Ferris State Suffers Setback In Series' Finale Before Second-Straight Sellout Crowd

Ferris State Suffers Setback In Series' Finale Before Second-Straight Sellout Crowd

Video Highlights 
Postgame Press Conference   

Big Rapids, Mich. – Despite taking a two-goal second period lead, the Ferris State University men's hockey team was unable to earn its first home sweep of the season as the Northern Michigan Wildcats scored three unanswered goals to top the Bulldogs 3-2 on Saturday (Feb. 13) in front of a sold out crowd of 2,530 fans inside FSU's Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids.

The loss snapped an eight-game unbeaten stretch for the Bulldogs dating back to early January, including three-straight wins. 

For the second consecutive night, the two teams entered the second period locked in a scoreless battle. FSU had posted a 5-1 series-opening win on Friday night before a sellout crowd of 2,490 fans while clinching a WCHA Playoff berth.

In Saturday's finale, again for the second-straight night, the Bulldogs got on the board first when junior forward Gerald Mayhew went coast-to-coast and ripped a shot past Northern Michigan goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom at 8:09 of the second stanza. Senior defenseman Brandon Anselmini marked his 12th assist of the season on the play while junior forward Kyle Schempp notched his 13th helper of the year.

Ferris State struck again when junior forward Chad McDonald scored on the power play at 14:18 of the second period to make it 2-0 in favor of the Bulldogs. Freshman forward Corey Mackin tallied his 13the assist of the season and fourth in the last two games while Mayhew grabbed his 17th of the year.

Mackin was behind the Northern Michigan net and tried to center one for Schempp, but the puck missed him and found McDonald sneaking in from the blue line. McDonald fired one through a screen to give the Bulldogs the two-goal lead.

The two-goal lead lasted only 70 seconds, as NMU's Gerard Hanson found a puck in the slot and beat Ferris State freshman goaltender Darren Smith for his third goal of the year. Dominik Shine and Darren Nowick assisted on the goal.

Northern Michigan evened the scored with 34 seconds remaining in the second period when Denver Pierce scored his fifth marker of the year after a shot was blocked. Pierce picked up the loose puck and beat Smith to the glove side to make it 2-2 headed into the third.

Nowick notched his 11th goal of the season and second point of the evening at 15:26 of the final period. The goal stood as the eventual game-winning goal and Shine added his second assist of the game on the play while Zach Urban had his first of the year.

Ferris State had chances at the end when McDonald slid one through the crease as time expired.

The Bulldogs outshot the Wildcats 38-20 for the evening and finished 1-of-6 on the man advantage. Northern Michigan was held to 0-of-3 of the power play.

With the loss, Ferris State falls to 14-10-6 overall and 12-8-4 in the WCHA. Northern Michigan improved to 13-11-6 overall and 10-8-4 in the WCHA.

Ferris State returns to action on Friday (Feb. 19) when the Bulldogs travel to historic Yost Ice Arena to take on the nationally sixth-ranked University of Michigan Wolverines in Ann Arbor. Puck drop is set for 7:35 pm  (ET).