Ninth-Ranked Minnesota State Holds Off Bulldogs In Weekend WCHA Opener

Mankato, Minn. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team fell to the nationally ninth-ranked Minnesota State Mavericks by a final score of 4-2 at the Verizon Wireless Center on Friday (Oct. 28) as the two teams opened a WCHA weekend series.

Redshirt freshman Craig Pefley had a goal and an assist for Ferris State as he reached 10 points on the season in only eight games. Senior forward Gerald Mayhew returned to the lineup and added two assists in the contest as well.

Pefley got the Bulldogs on the board only 21 seconds into the game when Mayhew separated his defender from the puck behind the Minnesota State net. Pefley whipped the puck in front off of a Maverick defender and into the net for an early 1-0 lead.

The Mavericks next scored four-straight times following Pefley's goal to take a 4-1 lead.

MSU junior forward Brad McClure scored the first of his two goals in the game at 5:07 of the first period from Alec Vanko and Sean Flanagan.

Jordan Nelson added his second goal of the year from Zeb Knutson and Clint Lewis at 18:22 of the second period.

MSU's Ian Scheid scored on the power play from C.J. Franklin and Marc Michaelis at 10:18 of the second period to give the Mavericks a 3-1 lead.

McClure capped the Minnesota State scoring at 13:04 of the second period from Michael Bigelbach on a shot on the rush to end Ferris State sophomore goaltender Darren Smith's night.

Smith was replaced by freshman goaltender Justin Kapelmaster, who made six saves in 25 minutes of action.

Ferris State capped the scoring for the game on the power play when Pefley centered a backhanded pass to junior forward Mitch Maloney, who batted in his third goal of the year. Mayhew earned his second assist of the game and third of the season on Maloney's goal.

Ferris State finished 1-of-7 on the power play with eight shots while the Mavericks went 1-of-8 with 10 shots. The Bulldogs outshot the Mavericks in the contest 26-25.

Cole Huggins made 24 saves in a victory for Minnesota State while Smith took the loss for Ferris State making 15 stops.

The Bulldogs look to even the season series with the Mavericks on Saturday (Oct. 29)  night at 8:07 p.m. (ET) in the weekend finale at the Verizon Wireless Center.