Bulldogs Outshoot Wildcats In Front Of Large Crowd But Fall In WCHA Opener

Postgame Highlights 
Postgame Press Conference 

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team erased a pair of one-goal deficits but fell to the Northern Michigan Wildcats 4-3 in their Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) opener on Friday (Oct. 25) at Ewigleben Ice Arena.

Bulldog captain and senior defenseman Nate Kallen scored twice for Ferris State, while junior forward Marshall Moise tallied a pair of assists.

Ferris State got on the board first at 5:08 of the second period when Kallen charged in from the top of the right circle and laced a shot for the top right corner for a 1-0 lead. Moise (2) and freshman defenseman Jake Willets (2) earned assists on Kallen's first goal of the year.

The Wildcats responded with a pair of goals, first at 9:03 of the second when Andre Ghantous scored to even the game at 1-1. Ty Readman added a tally at 11:44 of the middle frame for a 2-1 NMU lead.

The Bulldogs evened it up at 13:09 when Kallen scored his second of the game on a two-on-one rush with Moise. Moise left a pass back for Kallen, who drilled the top left corner on the rush to even the game at 2-2. Moise picked up his third assist of the year on Kallen's second goal of the night and season. Junior forward Liam MacDougall earned his second assist of the year on the goal as well.

The Wildcats reclaimed the lead at 2:26 of the third when Garrett Klee finished off a tap in on the rush for a 3-2 NMU lead.

Ferris State responded at 3:46 when freshman defenseman Blake Evennou pounded a shot to the goal mouth that FSU senior forward Lucas Finner tipped in for his team-leading fourth goal of the year to even the score at three goals apiece. Evennou earned his first point of his collegiate career on the goal, while sophomore forward Hunter Wendt picked up an assist on the play for his second of the season.

Northern Michigan tallied the game-winning goal on a power play at 13:15 of the this period when Joseph Nardi scored from Griffin Loughran and Darien Craighead for the 4-3 final.

Ferris State finished with a 35-26 shots on goal advantage and went 1-5 on the power play. The Wildcats finished 2-5 with the man advantage.

For Northern Michigan, freshman goaltender John Hawthorne picked up his second win and made 32 saves for the Wildcats. Ferris State sophomore goaltender Roni Salmenkangas made 22 saves and took the loss.

Ferris State is back in action on Saturday (Oct. 26) at 6:07 p.m. (ET) at Ewigleben Ice Arena looking for the series split against the Northern Michigan Wildcats. Tickets are on sale now, call (231) 591-2888 or visit FerrisStateBulldogs.com for additional information.