Kapelmaster Lifts Ferris State Hockey To Weekend-Opening Win At Michigan Tech

Houghton, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team netted a late power play goal to push its winning streak to three games with a 4-3 win over the Michigan Tech Huskies on Friday (Dec. 8) at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

Sophomore goaltender Justin Kapelmaster stole the show, making 45 stops in the victory, while senior forward Andrew Dorantes scored twice, including the game-winning tally for Ferris State.

The Huskies had a strong start, outshooting Ferris State 21-7 in the opening frame, and finally scored at 18:19 of the first period when Jake Jackson found a rebound and banked it home from Brent Baltus and Alex Smith.

Ferris State returned fire with three straight second-period goals to take a 3-1 lead.

Dorantes scored his first of the game and second of the year off of a shot from the high slot at 5:12 of the middle frame after junior forward Trevor Recktenwald had his blocked. Recktenwald earned his second assist of the year on the goal.

After a long MTU possession, freshman forward Coale Norris rushed down the left wing side and beat Huskies' goaltender Packy Munson for his fourth goal of the year, giving FSU a 2-1 Bulldog lead at 9:15 of the second period.

Sophomore forward Taylor Fernandez and senior defenseman Tyler Dorantes each tallied their fifth assist of the season on the Norris goal.

Ferris State redshirt sophomore Craig Pefley capitalized on a miscue by Munson topush the edge to 3-1 in FSU's favor at 14:31. Munson had come out to play the puck in the corner on the right wing wall, when Fernandez stripped the puck from him and fired a centering pass that hit Pefley, who backhanded it into the open cage.

The goal was Pefley's fourth of the year and third in two games, while Fernandez notched his second assist of the night and sixth of the year on the goal. Munson was pulled in favor of freshman Robbie Beydoun after allowing three goals on 18 shots.

The Huskies rallied to tie the game in the third off of goals by Justin Misiak at 23 seconds of the third period, and a one-timer by Brent Baltus at 9:21 to even the score.

Michigan Tech's Joel L'Esperance took a late slashing penalty, and it was Drew Dorantes who took advantage of it at 14:52 on the power play. Dorantes was left open on the left side of the cage, and a pass from senior forward Mitch Maloney found Dorantes, who fired in his second of the game, third of the year, and game-winning goal to account for the 4-3 score.

Maloney earned his fourth assist of the year on the goal, while junior defenseman Ryker Killins earned his eighth.

In goal, Kapelmaster was brilliant for the Bulldogs, stopping a late breakaway from Michigan Tech leading goal scorer Jake Lucchini with under 30 seconds to play to seal the win.

Kapelmaster is now 5-0-0 in his last five conference starts for Ferris State.

Ferris State was outshot 48-25 for the game, but went 1-of-4 on the power play, while holding Michigan Tech 0-of-4.

Ferris State and Michigan Tech wrap up the weekend Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) series on Saturday at 7:07 p.m. (ET) at Houghton's John MacInnes Student Ice Arena.