PREVIEW: #14 Bulldogs Head To East Lansing To Face Spartans This Weekend

The Opening Faceoff: The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team hits the road for a pair of non-league outings this weekend as FSU visits in-state rival Michigan State on Friday and Saturday (Oct. 31-Nov. 1). Opening faceoff is set for 7 p.m. (ET) both nights at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing.

Friday's series-opener will be televised across the region live on Comcast 900 in Michigan and parts of Indiana and Ohio.

Broadcast Coverage: Along with Friday's contest being carried live on Comcast, both games will also be aired on the Bulldog Sports Network and Sunny 97.3 FM with Dominic Hennig calling the play-by-play action. Radio pregame coverage begins a half-hour prior to the start with the online broadcast also accessible at FerrisStateBulldogs.com.

Webcast/Live Stats: No video webcast will be available for either game this weekend in East Lansing. However, a live HD video and audio pay-per-view webcast will be available for all 2014-15 WCHA regular-season league games along with non-league home matchups thru a conference agreement with WCHA.TV & America One. Live stats will also be offered for all games, including both meetings with Michigan State. All links will be available at FerrisStateBulldogs.com.

Last Weekend: The Bulldogs dropped a pair of one-goal games this past Friday and Saturday (Oct. 24-25) as Michigan Tech won close 1-0 and 2-1 decisions inside the Ewigleben Ice Arena ....... Friday's setback marked FSU's first-ever home loss in WCHA play ....... Senior goaltender CJ Motte tallied 41 saves for the Bulldogs in Friday night's setback and added 32 more on Saturday evening. On Friday, Motte notched his 2,400th career save ........ Junior forward Matt Robertson had FSU's lone goal of the weekend in the second period of last Saturday's contest. FSU totaled 11 penalties for 41 minutes in the finale compared to only Michigan Tech's seven infractions for 14 minutes.

Another Sellout: This past Saturday night's sellout against Michigan Tech represented the Bulldogs' 18th full house in the last two-plus seasons at the Ewigleben Ice Arena and it also marked the 53rd consecutive regular-season sellout for the "Dawg Pound" student section. The FSU student section has been sold out for every home game since the 2011-12 campaign.

Against The Spartans: Ferris State has currently won nine of the last 11 matchups overall against Michigan State heading into this weekend. FSU has also won six of the last seven meetings to date, including four in a row over MSU ..... Overall, Michigan State holds a 68-35-15 all-time series advantage in a series dating to 1979. The Bulldogs are 16-27-8 when having home ice and 18-40-6 overall in East Lansing. FSU is 1-1-1 when facing off on neutral ice against the Spartans ...... The two teams have squared off every year since 1981. This year will mark the 34th-straight season in which they've played ..... Ferris State was a 2-0 winner over MSU a year ago in the lone meeting at Munn Ice Arena (Dec. 14).

The National Rankings: Ferris State opened the 2014-15 campaign as a consensus top 10 team in the country as the Bulldogs were among the nation's best in two different collegiate hockey preseason polls. This week, Ferris State ranks 14th nationally in the United States College Hockey Online (USCHO) National poll along with 15th in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Preseason rankings. The Bulldogs, who reached the NCAA Final Eight last season and came within a game of the Frozen Four for the second time in three years, finished the 2013-14 season ranked sixth in both the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll along with the USCHO rankings.  FSU was ranked as high as fourth this year in the USCHO poll following the season-opening win over the Wolverines.

Looking Back To Last Year: Last season, Ferris State won the WCHA Regular-Season Championship in its debut season, reached the WCHA Final Five Championship game and came within a single victory of reaching the NCAA Frozen Four for the second time in three years. Along the way, FSU set a school-record with a nation-leading 16-game unbeaten streak that stretched from late October to early January and the Bulldogs' 29 total wins led the country and ranked as the second-best seasonal mark in school history. The Bulldogs were ranked as high as second in the nation during the regular-season and finished sixth in the final national rankings.

WCHA Players Of The Week: Sophomore forward Chad McDonald claimed the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week honor following FSU's season-opening win over Michigan while senior goaltender and captain CJ Motte earned the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week nod the same week. McDonald had two goals, a team-high five total shots and a +1 rating during Ferris State's season-opening victory. The sophomore from Battle Creek, Mich. scored the game-winner with a short-handed tally in the second period. A day after being named to the Mike Richter Goaltender of the Year Award Watch List, Motte, a Hobey Baker Award top 10 finalist last season, had several critical saves late in the contest with the Bulldogs playing short-handed for the final minutes. He finished with 34 saves and picked up an assist on Ferris State's third goal.

