Two quick power play goals in the second period were the difference in UAH’s 5-2 loss Sunday to Northern Michigan in the deciding third game of the WCHA quarterfinal series.

The Chargers, who were trying to become the first seventh seed to upset the second seed in the current WCHA playoff format, finish the season at 12-23-2. The 12 victories were the most by UAH since the 2009-10 season.

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The 19th-ranked Wildcats (23-13-3) move on to the WCHA semifinals, where they will host third seed Bowling Green next weekend.

Northern Michigan scored the first goal for the third time in the series. Denver Pierce, who scored twice in game one, drove into the UAH zone on the right side and beat Jordan Uhelski high and glove side just 2:45 in.

The Chargers did not panic, and was able to generate some scoring chances themselves. They tied the game 1-1 at the 10:54 mark, when Tyler Poulsen skated around a Wildcat defenseman, tapped it to a trailing Josh Kestner, who deposited the puck past Atte Tolvanen’s right for his third goal of the series.

It was Kestner’s 24th goal of the season, tying the UAH modern Division I record held by Bruce Mulherin from the 2004-05 season.

For Poulsen, it was his 17th assist of the year, the most by a Charger since Brandon Roshko had that many in the 2007-08 campaign.

UAH took the lead at 2-1 right off the bat in the second period, when Max McHugh tipped in a Kurt Gosselin blast on the power play seconds only 53 seconds in. It was McHugh’s third goal of the year.

Mitchel Slattery tied the game at 2-2 with 6:41 left in the 2nd, and then the Wildcats took the lead after a questionable call.

Cam Knight made contact to the head with the elbow on NMU’s Robbie Payne. It didn’t look egregious by any stretch, but Knight was called for a five-minute major and a game misconduct anyway.

The officials have little if any room for discretion, according to the NCAA rulebook (45.1): “Any contact directly with the player’s head and neck area must be penalized with a major penalty and a game misconduct or disqualification.”

NMU quickly scored twice on the major power play to take a 4-2 lead. First a one-timer by Troy Loggins, then Pierce on a rebound. The Chargers called time out to regroup.

Two minutes of the power play were cut by a Payne tripping penalty, and UAH was able to kill the rest of the penalty, but the damage was already done.

The Chargers managed only two shots on goal in the third period, albeit not for lack of attempts. They had one final stand in the final minute when Pierce was called for slashing and UAH had pulled Uhelski for the extra attacker with under a minute to go.

However, Loggins was able to mount a breakaway toward the empty net. Kestner hauled him down, which immediately gives the empty net goal to Loggins for the final 5-2 score.

Uhelski finished with 28 saves.

It marked the final games in Charger uniforms for Richard Buri, Cody Champagne, Kestner, McHugh, Brandon Parker (who tied the UAH record with his 139th game played), Poulsen, Brennan Saulnier, and Uhelski.

Saulnier returned to the lineup after sitting out game two for getting his fourth game misconduct of the season in game one.

Northern Michigan scored four goals in the first 8:50 and cruised to a 7-1 win over UAH in game one of the WCHA quarterfinals Friday in Marquette, Mich.

UAH (11-22-2) will need to regroup and start fresh Saturday to avoid elimination in the best-of-3 series. But the Chargers will need to find some offense after being outshot 39-14.

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They will have to do it without senior forward Brennan Saulnier, who got his fourth game misconduct of the season for verbal abuse of officials in the second period. By NCAA rule, he will sit out Saturday, and perhaps more games if the WCHA suspends him further and UAH extends the series.

Northern Michigan, ranked 19th in the USCHO poll and the second seed of the WCHA playoffs, improved to 22-12-3.

The first nine minutes was nightmarish for the Chargers, and the game was decided then.

UAH had the first power play at the 1:34 mark, but gave up a shorthanded goal at 1:59 when Troy Loggins had a steal and scored on a give-and-go with Adam Rockwood.

This appeared to throw the Chargers out of whack, and the game quickly got away from them.

It became 2-0 NMU when Demico Hannoun took a feed and beat Charger goaltender Jordan Uhelski from the low left circle, just 4:47 in.

It became 3-0 NMU when Robbie Payne had an easy empty net just 48 seconds later.

It became 4-0 NMU when Denver Pierce took a Philip Beaulieu backhanded pass to another open goal at the 8:50 mark.

An angry Uhelski, making only four saves on eight shots, was pulled for freshman Mark Sinclair.

Sinclair was solid in relief. He made 28 saves on 31 shots, including 15 of 16 in the second period.

Late in the second, Brennan Saulnier collided with Pierce, and both were slow to get up. Saulnier was assessed an interference penalty.

NMU answered on the power play with 2:41 left in the second, and it was Pierce scoring with a quick snipe from the slot to make it 5-0 Wildcats.

Saulnier got a cross-checking penalty with 2:32 remaining in the period. He took exception with the officials, and some words got him another misconduct penalty, and then a game misconduct and ejected.

