Posted: Dec 04, 2016
Quick Start Boosts Bulldogs To Victory As FSU Wraps Up Weekend Road Series
Ferris State
(6-10-1, 5-6-1 WCHA)
3
Alabama-Huntsville
(5-11-2, 5-7-2 WCHA)
1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ferris State (6-10-1, 5-6-1 WCHA) | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
|
Alabama-Huntsville (5-11-2, 5-7-2 WCHA) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Huntsville, Ala. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team wrapped up its weekend Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) series with a 3-1 victory over the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Sunday (Dec. 4) as the two squads split a weekend road series in Huntsville.
Bulldog freshman forward Taylor Fernandez scored his first career game-winning goal and sophomore goaltender Darren Smith made 16 stops to earn his first victory of the season.
Ferris State led wire-to-wire as the Bulldogs opened the scoring at 34 seconds of the first period. Senior forward Jared VanWormer netted his fourth goal of the season when fellow senior forward Gerald Mayhew passed a puck from behind the net out front, banking it in off of VanWormer. Sophomore forward Corey Mackin also earned an assist on the goal.
Fernandez added what would stand as the game-winner at 10:14 of the first in four-on-four play. Sophomore forward Joe Rutkowski shoveled a pass out of the corner to hit Fernandez, who danced past a defenseman and rifled his third goal of the year past Charger goaltender Jordan Uhelski.
The Chargers cut the lead to one on the power play at 10:19 of the second when Brandon Parker took a shot from just inside the blue line that beat Smith high. Cam Knight and Max McHugh had assists on the goal.
Ferris State responded on the power play and retook a two-goal lead at 1:43 of the third period. Junior forward Mitch Maloney swatted a shot past Uhelski after a feed from junior forward Andrew Dorantes. Ruktowski earned his second assist of the night on Maloney's seventh goal of the season.
Uhelski took the loss, making 30 stops on 33 shots for UAH while Smith never had to make more than 10 saves in a period as the Bulldog defense blocked several shots.
The Bulldogs finished 1-of-8 on the power play with the Chargers going 1-of-7.
Ferris State will next face off with WCHA rival and nationally 15th-ranked Minnesota State on Friday and Saturday (Dec. 9-10) at the Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids. Puck drop for both games is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. (ET).
Tickets for next weekend's home series are on sale now and can be purchased thru the FSU Athletics Ticket Office. Call (231) 591-2888 for details or visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com.