In the end, it was a one-sided affair, with St. Thomas earning a 6-1 victory over Northern Michigan on Saturday at St. Thomas Ice Arena to complete the weekend sweep.

But the Tommies, who beat the Wildcats 4-2 on Friday, were challenged along the way and showed some character in improving to 4-5-1 overall and 2-2 in the CCHA.

Leading 2-0 early in the second period, the Tommies failed to capitalize on a five-minute power play, knowing that a goal —or two — would have put them in control of the game.

Instead, Northern Michigan cut the Tommies’ lead to 2-1 at 13:19 when Grant Slukynsky got behind the St. Thomas defense and beat goaltender Jake Sibell from in tight. Momentum in the game had shifted, but it didn’t last long.

A pair of St. Thomas goals in the next two minutes, seven seconds provided the answer head coach Rico Blasi was looking for.

Fifth-year senior Luke Manning banged in his own rebound off a scramble in front at 14:41 for his second goal of the game before Lucas Wahlin scored his team-leading sixth of the season on a rocket of a wrist shot from the left circle at 15:26.

“We’ve been involved in games like this so far this year and certainly the latter part of last year,” Blasi said, “so our guys understand the feeling you have to have to be resilient. Our guys just kept playing, and when you keep playing good things happen.”

Manning, who had a pair of goals, said the players are well aware of how big momentum changes can be.

“We knew there were going to be highs and lows in the game, so making sure that when you experience those lows the bench gets you back into it,” he said. “You stay focused, no one gets down and you just keep competing.”

The Tommies added a pair of third-period goals for a rare lopsided victory.

“As a coach, even going into the third period up 4-1, you’re not comfortable at all,” Blasi said. “At 5-1 I’m not comfortable and at 6-1 I’m not comfortable until the final buzzer. That’s the life of a coach.”

Manning said the Tommies went through a hard week of practice after getting swept at Bemidji State last weekend.

“A lot of battle days,” he said. “We weren’t happy with our last weekend, so we focused a lot on finishing the chances that we get. We worked for everything we got, and that translated into this weekend.”

The game was over nine minutes old before the Tommies got their first shot on goal, but it was a good one, with Manning taking a lead pass off the boards from Quinton Pepper and beating Wildcats goaltender Beni Halasz between the pads on a partial breakaway.

“They took it to us a little bit at first, but we got a bounce, Luke got a nice goal, and we settled down after that,” Blasi said.

The Tommies needed only 52 seconds to take a 2-0 lead in the second period, with Wahlin setting Noah Prokop up for his first goal of the season. Using his speed and agility, Wahlin made a power move around his defender at the Wildcats’ blue line down the right wing before feeding Prokop in the slot for the one-timer.

Wahlin’s talents were on full display in both his goal and his assist.

“He leads our team in the way he practices and prepares during the week. That is our identity,” Blasi said. “That’s why he is the captain. When he’s going like that everybody else feeds from that.”

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