The games will be available online to watch at MidcoSports or listen to on radio station WUPT 100.3 FM The Point. Or follow @NMUHockey on X (formerly Twitter) to get updates leading up and during games, or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the hockey schedule for links to live video, live audio, live statistics, ticket information and a series preview and history.

This is Northern’s only meeting with St. Thomas this season, also the first since Dave Shyiak became Wildcats’ head coach. NMU is 4-4 against St. Thomas since the Tommies joined NCAA Division I, which includes a split in Marquette in January 2024.

The Wildcats’ top point producers are freshmen — Jakub Altrichter, with three goals and 14 assists for 17 points, and Grayden Slipec, who has eight goals and seven assists for 15 points.

Since playing Michigan Tech in the Great Lakes Invitational in Grand Rapids over the Christmas-New Year’s holidays, Altrichter has three goals and 12 points in 11 games, while Slipec has six goals for eight points in nine contests.

Also in that time period, Altrichter leads all CCHA freshmen in assists and points and Slipec in goals.

Ouellette enters the weekend second with 830 saves in the CCHA, posting a 2.82 goals-against average and .920 saves percentage. Of league netminders with 18 or more games, his saves percentage is third to only Minnesota State’s Alex Tracy (.941) and Augustana’s Josh Kotai (.939), netminders for the league’s top two teams.

St. Thomas is led by Liam Malmquist with 12 goals and 20 assists for 32 points, as he is tied for the league lead in points. The Hobey Baker nominee enters the weekend without points in six consecutive games, though.

After Malmquist are Lucas Wahlin (12-16–28) and Cooper Gay (15-10–25). That trio make up three of the top-six point producers in the conference. Gay’s 15 goals and 125 shots lead the conference and his six power play goals are second. Wahlin is one of the better centermen in the league, fourth in faceoff wins with 276.

Both of the Tommies goalies, Aaron Trotter (7-9-2, 2.63 GAA, .909 SV%) and Jake Sibell (5-4-3, 2.85 GAA, .915 SV%) have seen plenty of action between the pipes. Sibell is coming off of a program-best 57-save performance in a 2-1 win over Bowling Green State last weekend. Trotter had made five consecutive starts prior to that performance.

One of the best teams in the CCHA on the power play, St. Thomas has scored 24 power play goals and holds a 25.3% success rate, both second in the conference. The Tommies have only scored one power-play goal on 10 opportunities in their last five games, however.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the games. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.