Late Charge Comes Up Short As Bulldogs Fall In Weekend Opener

Postgame Highlights
Postgame Press Conference

Big Rapids, Mich. - Despite a late charge, the Ferris State men's ice hockey team fell 5-4 at home to the Michigan Tech Huskies at Ewigleben Ice Arena on Friday (Nov. 9) in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) play.

Ferris State junior forward Jason Tackett tallied a goal and two assists while sophomore forward Marshall Moise scored twice for the Bulldogs as well.

The Michigan Tech Huskies opened the scoring with a pair of quick strikes, first at 1:13 when Trenton Bliss scored on a two-on-one break for a 1-0 lead, then at 4:05 when Raymond Brice scored from a sharp angle as an MTU power play expired for a 2-0 Huskies lead.

The Bulldogs charged back, opening the scoring with a redirect to the top corner by Moise for his second goal of the year from senior forward Corey Mackin (7) and Tackett (2) to cut the MTU lead to 2-1 at 7:12 of the first.

At 11:31 of the first, it was Moise on the power play for his third goal of the year and second of the night to knot the game at 2-2 when junior defenseman Cam Clarke laced a pace from the top of the right circle to the bottom of the left circle where Moise tapped it home. Clarke picked up his first assist of the game while Tackett picked up his second, and third of the season.

The Huskies would take a 3-2 lead into the locker room when Tommy Parrottino scored on a redirect out of the air at 14:15 on the power play.

In the second, Michigan Tech made it 4-2 at 9:00 of the middle frame when Brian Halonen fired a wrist shot for the top right corner.

It took only 4:04 for Ferris State to respond when Tackett centered a pass for Mackin in front of the Huskies goal on the power play. MTU's Parrottino deflected Tackett's pass into his own goal, giving Tackett his fourth goal of the season. Junior defensemen Joe Rutkowski (2) and Clarke (2) picked up assists on Tackett's goal.

Ferris State would go on to tie the game in the third when senior defenseman Zac Tierney kept a puck in at the blue line and laced a knuckling puck on goal. Redshirt junior forward Jasen Fernsler redirected the bouncer past Michigan Tech goaltender Matt Jurusik to tie the game at 4-4 for Fernsler's third goal of the season. Tierney (1) and redshirt junior Craig Pefley (3) earned assists on Fernsler's goal at 10:03 of the third.

The Huskies came back and netted the winner at 12:45 when Justin Misiak got behind the Ferris State defense and fired a low show past Ferris State freshman netminder Roni Salmenkangas for the 5-4 MTU lead.

Salmenkangas made 26 stops and earned his second loss, but his first loss in a game he started for Ferris State, while Jurusik made 23 stops in the win.

Ferris State finished 2/4 on the man advantage while holding Michigan Tech 1/4.

The Bulldogs and Huskies face off in the series finale on Saturday, (Nov. 10) at 7:07 pm at Ewigleben Ice Arena. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at StarTickets.com or call (231) 591-2888 for additional information.