Furious Bulldog Charge Halted In Final Seconds At NMU

Marquette, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team erupted for four of the game's final five goals to erase a 4-0 deficit, but ultimately fell 5-4 on the road to the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Wednesday (Dec. 16) at the Berry Events Center in non-conference action.

Northern Michigan built a 4-0 lead, opening up the scoring at 5:15 of the first period when AJ Vanderbeck potted his first of the year. Later, at 12:34, Brandon Schultz added a second to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead, followed by Colby Enns on a scramble in front at 15:53 of the stanza. Vanderbeck added another tally for the Wildcats.

Ferris State got on the board when freshman defenseman Drew Cooper hammered in his first collegiate goal at 8:54 of the second period from the top of the faceoff circles. Senior forward Liam MacDougall (2) and sophomore forward Jason Brancheau (2) picked up assists on Cooper's goal.

Then, just 21 seconds later, junior forward Justin Michaelian fired a shot from the same spot that dropped in off the cross bar for his first goal of the year. Senior forwards Lucas Finner (3) and Coale Norris (1) earned helpers to cut the NMU lead to 4-2.

The Wildcats responded at 17:13 of the second on the power play when Joseph Nardi made it 5-2 for NMU. The goal was the first power play marker the Bulldogs had allowed this season in 10 attempts.

In the third, Finner cashed in for his first goal of the year at 2:25 with a five-on-three advantage to cut the Wildcat lead to 5-3, pulling a puck from below the goal line back in front and tucking it past NMU netminder Connor Ryckman. Michaelian (2) and Evennou (2) earned assists on Finner's first goal of the season.

A little while later, at 5:24, Ferris State capitalized on its second power play chance when freshman forward Mitch Deelstra wheeled down the left outside lane and wired a shot for the top left corner to cut NMU's lead down to 5-4. MacDougall (3) earned his second helper of the game on Deelstra's second goal of the year.

Ferris State outshot Northern Michigan 17-8 in the third period, but a late goal post was as close as the Bulldogs would come to tying the contest with the net empty. Ferris State had a 30-28 advantage in shots on goal for the night.

In goal, junior goaltender Roni Salmenkangas made 23 saves on 28 shots faced for FSU. Ryckman picked up the win for NMU on 26 stops for the Wildcats.

The Bulldogs went 2-7 on the man advantage to move to 4-11 on the year and allowed just their first power play goal in 10 chances.

Ferris State returns home where the Bulldogs have two weeks off before a three-game homestand opens with Northern Michigan in town for the non-league series' finale on Dec. 30 at 3:07 pm ET at the Ewigleben Ice Arena.