PREVIEW: Ferris State Returns To The Ice In Mankato Against #3 Minnesota State

The Opening Faceoff: After a bye weekend, the Ferris State University men's ice hockey team hits the road for a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) road series against nationally third-ranked Minnesota State on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 30-31) at the Verizon Wireless Center in Mankato, Minn. Both games get underway at 7:07 p.m. (ET). The two-game set marks FSU's first action since Jan. 16-17 when FSU hosted then top-ranked MSU for a weekend series in Big Rapids.

Broadcast Coverage: Both of Ferris State's games this weekend will 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.  

The two games are also slated to be televised live by the Maverick Sports Network on Charter Cable TV in Minnesota on Channel 826 (HD) and Channel 226 (SD).

TV/Live Stats: Live internet statistics will be provided for this weekend's games and all links will be available at FerrisStateBulldogs.com. In addition, both games will also be offered via a live audio/video pay-per-view webcast thru WCHA TV. Visit www.wcha.com for more information.

Glancing At The Bulldogs: Ferris State enters the weekend series still tied for fourth place overall in the WCHA standings with 16 points. FSU has presently won seven of its last 12 league tilts.

Lengthy Road Trip: This weekend's two-game set will mark the Bulldogs' first road action since an extended 15-day road swing that saw FSU take part in the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit followed by a four-game swing in Alaska. The trip essentially began on Dec. 27 and did not end until returning home on Saturday (Jan. 10).

Two Weeks Ago: FSU came out on the short end of a pair of close setbacks at home two weeks ago (Jan. 16-17) versus then nationally top-ranked Minnesota State at the Ewigleben Ice Arena. The Bulldogs suffered a 2-1 setback in Friday's opener before falling 3-1 on Saturday in the finale. FSU held a one-goal lead after scoring 2:44 into the contest on Saturday night for much of the way before a sellout crowd before the Mavericks scored three times in the third period to notch the win. The two-game set marked the Bulldogs' first home action in the 2015 calendar year.

Against The Mavericks: The Bulldogs are now 4-9-2 all-time against Minnesota State heading into this weekend's series. A year ago, the Mavericks swept FSU at home by scores of 6-2 and 4-3 on Jan. 17-18 in Mankato, which marked the first time the two teams had played each other since 1998. MSU then recorded a 4-1 win over the Bulldogs in the WCHA Final Five Championship game on March 22 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids ....... FSU and MSU were the top two teams in the league last year and represented the WCHA in the NCAA Tourney.
 
Prior to last year, the two teams had not faced each other since 1998 when Ferris State was a 3-1 winner at home against the Mavericks on Nov. 7, 1998. The two teams also registered a tie the night before (11/6/98) in Big Rapids ..... Overall, the Bulldogs are now 4-3-1 at home and 0-5-1 on the road against Minnesota State to date along with 0-1-0 on neutral ice. The two teams played each other twice in Mankato in 1997-98 along with four times in 1996-97 with the Bulldogs recording a 1-4-1 mark in that stretch. The series dates back to 1992-93 when Ferris State posted decisive 7-1 and 3-1 wins at home to open the all-time series.

Two Goal Weekend: Sophomore forward Kyle Schempp tallied both of FSU's weekend goals in a pair of close setbacks to then nationally top-ranked Minnesota State in WCHA play two weeks ago at the Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids. Schempp scored FSU's third-period goal on Friday (Jan. 16) night before a near-sellout crowd as Ferris State also most rallied in a 2-1 setback. Then, on Saturday (Jan. 17), his goal 2:44 into the contest gave FSU a 1-0 lead that stood up until the final 12 minutes of the contest when MSU rallied for a 3-1 victory. Schempp had four total shots on the weekend and added a pair of blocks for the Bulldogs in the two-game set.

Miscellaneous Notes: Junior defenseman Simon Denis moved up to forward for the Bulldogs in each of the last two weekend series' and has played on FSU's first line. He tallied the game-winning goal in FSU's win at Alaska Anchorage (Jan. 2).
 
The Jan. 17 home contest against Minnesota State marked the 19th sellout inside the Ewigleben Ice Arena for the Bulldogs over the past three years and was the 61st-straight regular season sellout of the "Dawg Pound" student section. FSU dropped to 22-5-1 in its last 28 home contests inside the facility.
 
Senior goaltender CJ Motte is only four wins away from matching school-record holder Mike Brown's all-time mark of 63 career victories. He's among the nominees for the 2015 Hobey Baker Award.
 
FSU is presently midst an eight-game stretch versus nationally top 10 ranked foes as FSU will square off against current sixth-ranked Bowling Green in four-straight contests following the trip to Mankato. Ferris State's next home series is not until Feb. 13-14 when Bowling Green visits the Ewigleben Ice Arena and the two-game set will come only a week after the Bulldogs face the Falcons in Ohio.

Scoring Notebook: Bulldog junior forward Matt Robertson has netted at least a point in 10 of his last 16 contests. He's totaled a three goals and 12 assists for 15 total points in the stretch.

