WEST DUNDEE – The Huskies hockey team (0-9, 0-1 MCH) fell in their Midwest College Hockey conference opener to the Midland University Warriors (1-6, 1-0 MCH) Friday by a final score of 3-0. 

The teams traded scoring chances in the first period. NIU killed two penalties in the period, with the defense blocking shots and junior goaltender Ben Vutci making multiple saves. Vutci finished the game with 53 saves. 

Midland junior forward Ryan Donovan opened the scoring with 47.5 seconds remaining in the first period when his shot from the left circle beat Vutci top shelf. Donovan’s goal stood as the lone tally in the opening 20 minutes.

The Huskies struggled to find offense in the second period, spending much of the period in their own zone. Despite the onslaught of shots from Midland, Vutci held his team in the game and kept the Huskies within a goal heading to the final period. 

Midland senior forward Tanner Mros extended the Warriors’ lead to 2-0 at 2:46 into the third period on a three-on-two rush. The initial shot was tipped and saved by Vutci, but Mros waited on the doorstep to bury the rebound.

NIU fought to find offense, but Midland freshman goaltender Nahuel Veyan slammed the door on Huskie attackers. Sophomore forward Kamden Sengheiser added an empty-net goal late in the third to seal his team’s first win of the season 

The Huskies struggled at the beginning and end of periods Friday, giving up a goal in the last minute of the first period and another goal less than two minutes into the third period.

Head coach Brad Stoffers stressed the importance of starting and finishing a period clean. 

If you’re going to be a successful hockey team, you don’t give up a goal to start or end the period,” Stoffers said. “Kind of like a hockey 101 thing. You really fight and claw just because it can give so much momentum away.”

The Huskies have struggled in their own zone in recent games, giving up five or more goals in six of their nine games. 

NIU only gave up three goals Friday, with one goal being an empty-net goal. Despite the loss, Vutci was happy with his team’s defensive effort in front of him. 

“The boys helped me out. They blocked a lot of shots,” Vutci said. “I thought we played really well defensively. It was definitely our best defensive game of the season.”

With another matchup with Midland looming, Stoffers wants his team to keep simplifying their game and prioritize the controllable factors. 

“Continue to do the things we did right. Having good bench energy, trying to compete and blocking shots,” Stoffers said. “You can’t control a lot in this game. So the things that you can control, you really got to own … but there’s a lot more still that we can do.” 

With the Huskies having another crack at Midland Saturday, Vutci remains confident Friday’s close game will build momentum and keep his team motivated heading into the series finale.

“We were a shot away from tying the game,” Vutci said. “We can carry a lot of momentum into tomorrow to really get the wheels turning. I think guys are really hungry right now.”

The Huskies wrap up their first weekend of conference games against Midland at 5 p.m. Saturday at Canlan Ice Sports in West Dundee.