PHOTO GALLERY

HUNTSVILLE | The University of Alabama in Huntsville hockey team opened the WCHA series against Northern Michigan with a 4-3 loss on Friday night at the Von Braun Center. UAH dips 3-9-1 (2-8-1 WCHA), while NMU improves to 5-5-5 (4-4-3 WCHA).
 
Northern Michigan kicked off the scoring on Friday night as Dominik Shine broke the scoreless tie with a marker at 8:17 of the first to give the Wildcats an early 1-0 advantage.
 
UAH bounced back later in the frame as sophomore Max McHugh sent in his fourth goal of the year at 15:03 thanks to assists by Brennan Saulnier and Cam Knight. However, NMU would quickly counter at 15:21 with Shine scoring again for his second of the game to make it 2-1 Wildcats heading into the first break.
 
The Chargers – who registered 21 shots on goal in the opening period – continued to keep the pressure on NMU goalie Atte Tolvanen early into the second stanza with senior Chad Brears registering his fifth of the season at the 1:47 mark. McHugh chipped in an assist on the tally.
 
Freshman Jetlan Houcher pushed the Chargers ahead at 13:36 of the second with his third of the season, assisted by McHugh for his season-best third point of the night. Junior goalie Matt Larose registered three saves in the second – totaling 18 stops in the contest – to keep UAH in front 3-2 heading into the second intermission.
 
Darren Nowick evened the contest at 4:20 of the third period, before a successful penalty shot was issued to Shine at 19:43 to give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead and the eventual victory.
 
UAH managed 47 shots on goal in the contest, led by McHugh with nine shots on target.
 
Larose's record dropped to 1-4-0 with the loss on Friday night.
 
The Chargers and Wildcats will wrap up the WCHA series tomorrow night at the VBC. Puck drops at 7:07 p.m.