Did You Know?: This season, Ferris State currently ranks sixth in the country on the penalty kill (20-22) thru five games and FSU is also eighth to date in the nation in scoring defense (2.00 gpg.). So far, senior goaltender CJ Motte is 12th nationally in save percentage (.943) and 23rd in goals against average (2.02). Sophomore Chad McDonald is tied for second nationally with two game-winning goals to date ........ FSU junior defenseman Brandon Anselmini moved up to forward against Michigan Tech last weekend and played on the Bulldogs' top line in Saturday's finale.

Preseason National Watch Lists: A pair of Bulldog seniors received preseason acclaim on college hockey watch lists compiled by The Hockey News and CollegeHockeyInc.com. Senior goaltender CJ Motte was featured on Ryan Kennedy's list of "The 50 NCAA players you need to know this season". Meanwhile, CollegeHockeyInc.com added 50 more to Kennedy's list in the "THN's Top 50 - Plus 50" and senior forward Justin Buzzeo was included on the listing. Motte was also chosen as one of five WCHA Players To Watch by College Hockey News (CHN).

Preseason Award Honoree: Ferris State senior goaltender CJ Motte was chosen as one of 20 collegiate goalies named to the watch list for the 2015 Mike Richter Award, which annually honors the most outstanding goaltender in NCAA Division I men's hockey and is presented by Let's Play Hockey and the Herb Brooks Foundation. The winner of the second annual award will be announced at the 2015 NCAA Men's Frozen Four in Boston.

Record Information: Ferris State (2-3, 0-2 WCHA) posted a 29-11-3 overall record a year ago while ranking among the nation's winningest teams throughout the year. FSU was 20-6-2 in its debut WCHA season while leading the league race from wire-to-wire to capture the MacNaughton Cup.

Preseason Number Two: For the second consecutive year, Ferris State was a unanimous choice to finish second in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) as the Bulldogs were picked as the runner-up in the 2014-15 Mankato Free Press WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll unveiled as part of the league's media teleconference with all head coaches prior to the start of the year. The runner-up performance in the preseason coaches poll came on the heels of being the number two choice in a vote of the media released as part of the 2014-15 WCHA Preseason Media Poll, which was conducted and ran thru the Bemidji (Minn.) Pioneer.

Preseason Player Of The Year: Ferris State senior goaltender and team captain CJ Motte was tabbed as the 2014-15 WCHA Preseason Player of the Year by the league's member head coaches. Motte entered the year as the NCAA's active career leader with 10 shutouts and ranked third in total saves (2,396) along with tied for third in goaltending career wins (48) prior to the season opener. He's one of three returning Hobey Baker Award Top 10 finalists along with one of four returning All-WCHA First Team honorees from a year ago.

Hobey Baker Award Finalist: Senior goaltender CJ Motte was chosen as one of the nation's top 10 finalists for the 2014 Hobey Baker Award, becoming only the third Bulldog player ever to receive such distinction. Motte joined a select list of only two other former Bulldog student-athletes who have advanced to the top 10 phase, including current NHL great Chris Kunitz and former standout Rob Collins. Kunitz, now with the National Hockey League's (NHL) Pittsburgh Penguins, holds the distinction of being the only Ferris skater in the program's history to advance among the nation's top three finalists as he did so in 2002-03. One of his Bulldog teammates, Collins, was FSU's first top 10 finalist when he received the honor the year before Kunitz for the 2001-02 season.

Big Season At Home: The Bulldogs, who captured the WCHA Regular-Season Championship last year in their debut season in the league, completed their home season in Big Rapids unbeaten against WCHA opposition (15-0-1) and finished the year among the nation's best teams with a 29-11-3 overall record. The 28 wins were the second-most single season wins in school history. FSU capped off its home campaign with a 16-1-1 record.

Second All-Time: Ferris State finished with a 29-11-3 overall record a year ago and the Bulldogs' 29 wins were among the most in the country and ranked as the second-most wins in a single campaign in school history. FSU topped the Bulldogs' historic 2011-12 squad that reached the NCAA Frozen Four and the national championship game for the second-most victories in a single-campaign in school history and the 29 wins trailed only the school-record 31 posted by the 2002-03 squad that won the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) for the first time and made the school's first NCAA Tournament appearance.

