Ferris State Suffers Opening Game Setback To Michigan At Yost Ice Arena

Ann Arbor, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey fell to the University of Michigan Wolverines 7-2 in non-conference action at Yost Ice Arena on Thursday (Nov. 2) as the two squads opened up a non-league series.

Freshman forward Lucas Finner scored his first collegiate goal to pull the Bulldogs within a goal early in the second period, which held until the final 12 minutes when the Wolverines added a flurry of late tallies.

U of M's Joseph Cecconi opened the scoring on the power play at 2:25 from Sam Piazza and Cooper Marody for a 1-0 Michigan lead in the first period, but the Bulldogs struck back minutes later.

Ferris State senior forward Mitch Maloney tallied his fourth goal of the year on the power play from sophomore forward Taylor Fernandez to knot the score at 1-1 overall.

The Wolverines capped the first period with back-to-back goals, first from Will Lockwood on the power play at 7:27 from Quinn Hughes and Jake Slaker, and next at 17:08 when Cooper Marody scored from Tony Calderone for a 3-1 lead through 20 minutes.

Finner struck at 33 seconds of the second, stripping a Wolverine and streaking to the goal before firing a slapshot by U of M goaltender Jack LaFontaine unassisted to cut the margin back to 3-2 in Michigan's favor.

The Bulldogs outshot the Wolverines 11-9 in the second and went into the locker room after two periods down a single goal.

Michigan came out firing in the third period. Calderone scored at 7:58 of the final frame from Marody and Dexter Dancs, followed by a Slaker goal at 13:57 to push the lead to 5-2.

Then, Alex Roos scored at 15:45 from Nick Pastujov and Nicholas Boka, and Slaker added another from Lockwood at 16:47 for the final 7-2 score.

FSU junior goaltender Darren Smith made 44 stops on the night, while LaFontaine made 28 for the Wolverines. The Bulldogs went 1-of-3 on the man advantage, while the Wolverines finished 2-of-7.

Ferris State and Michigan wrap up the two-game series on Friday (Nov. 3) at Yost Ice Arena at 7:30 p.m. (ET).