Junior defenseman Simon Denis has produced nine points on two goals and seven assists in his last 11 outings.

Did You Know?: This season, Ferris State currently ranks eighth in the nation on the penalty kill (87.6%) and tied for ninth in scoring defense (2.12 pg). So far, senior goaltender CJ Motte is now 19th nationally in save percentage (.927) and 17th in goals against average (2.02). Motte is also tied for first in the country with four shutouts this season. Sophomore Chad McDonald and junior Kenny Babinski are both tied for 18th in the nation with three game-winning goals while junior Matt Robertson is tied for 47th with two game-winning goals to date.

Hobey Baker Award Nominee: Senior goaltender CJ Motte is again among the initial nominees for the 2015 Hobey Baker Award presented to college hockey's most outstanding player. Fans can vote now at www.voteforhobey.com during the first phase of the voting process. Previously, Motte was chosen as one of the nation's top 10 finalists last year 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.

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.

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.

Record Information: Ferris State (11-13-1, 8-8-0 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 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 (now 14) and ranked third in total saves along with tied for third in goaltending career wins 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.

The Coach: Ferris State - Bob Daniels (Michigan State, 1982), 23rd season, 390-402-88 (.497). 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.

A Look Back At The GLI: Ferris State made its first-ever appearance in the Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) on Dec. 28-29 at historic Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the event, which ranks as one of college hockey's oldest and most prestigious tournaments. The Bulldogs suffered a 2-0 setback to in-state rival Michigan State in its GLI opener on Sunday with the final goal coming on an empty net with less than a minute to play. FSU then fought back from a four-goal deficit in Monday's third-place game versus fellow WCHA member and nationally fifth-ranked Michigan Tech before falling 4-2 to wrap up the event.

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.

Home Ice Edge: The Bulldogs are currently 22-5-1 in their last 28 home contests at the Ewigleben Ice Arena dating back to last year. FSU was unbeaten in its previous 18 home contests at the Ewigleben Ice Arena prior to falling to Michigan Tech in two games on Oct. 24-25 in Big Rapids. The Friday night 1-0 loss to MTU was FSU's first home setback since a 3-2 loss to St. Lawrence in last year's home opener (10/18/13).

Second All-Time: Ferris State junior goaltender CJ Motte posted a 28-9-3 record last year and now has 59 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.

Be A Playmaker Gifts: Ferris State recently announced gifts of $100,000 from the local Solid Ice Inc. Foundation and $25,000 from the FSU Blueline Club towards the school's "Be A Playmaker" fundraising campaign. The $1.5 million endowment campaign has already generated upwards of $882,000 in private support since its launch this past summer to help sustain the program's elite status.

Thank You Veterans: FSU's recent win over Alaska Anchorage on Nov. 13 came on Veteran's Appreciation Night with the Bulldogs honoring military members for their service. The Bulldogs wore special camo jerseys and proceeds went to support a new veteran's memorial in the area. The event was sponsored by General Mills-Yoplait and generated more than $10,000 for the new memorial.

Home Attendance: Seating has been at a premium for all FSU home contests last season. In 2012-13, the Bulldogs officially sold out five times and drew more than 2,000 fans for each of their last 10 regular-season home contests in the 2,400-seat facility.  Overall, FSU has now posted 19 total sellouts at the Ewigleben Ice Arena since the second half of a historic 2011-12 campaign in which the Bulldogs reached the national championship game at the NCAA Frozen Four.  

Senior CLASS Award: Current senior captain CJ Motte has been chosen as one of this year's national nominees for the Senior CLASS Award for his accomplishments on and off the ice.  The award annually goes to a student-athlete for success on and off the ice. The Bulldogs have now had one of the national nominees for the award each of the last four years as Motte joins former standouts Chad Billins, Kyle Bonis and Scott Czarnowczan. FSU has had plenty of off-ice success as the Bulldogs have also recorded one of the country's top 10 performances in the NCAA Academic Progress Report each of the last two years while leading the WCHA a season ago.

Student Sellout: The weekend series versus Minneosta State on Jan. 16-17 marked the 60th and 61st-straight regular-season sellouts for Ferris State's "Dawg Pound" student section as a record number of 685 student season tickets were sold for the 2014-15 season this summer. Overall, FSU's Oct. 25 sellout against MSU represented the Bulldogs' 19th full house in the last three seasons at the Ewigleben Ice Arena. The FSU student section has been sold out for every home game since the 2011-12 campaign.

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.

Home Ticket Information: Single-game tickets for all FSU home contests this season are currently on sale and can be bought online at StarTickets.com, by calling 1-800-585-3737 or purchased in person at the FSU Athletics Ticket Office. The ticket office will be open inside the Ewigleben Sports Complex Monday thru Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) along with extended hours on Wednesday until 7 p.m. (ET). Fans can save and avoid potential lines by purchasing in advance. For more ticket information, fans can visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com or call (231) 591-2888.