Ferris State Hockey Completes Weekend Home Sweep By Claiming Third-Straight Victory

Postgame Highlights
Postgame Press Conference

Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team ran its winning streak to three consecutive games as the Bulldogs defeated the University of Alaska Nanooks 5-3 for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) weekend sweep at Ewigleben Ice Arena on Saturday (Nov. 11).

Sophomore defenseman Nate Kallen scored twice, including the game-winning goal, as sophomore goaltender Justin Kapelmaster made 31 stops for his third-straight win.

Kallen opened the scoring for FSU at 10:45 of the opening period from senior forward Mitch Maloney (3) and junior forward Corey Mackin (7), who assisted on a goal on the rush. A pass by Maloney in front of the goal found Kallen, who scored on a short-side backhanded shot for his second of the year.

The Bulldogs took their first of four two-goal leads in the game at 5:15 of the second period when sophomore defenseman Joe Rutkowski scored his second of the year on a cross-cage shot that hit the post and bounced in from freshman forward Lucas Finner (5), giving FSU a 2-0 edge.

Alaska's Tayler Munson pulled the Nanooks within a goal at 6:41 of the second frame from Colton Leiter and Ryker Leer to cut the FSU lead to 2-1 overall.

Redshirt sophomore forward Craig Pefley then netted his first goal of the year on the power play to push the FSU lead to 3-1 at 8:23 of the second period from sophomore defenseman Cameron Clarke (2) and Rutkowski (2). Clarke fired a shot along the ice from the top of the right wing circle to the top left side of the crease, where Pefley was waiting wide open to redirect the puck into the goal.

UAF's Kylar Hope scored on a bank shot off of Kapelmaster 22 seconds later from Leiter to pull the Nanooks back within a goal at 3-2.

Kallen scored the eventual game winner at 14:24 of the middle frame on the rush for his second of the game and third of the year. Freshman forward Coale Norris earned his first collegiate assist on the centering pass that Kallen wired through UAF goaltender Anton Martinsson, while rush-starter and redshirt sophomore forward Jasen Fernsler earned his second assist of the year.

The Nanooks pulled it back to 4-3 when Nikolas Koberstein scored from the blue line on a wrist shot at 13:04 of the third period from Hope and Steven Jandric.

Ferris State finished the Nanooks with an empty netter by Maloney, who deflected a shot by senior forward Andrew Dorantes (5) in. The goal was Maloney's seventh of the year, and Maloney has now scored in four consecutive games with the goal. Mackin earned his eighth assist of the year on the goal and second of the night.

The Nanooks outshot the Bulldogs 34-32 for the game, but went 0-6 on the power play. The Bulldogs finished 1-6 on the man advantage.

In goal, Kapelmaster made 13 third-period stops for his third-straight win after dropping his first four decisions, while Martinsson made 27 stops in the loss.

Ferris State heads to East Lansing for the first of a home-and-home series against the Michigan State Spartans on Friday (Nov. 17) at Munn Ice Arena, before returning home for Saturday's contest in Big Rapids, which starts at 7:07 pm EST.

Tickets for next Saturday's game are on sale now and can be purchased online at StarTickets.com or thru the FSU Athletics Ticket Office. Visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional information or call (231) 591-2888.