In a very chippy third period, Philip Beaulieu made it 6-0 with 13:09 left. Then Payne scored his second of the game 29 seconds later to make it 7-0.

UAH finally got on the board on the power play with 1:02 to go, as Brandon Parker blasts one from inside the blue line for his first goal of the season and the Chargers’ first ever in a WCHA playoff game.

Madison Dunn and Josh Kestner got the assists.

The Chargers could not ride Friday’s playoff-clinching victory into success on Senior Night on Saturday.

Fifteenth-ranked Bowling Green shut down the Chargers 3-0 on Saturday in the regular-season finale at the Von Braun Center, splitting the series.

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UAH (11-21-2 overall, 10-16-2 WCHA), which secured its spot in the WCHA playoffs Friday with a 3-2 win, will find out its seeding and quarterfinals destination late tonight when the rest of the conference slate plays out.

The Chargers came into Saturday as the sixth seed, but they will need help to stay there. UAH could fall to either seventh or eighth depending on what happens between Ferris State and Lake Superior State, and Alaska and Alaska Anchorage.

The result was a sour sendoff to UAH’s seniors, who played their game inside Propst Arena.

Bowling Green (20-10-6 overall, 17-6-5 WCHA) had already locked down the third seed, and they could host the Chargers if UAH holds on to the sixth seed.

The Falcons scored a pair of goals in the first period. Connor Ford tallied the first goal at 9:49, and Brett D’Andrea put one past Uhelski from the slot at 15:35.

Bowling Green took a 3-0 lead just 55 seconds into the second period, as Mitch McLain put the puck through Uhelski’s five-hole on the power play.

UAH’s best chance came with a 2-man advantage after back-to-back penalties by the Falcons. But the Chargers, who were able to tie Friday’s game in this situation in the third period, would come up empty this time.

Ryan Bednard stopped all 23 UAH shots for his second shutout of the season.

Uhelski finished with 28 saves.

Forget relying on others, the Chargers took care of business at home, and they are back in the WCHA playoffs.

Austin Beaulieu’s goal with 1:18 remaining lifted UAH to a 3-2 win over 15th-ranked Bowling Green on Friday, securing a postseason berth for the Chargers for the first time in three years.

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UAH (11-20-2 overall, 10-15-2 WCHA) will finish the regular season Saturday at 3 p.m. for Senior Night. Then the Chargers will know their seeding and where they will head for the best-of-3 WCHA quarterfinals next weekend.

The Chargers have 33 points, in sixth place. Alaska could tie them with a win against Alaska Anchorage late. Ferris State defeated Lake Superior 4-1 to move provisionally into seventh with 31 points, leaving Lake Superior out of the top eight.

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Bowling Green (19-10-6 overall, 16-6-5 WCHA), which had won seven of its last eight games, secured the third seed.

The Chargers withstood another frantic attack from the Falcons, who held a 32-23 shots on goal advantage. UAH got another great performance from goaltender Jordan Uhelski, who made 30 saves — the sixth time in the last seven games that he has stopped 30 or more shots.

There was no scoring in the first period, but Bowling Green had more scoring chances. The Falcons were dominant in the faceoff circle, winning 16 of 19, and had more shot attempts, 19-13, but UAH had more shots on goal, 9-5, at the first intermission.

The Chargers had a five-minute power play near the end of the first period after BG’s Brett D’Andrea hit John Teets hard in front of the UAH bench. D’Andrea was assessed a major checking from behind penalty with a game misconduct with 28 seconds left.

UAH capitalized on the power play early in the second. Falcon goaltender Ryan Bednard (20 saves) was caught behind his net, and the Chargers took advantage with a steal. Austin Beaulieu sent it to Max McHugh, who scored his second goal of the season at the 3:21 mark.

Bowling Green was able to snatch the lead away from UAH with two power play goals on four Charger penalties in the second period.

The first one followed a McHugh holding penalty, with Mitch McLain powering one from the right circle to tie the game at 1-1 with 9:47 left.

UAH withstood a five-minute boarding major on Beaulieu, but couldn’t on a Cody Champagne hooking minor late in the frame. Alec Rauhauser’s blast from inside the blue line made its way through traffic and past UAH goalie Jordan Uhelski to give Bowling Green its first lead at 2-1 with 1:27 remaining.

The Chargers tied the game at 2-2 with another power play goal of their own, this time converting on a 5-on-3 advantage after back-to-back penalties by the Falcons.

Josh Kestner scored his 21st goal of the season, one-timing a cross-ice pass by Brennan Saulnier, with 12:26 to go in regulation. Saulnier, back in action after being suspended for four games, got his seventh assist, and Tyler Poulsen notched his team-leading 15th assist.

Then came Beaulieu’s game winner, his third goal of the year, which came on a deflection in front of Bednard from a Christian Rajic shot. Champagne was also credited with a helper.

Minnesota State, the fifth-ranked team in the country, breathed a sign of relief after needing overtime to beat UAH on Friday and avoid a major upset.

