Ferris State's Mitch Maloney And Coale Norris Garner WCHA Weekly Player Of Week Honors

Big Rapids, Mich. - A pair of Ferris State University men's ice hockey skaters have claimed Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Player of the Week accolades after a weekend sweep for the Bulldogs on the final two days of regular-season action.

Bulldog senior Mitch Maloney was picked as this week's WCHA Offensive Player of the Week with freshman Coale Norris tabbed as the WCHA Rookie of the Week.

Maloney had a WCHA-best tying four points on the weekend as the Bulldogs earned their 21st consecutive postseason playoff appearance with a home sweep over Lake Superior State at the Ewigleben Ice Arena. Maloney tallied two goals and two assists on the weekend with six shots on goal and a +4 on-ice rating.

Both of Maloney's assists came on FSU's first two goals on Friday night in a 4-1 triumph, including the first assist on Corey Mackin's game-winner. He came back on Saturday night in his final home appearance to notch two goals in the third period, including the game-winner, to seal FSU's Senior Night win. Both came on empty nets at 17:43 and 18:50 of the contest, including one unassisted, as the Lakers pulled the goaltender early to try and get the equalizer as they trailed 2-1 prior to the first marker.

Meanwhile, Norris had another big weekend in the sweep. The talented freshman led all WCHA rookies on the weekend with three points as he totaled three goals along with six shots and a +3 on-ice rating in the series.

Norris had FSU's final goal in Friday's victory on an empty net as the Bulldogs officially clinched a playoff berth. He then came back on Saturday and produced FSU's first two goals in the win. His first goal represented the only score of the middle period and tied the game up at a goal apiece with his second being the key goal of the game at 7:37 of the third, giving FSU a 2-1 lead and forcing LSSU to pull the goaltender.

With the sweep this past weekend, Ferris State earned the #6 for the WCHA Playoffs and will visit third-seeded Bowling Green for a best-of-three first-round series this weekend at the Slater Family Ice Arena in Bowling Green, Ohio. Friday's opening game is set for an 8:07 p.m. (ET) start with Saturday and Sunday's games, if needed, to begin at 7:07 p.m. (ET).