Bulldogs Drop Tightly-Contested WCHA Road Contest At #3 Minnesota State

Mankato, MN. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team fell 5-2 to the nationally third-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks on Saturday (Nov. 17) at the Verizon Wireless Center in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) play.

Ferris State limited Maverick chances until the second period when Minnesota State's Jared Spooner scored at 3:36 and 6:58 to put the Mavericks up 2-0. Then, 50 seconds after Spooner's second, the Bulldogs responded.

FSU senior forward Corey Mackin fired in a one-timer on the rush for his first goal of the season at 7:48 of the middle frame to cut the Maverick lead in half, from freshman forward Jake Transit (4).

In the third, Minnesota State's Max Coatta extended the MSU lead to 3-1 until Ferris State sophomore forward Frankie Melton roofed his third goal of the season to pull the Bulldogs back within one with the assist credited to junior defenseman Cameron Clarke (4).

The game's first penalty yielded the insurance marker for the Mavericks when they scored on the power play at 7:57 of the third period.

Despite a pair of late power play chances, the Bulldogs were unable to find a third goal and the Mavericks finished with an empty netter with six seconds to play off the stick of Nick Rivera.

The Mavericks led the shots battle 27-26 in a tightly-contested game. The Bulldogs finished 0-2 on the power play while the Mavericks went 1-1 on the man advantage.

In goal, Ferris State freshman Roni Salmenkangas made 22 stops, but took the loss. Minnesota State's Mathias Israelsson picked up the win on 24 saves.

Ferris State has an off-weekend before heading to Fairbanks, Alaska, to take on the Alaska Nanooks on Nov. 30-Dec. 1 in WCHA play with puck drops set for 11:07 p.m. EST.