Number 2 All-Time: Ferris State junior goaltender CJ Motte posted a 28-9-3 record last year and now has 50 career victories, which ranks second all-time on Ferris State's career list. He trails only the school-record 63 total wins that were recorded by 2003 All-American Mike Brown on the school's career leaders chart. Motte is the latest in a series of talented Bulldog goaltenders over the past decade that most recently also included former All-Americans Pat Nagle (2011) and Taylor Nelson (2012). Motte's total of 28 wins last season were the most of any goaltender in the country.

The Coach: Ferris State - Bob Daniels (Michigan State, 1982), 23rd season, 381-392-87 (.494). Daniels, the 2014 WCHA Coach of the Year, has the distinction of being the all-time winningest coach in Ferris State history. He was honored as the Spencer Penrose Award winner as the American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) Division I National Hockey Coach of the Year in both 2003 and 2012 in addition to claiming CCHA Coach of the Year honors both times. He was among three finalists for both the 2007-08 and 2009-10 CCHA Coach of the Year Awards. Daniels led the Bulldogs to their first-ever appearance at the Frozen Four and second-ever CCHA Regular-Season Championship title three years ago before guiding FSU to the WCHA crown and earning runner-up honors for national coach of the year in 2013-14.

Coaching Fact: Ferris State head coach Bob Daniels is midst his 23rd season at the Bulldog helm this season. His 23 seasons at FSU rank as the fifth-longest tenure of any current head coach in college hockey.

Memorable Season In WCHA Debut: By winning the WCHA's MacNaughton Cup for its second league title in the last three years, the Bulldogs became one of only three programs to ever win both the WCHA and former Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Regular-Season crowns along with Michigan and Northern Michigan. The Bulldogs led the league race wire-to-wire last season.

The 40th Season: The 2014-15 campaign represents FSU's 40th anniversary season along with the 37th season of NCAA Division I hockey competition.  This year's slate features seven home weekends of league action in addition to the season-opening showdown with Michigan and an exhibition tilt versus Wilfrid Laurier.

Winning At Home: The Bulldogs were 17-0-1 in their previous 18 home contests at the Ewigleben Ice Arena prior to falling to Michigan Tech in two games this past weekend in Big Rapids. Friday night's 1-0 loss was FSU's first home setback since a 3-2 loss to St. Lawrence in last year's home opener (10/18/13).

Season-Opening Victory: Ferris State officially opened the 2014-15 campaign against another Big Ten Conference member and came away with a thrilling 4-3 home win over the University of Michigan Wolverines in regular-season play on Oct. 4 before a sellout crowd of 2,532 fans inside the Ewigleben Ice Arena. FSU scored twice in the game's first 63 seconds to build an early 2-0 lead and recorded the game-winner late in the second frame on a short-handed tally by sophomore forward Chad McDonald for his second goal of the night.

50th Career Win: Bulldog senior goaltender CJ Motte notched his 50th career victory in net in FSU's 3-2 overtime victory at St. Lawrence on Oct. 17. He currently ranks second in school history in total victories and is third among all active NCAA Division I goaltenders in career wins to date.

Goal-Scoring Start: Bulldog sophomore Chad McDonald has produced the game-winner in both of FSU's two victories to date this campaign, including his overtime marker on Oct. 17 at St. Lawrence. McDonald has a squad-best three goals to date this year.

Starting WCHA Play: A year ago, Ferris State was unbeaten in its initial 14 WCHA contests, producing a 12-0-2 record to start its first season in the league. The Bulldogs did not drop a league contest until Jan. 17 of last season.

Among Best In Nation: FSU's 29 wins last year were the second-most in the country and the Bulldogs also had the nation's fourth-best winning percentage (.709). Ferris State held the nation's longest unbeaten streak earlier last year at 16 games (13-0-3) prior to its setback to Colgate in the championship game of the Mariucci Classic (Jan. 4). Ferris State finished first in the WCHA standings with a 20-6-2 league record and hadn't dropped a league game in its debut season in the conference prior to its mid-January series at Minnesota State. The Bulldogs finished a single point ahead of MSU in the league standings, winning the conference regular-season crown on the final night. FSU's 16-1-1 home mark also ranked as one of the top showings on home ice in the nation last season. Ferris State was the fifth overall seed in last year's NCAA Tournament, narrowly missing a number one seed.

