WEST DUNDEE – Despite a strong start to the game, NIU hockey was handled easily in its home opener by Kent State University by a final score of 8-2. 

The Huskies tallied just three minutes into the game off the stick of freshman forward Micah Maldonado, but were unable to ride the momentum to a season-opening victory.

Though the team struggled in its first matchup, freshman defenseman Jim Franklin enjoyed finally suiting up for his new squad. 

“It was great,” Franklin said. “The environment – that atmosphere – was electric. I felt great putting on those black jerseys.”

QUICK START DIMINISHES

The Huskies controlled play in the first period, outshooting Kent State 19-16 in the first 20 minutes.

A Kent State goal by sophomore forward Nick Falkowski with 10 minutes remaining in the first period began a downward spiral of two more Kent State goals in the first period from which NIU couldn’t recover.

“We got to be better mentally. Mental toughness is not where it needs to be,” Maldonado said. “We got to be able to handle adversity. I think the guys got the message: we’re going to handle adversity and shove it through a wall. We’re going to be way better next day.” 

A strong start turning into a blowout loss is nothing new to second-year head coach Brad Stoffers, who said Friday’s game paralleled many of last season’s losses. 

“My first year is where we’re learning how to respond to adversity – a lot of adversity last year,” Stoffers said. “We didn’t make much progress because today (Friday), same thing – as soon as they score those two, three goals, we lose everything.”

PENALTIES KILL

The Huskies struggled to stay out of the penalty box Friday, with four NIU skaters being ejected from the game: Maldonado, freshman forward Robbie Zimmerman, sophomore forward Evan Rzeszutko and junior forward Brandon Weitzel. 

NIU also took 14 penalties compared to Kent State’s 10. 

Stoffers fumed that Friday’s penalties and ejections goes against the winning culture the team is looking to build. 

“You look at losing organizations, stuff like that happens – guys get kicked out, they’re selfish, it’s about them” Stoffers said. “Winning teams, it’s about the team. We need to be more of a winning team. So, that was embarrassing.”

With the Huskies losing key pieces to ejections throughout the game, Franklin said losing those players contributed to a negative atmosphere on the bench and why the game got so out of hand. 

“We have four guys get kicked out of the game – four big guys that we need,” Franklin said. “Once one (ejection) starts, it just snowballs into another into another … once you get kicked out of the game, it just sucks that life out of the bench.”

KENT STATE GOAL BARRAGE

Maldonado scored to give NIU the lead just three minutes into the game. Kent State responded with three goals before the end of the first to hold a 3-1 lead after 20 minutes. 

Kent State added two goals from sophomore forward Gabriel Lucchesi and sophomore defenseman Brian Odstrchel in the middle frame before Franklin buried a loose puck with 12 minutes remaining to cut the Kent State lead to 5-2. 

The Golden Flashes tallied three more goals in the final 25 minutes of regulation to seal the 8-2 beatdown of NIU. 

LOOKING FORWARD

With another matchup with Kent State looming Saturday, Maldonado said the team needs to keep its attention on its own locker room to have success. 

“We just got to focus on us,” Maldonado said. “Not the refs, not the fans, not the other team. We got to play our game. If we play our game, then we’ll be just fine.” 

NIU rounds out its series with Kent State at 5 p.m. Saturday at Canlan Ice Sports in West Dundee. 

Students get in free with their OneCard. Non-students can buy tickets at the door for $5. 

The game will be streamed on the NIU Hockey YouTube channel.