Josh Kestner scored two goals as the Chargers forced another series split with a 3-2 win on Saturday over Northern Michigan in Marquette.
UAH (6-9-1 overall, 5-4-1 WCHA) has split five of the eight series this season, all of them with the Chargers winning the Saturday contest. UAH is 5-2-1 on Saturdays and 1-7-0 on Fridays.
UAH goaltender Jordan Uhelski allowed two first-period goals, but was on the ball the rest of the way toward a 22-save night in sending Northern Michigan (8-8-0, 6-4-0) to its fourth loss in five games.
The Chargers completed the first of six straight road series. Their next stop is next week at Bowling Green.
Northern Michigan scored the first goal on the power play. Ryan Black’s blast from the right point was wide, but bounced off the boards behind the UAH net to Darien Craighead, who had an open net on Jordan Uhelski.
UAH tied the game at 1-1 as John Teets scored from the slot on a centering pass from the left side by Austin Beaulieu. Teets third goal of the season came with 2:59 left in the period.
NMU quickly gained the lead 57 seconds later. Troy Loggins scored from the left wing on an outlet pass from Jordan Klimek.
The Chargers equalized again with just three seconds left in the first after Jordan Klimek cross-checked Austin Beaulieu. On the power play, Connor Merkley found Josh Kestner in the left circle, who unleashed a one-timer for a 2-2 game at the first intermission.
Kestner struck again at 1:48 of the second period to give UAH its first lead of the night. He took a pass from behind the goal line by Christian Rajic, and scored alone from the slot.
It was Kestner’s 10th goal of the season, surpassing his team-leading total from all of last year.
The Wildcats amped up their offensive pressure in the third period, but Uhelski stopped all eight shots, including a couple while NMU netminder Mathias Israelsson (18 saves) was pulled for the extra attacker for almost the final two minutes.