PREVIEW: Ferris State Ventures To Final Frontier To Duel Nanooks In Fairbanks
| Ferris State @ Alaska | |
| Friday & Saturday- 11:07 pm ET - Carlson Center | |
| Television: | FloHockey.TV |
| Stats: | Click Here |
| Tickets: | Click Here |
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| Ferris State vs. Alaska (PDF) | |
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Fairbanks, Ak. - The Ferris State University men's ice will open their 12-day Alaskan excursion with a weekened twin-billing with the Alaska Nanooks on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22-23 at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) play. Both puck drops are scheduled for 11:07 pm ET in Fairbanks. All live streaming is through FloHockey.TV for this weekend's series with the Nanooks.
FERRIS STATE HOCKEY ALL-DECADE TEAM VOTING UNDERWAY
The 2010-2020 Decade saw Ferris State win three conference titles (2012 - CCHA, 2014 - WCHA Regular Season, 2016 - WCHA Playoffs) and make three separate NCAA Tournament Runs (2012, 2014, 2016) a National Championship Game Appearance, and two Elite Eight Appearances. Now, fans and alums alike are put to the test to vote on the 2010-2020 Ferris State Hockey All-Decade Team. Ballots have poured in, and fans can vote at the link below as many times as they want. Voting closes December 10 at 11:59 pm. At the end of the voting, the player with the most first place votes will be named Player of the Decade, announced Friday, December 13 at 7:00 pm ET, both on social media and during the broadcast of Ferris State Hockey. The Top Line (three forwards, two defensemen and the starting goalie) will be announced at 7:00 pm ET on Sunday, December 29, followed by the full All-Decade Team on Monday, December 30 at 12 pm ET.
RUTKOWSKI TAKES OVER LEAGUE/NATIONAL LEAD IN SHOT BLOCKS
On the strength of a stingy nine-block weekend, senior defenseman Joe Rutkowski now leads the nation in shots blocked with 30. Rutkowski averages 2.73 blocked shots per game, now two ahead of Western Michigan's Luke Bafia. The Bulldogs have played in 11 games, where the national leader is already at 14. Rutkowski, the pre-medical major, is currently on pace to block a shade over 95 shots on goal this season over a 35 game schedule. Bafia led the nation with 98 last season, while Rutkowski had 55. Rutkowski also had 70 as a sophomore. Travis White was the last Bulldog to have a top-ten national ranking in individual shot blocks with 88 in 2014-15 (6th most).
FERRIS STATE SNAPS STREAK, TAKES DOWN BEMIDJI STATE
The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team picked up a 2-1 win in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) play over the Bemidji State Beavers on Friday (Nov. 15) on Veterans Appreciation night at the Ewigleben Ice Arena. Ferris State junior forward Coale Norris scored twice to boost the Bulldogs as senior goaltender Austin Shaw made 26 stops in the win. The Bulldogs opened the scoring at 17:54 of the first frame when Norris made a hip-high deflection for his third goal of the year on a shot from senior defensemen Joe Rutkowski (6) and Nate Kallen (4), giving the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. The two teams played into the third deadlocked at 1-1 until Norris broke the tie for his second goal of the game and fourth of the year at 14:10, turning a shot through the legs at BSU goaltender Zach Driscoll for the 2-1 Ferris State lead. Kallen (5) and Rutkowski (7) picked up their second assists of the game on Norris' second goal.
FERRIS STATE VS. ALASKA: ALL-TIME HISTORY
Ferris State and Alaska will duel for the 84th and 85th meetings all time, with the Nanooks holding a narrow 39-36-8 edge over the Bulldogs in 83 prior meetings. Last season, Ferris State battled from behind to force overtime on Friday, Nov. 30 in Fairbanks before falling 4-3. The Nanooks went on to sweep the weekend series. Both teams picked up home sweeps of their opponent in 2017-18, with Ferris State winning both contests at Ewigleben Ice Arena (Nov. 10-11) and the Nanooks taking both contests at the Carlson Center in early February. Ferris State is in search of their first win in Fairbanks since sweeping the Nanooks at the Carlson Center on February 5-6, 2016. Ferris State has lost four straight games at the Carlson Center.
RUTKOWSKI PICKS UP WCHA DEFENSEMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS
Ferris State University senior defenseman Joe Rutkowski (Crystal Lake, Ill.) has been chosen as this week's Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Defensive Player of the Week. Rutkowski had a pair of assists in the Bulldogs' home split with Bemidji State on the weekend. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native finished with a league-high nine total blocks, including a WCHA single-game season-high of seven on Friday, at the Ewigleben Ice Arena. Rutkowski finished the weekend with two assists, three shots on goal and an even plus-minus rating. This is Rutkowski's first career WCHA weekly honor. The Bulldogs head for a 12-day excursion to Alaska where they'll play both Alaska schools back-to-back, leading off with the University of Alaska Nanooks in Fairbanks at the Carlson Center. Puck drop is set for 11:07 pm ET on Friday (Nov. 22) in Fairbanks.
WILLETS PICKS UP WCHA ROOKIE OF THE WEEK HONORS
Ferris State University freshman defenseman Jacob Willets (Erie, Mich.) has garnered recognition as this week's Wester Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) Rookie of the Week. Willets tallied his first collegiate goal to account for the Bulldogs' scoring in Saturday night's series finale with Bemidji State as FSU split a pair of league home contests with the Beavers. For the weekend, Willets finished the weekend with three shots and a +1 rating on the ice. This is Willets' first career WCHA weekly award. The Bulldogs head for a 12-day excursion to Alaska where they'll play both Alaska schools back-to-back, leading off with the University of Alaska Nanooks in Fairbanks at the Carlson Center. Puck drop is set for 11:07 pm ET on Friday (Nov. 22) in Fairbanks.