Late Goal Gives Ferris State Hockey Series-Opening Tie & Point In WCHA Standings

Game Highlights
Postgame Press Conference 

Big Rapids, Mich. - A late goal by senior forward Kenny Babinski enabled the Ferris State University men's ice hockey squad to pull out a 3-3 tie against the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Friday (Jan. 15) night as the two Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) foes opened a weekend series' inside FSU's Ewigleben Ice Arena.              

Ferris State jumped out in front early in a game which saw the Bulldogs post a decisive 49-21 edge in total shots as FSU picked up a point in the conference standings.            

Bulldog freshman forward Corey Mackin notched his team-leading eighth goal of the season at 2:26 of the first period to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 edge.

FSU sophomore forward Andrew Dorantes put a shot on net that hit Charger goaltender Matt LaRose and popped straight up in the air on the initial goal of the game. Mackin followed the puck, and batted it out of the air, waist-high to find the twine. The assist was Dorantes' seventh of the year, with brother Tyler Dorantes tallying his second assist of the season.

Mackin's goal was the only marker in the first period as Ferris State outshot Alabama-Huntsville 16-4 in the opening frame.

The Chargers, though, had the only goal of the second, as they came back to tie it at a goal apiece at 12:13 when Max McHugh scored his sixth of the year from Brennan Saulnier and Chad Brears.

Ferris State opened the third period scoring only 34 seconds in when junior forward Jared VanWormer scored his second goal in as many games, and his third of the season. He found a loose puck in between the circles and fired it past LaRose to push his scoring streak to two games, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.

Junior forwards Kyle Schempp and Gerald Mayhew had an assist apiece, with Schempp grabbing his ninth and Mayhew recording his team-best 14th helper of the year.

The lead was short lived as Matt Salhany scored his first goal of the year shorthanded on the rush off a Brent Fletcher assist to tie the game 2-2 for Alabama-Huntsville at 1:26 of the third.

The Chargers added another goal at 11:39 when Tyler Poulsen scored his second of the year off a feed from Fletcher with Salhany recording the second assist. On the shift, Babinski blocked two shots and was unable to come off the ice before Poulsen dangled past Ferris State freshman goaltender Darren Smith to put the Chargers up 3-2.

However, in the waning moments of regulation, Babinski powered his way to the net and scored his sixth goal of the year to tie the contest back up at 18:57 of the third with the Ferris State net empty. The goal was assisted by senior defensemen Simon Denis (6) and Sean O'Rourke (5).

Junior defenseman Ryan Lowney took a penalty in overtime, but the Bulldogs killed off their sixth penalty of the night to earn the tie. Ferris State was 6-of-6 on the penalty kill.            

On the other end, Ferris State finished 0-of-8 on the power play despite producing 15 shots.  

Smith moves to 6-4-4 on the year while LaRose is now 3-4-1 overall.              

Ferris State moved into a tie for fourth place in the WCHA with Bemidji State by virtue of the tie and improved to 9-9-5 on the season as well as 7-7-3 in conference play. The Chargers moved to 5-15-3 overall and 3-11-3 in the WCHA. They sit in 10th place.            

The Bulldogs wrap up the weekend series against Alabama-Huntsville on Saturday (Jan. 16) night with the puck drop set for 7:07 p.m. (ET) inside the Ewigleben Ice Arena.

Tickets for Saturday's weekend finale, which represents FSU's final home game in the month of January, are on sale and can be purchased in person at the FSU Athletics Ticket Office or online at StarTickets.com. For more information, please call (231) 591-2888.