First Action For Pennock: Bulldog senior goaltender CJ Motte played the opening two periods in FSU's exhibition win this year over Wilfrid Laurier and made six saves before giving way to sophomore Trace Pennock in the third period. He stopped 11 shots in his first-ever game action at the collegiate level. Pennock is a hometown Big Rapids native as is FSU sophomore forward Seth Adams, who tallied Ferris State's opening goal.

Great Win Total: This season, the Bulldogs have to replace the school's all-time winningest senior class as last year's five seniors posted 89 wins over their four seasons. The 89 total wins ranked as the best four-year stretch in school history. Meanwhile, Ferris State's 29 wins last season were the second-most in a single campaign in school history. FSU won a school-record 31 wins in 2002-03 and picked up 26 victories in both 2011-12 and 1979-80. The Bulldogs' 20 league wins last campaign trailed only the 22 victories recorded by the 2002-03 CCHA Championship team for the most conference wins in a single campaign.

Strong Home Campaign: The Bulldogs were unbeaten at home (13-0-1) in conference regular-season action a year ago and their impressive play helped FSU post its sixth-straight season with increased home attendance while the school's average of 2,141 fans per game during the 2013-14 regular-season was its best in 32 years. FSU also led the WCHA by recording an 86% capacity figure over the course of its 16 home games last season prior to the playoffs. In the last two-plus years, including this year's win over Michigan, Ferris State has had 18 home sellouts and the "Dawg Pound" student section has been sold out for 53 consecutive regular-season games.

One Of School's Best: Bulldog junior goaltender CJ Motte moved into second place in career victories for a Bulldog goaltender last year and owns a 50-32-10 career record to date. Former standout Mike Brown is the all-time leader with 63 wins from 2001-05. Motte's 28 total wins in net last season ranked as the second-best seasonal figure in school history behind the 30 wins posted by Brown in the memorable 2002-03 campaign. Motte received the 2014 Premier Player of College Hockey Award as determined by fans and was among 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Award presented to college hockey's top player. He was also among the nominees for the inaugural Mike Richter Goaltender of the Year honor.

Best Home Record Ever: The Bulldogs' 16-1-1 overall record at home last season ranked as the best in school history. FSU also won 16 games to go with five losses in its initial season of Division I hockey in 1979-80. In the last five years, the Bulldogs have compiled a 64-19-11 overall mark at the Ewigleben Ice Arena, which ranks as the best stretch in the school annals and one of the top marks in the nation. Ferris State also recorded 15 home wins in both 2009-10 and 2011-12 during the run at home.

National Rankings: The Bulldogs were ranked as high as second in the nation three times last season, including prior to the Minnesota State series in January. Ferris State was ranked for 37 consecutive weeks dating between the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons at one stretch and was ranked first in the nation during the memorable 2011-12 season. The number two national ranking last year represented the Bulldogs' highest placing in the poll since finishing second overall in the final 2011-12 USCHO.com Division I poll announced after FSU's historic appearance in the national championship game at the 2012 NCAA Frozen Four. Ferris State has currently been ranked among the nation's top 20 teams in the USCHO poll for 25 consecutive weeks and found among the country's top 10 teams in 23-straight polls prior to this week.

Important Fact: Ferris State was the lone team from the state of Michigan to reach the NCAA Tournament last season and one of only two schools from the WCHA along with Minnesota State. The Bulldogs led the WCHA race for the McNaughton Cup from wire-to-wire and became only the third program ever to win both the former CCHA along with the WCHA.

Against Michigan State:

A year ago, the Bulldogs recorded a 2-0 road win over the Spartans in East Lansing in the US Hockey Hall of Fame Game. It marked the lone matchup in 2013-14 between the two in-state schools.

FSU's two goals came from two skaters still on this year's squad in sophomore Chad McDonald and senior Justin Buzzeo. Current Bulldogs Kenny Babinski, Ryan Lowney & Gerald Mayhew accounted for all of FSU's assists in the outing as well.

Coach Daniels vs. MSU: 20-37-8 vs. Michigan State – 8-15-5 Home, 11-21-2 away and 1-1-1 neutral

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