Saturday night, the Mavericks made sure there would not be another scare at the VBC, beating the Chargers 6-1 to complete the series sweep and win their seventh straight game.

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UAH (10-20-2 overall, 9-15-2 WCHA) was swept at home for the first time this season, but still sits in sixth place in the WCHA standings, one point ahead of Alaska. Alaska was swept by Northern Michigan, which maintained its one-point lead over Minnesota State (23-7-0 overall, 19-5-0 WCHA) atop the standings.

The Chargers, still looking to secure a WCHA playoff spot, have next week off before finishing the regular season at home against Bowling Green.

Minnesota State scored its first goal at the 3:57 mark, when Nicolas Rivera poked in a rebound from a Brad McClure shot.

Then with 3:39 left in the first period, on a power play resulting from a John Teets cross-checking penalty, the Mavericks made it 2-0 when Dallas Gerads scored, also on a rebound.

UAH got on the board early in the second period, shorthanded after a Brandon Parker interference penalty.

Levi Wunder got a shot in the MSU zone, and the rebound off of Connor LeCouvee slowly entered the slot. Defenseman Richard Buri won the race for the puck, and sniped it past LeCouvee at 1:01.

It was Buri’s first goal of the season and sixth goal of the senior’s UAH career. Wunder got his seventh assist.

But the Mavericks never relented, and regained their two-goal advantage just 1:44 later. Right after Parker’s penalty expired, C.J. Seuss, who scored the overtime winner on Friday, scored on a backhander from goaltender Jordan Uhelski’s doorstep made it 3-1.

Minnesota State made it 4-1 on its second power play goal of the night. Marc Michaelis, who got the game-tying goal with 2:10 left in regulation on Friday, got the score on yet another rebound off Uhelski.

MSU scored their third power play goal at 1:30 of the third period on a blast by Daniel Brickley from the point. Jared Spooner made it 6-1 with 10:32 to go.

Uhelski finished with 29 saves after being pulled at that point. Freshman Mark Sinclair had one save in relief.

Minnesota State outshot UAH 36-24.

Notes: Minnesota State ran its unbeaten streak against UAH to 26 games (22-0-4) dating back to 2002. … Michigan Tech beat Bemidji State 5-1 on Saturday, giving fifth-place Tech 40 points in the WCHA standings. That ensured UAH, which can get no more than 36 points, can finish no higher than sixth.

C.J. Seuss scored 27 seconds into overtime as Minnesota State beat UAH 3-2 on Friday night at the Von Braun Center.

The fifth-ranked Mavericks (22-7-0 overall, 18-5-0 WCHA) had tied the game at 2-2 with 2:10 left in regulation to win their sixth straight game and deny the Chargers a major upset.

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UAH (10-19-2 overall, 9-14-2 WCHA) had quickly erased a 1-0 deficit with two goals on their first two shots of the third period, looking to end a 24-game winless streak against Minnesota State dating back to 2002.

The Chargers remain in sixth place in the WCHA with Alaska’s loss to Northern Michigan, who stayed one point ahead of Minnesota State atop the league standings.

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The series finale is Saturday night at 7:07 p.m.

The Mavericks exercised their will with the puck early on, but could not find the net despite getting the first eight shots on Jordan Uhelski.

UAH did start to get in a groove late in the first, making MSU goaltender Connor LaCouvee get to work. The Chargers, thanks in part to a late power play, were able to pull even in shots, 10-10, at the end of the period.

The Mavericks dominated possession in the second period, outshooting the Chargers 17-2. They got help from four UAH penalties, including back-to-back calls against Tyler Poulsen and Brandon Parker that put MSU up two men with over a minute.

UAH survived that surge, thanks to Uhelski. Among his 16 saves in the period included an odd-man rush with Marc Michaelis out of the box after a Charger power play, a C.J. Seuss shorthanded chance on that same power play, and denying Brad McClure, Mcihaelis, and Seuss back-to-back-to-back in a matter of seconds.

However, Uhelski could not stop them all. With 4:22 left in the second, Uhelski saved a Dallas Gerads shot, but the rebound came right to a unabated, driving Parker Tuomie in the slot. Tumoie pounced and scored for a 1-0 Minnesota State lead.

UAH came out for the third period with two goals on two shots to quickly take the lead.

Kurt Gosselin scored his fifth goal of the season at the 1:14 mark, assisted by Jordan Larson (his first point of the season) and Hans Gorowsky (his seventh helper).

At 2:35, freshman Christian Rajic beat LaCouvee from the right circle for his ninth goal of the season. Madison Dunn and Josh Kestner with the assists.

UAH tried to survive the Maverick barrage as long as they could, but MSU tied the game with 2:10 left in regulation. Parker Tuomie found Marc Michaelis in the slot, and his deflection beat Uhelski high.

That set up Seuss and his 16th goal of the season on MSU’s first shot on goal in overtime, giving the Mavericks the sigh of relief. It was the first overtime game for MSU this season.

Uhelski finished with 39 saves, the fifth straight game he has made 30 or more. UAH was outshot 42-19.