PREVIEW: Ferris State Begins First Of Back-To-Back Upper Peninsula Stretch At Michigan Tech

Houghton, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team heads for the first of back-to-back weekends in the upper peninsula to take on the Michigan Tech Huskies on Friday and Saturday (Jan. 24-25) at the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena. For the Bulldogs they'll meet the Huskies in four of their next six games, interrupted only by a trip to Marquette to take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats next weekend.

FERRIS STATE VS. MICHIGAN TECH: ALL-TIME HISTORY 

Ferris State and Michigan Tech will meet for the 35th and 36th meetings in program history, with Michigan Tech maintaining a narrow 18-15-1 all-time record. Coach Daniels all-time is 11-11-0 against the Huskies in 22 prior meetings behind the Bulldog bench. Ferris State fell at home in their last meetings with the Huskies in a pair of one-goal setbacks. The Huskies scored with 7:15 remaining to win Friday's contest. On Saturday (Nov. 10, 2018) Ferris State took a 3-1 lead on Michigan Tech early in the second period, but the Huskies responded with three straight to storm back ahead and pick up the victory in Big Rapids. Ferris State has split each of their four WCHA series at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena since realignment following the 2012-13 season. The last two trips, Ferris State has won the Friday contest before falling Saturday, with the script flipped for the first two. Ferris State is 1-0 all-time in postseason play against the Huskies, with their only meeting coming in a 1-0 victory in the 2016 WCHA Final Five Semi-Final game at Grand Rapids Van Andel Arena. 

MEET THE HUSKIES 

The Michigan Tech Huskies, champions of the 55th Annual Great Lakes Invitational, where they topped the Michigan Wolverines, have just one victory since that championship, a 3-2 road win over the Arizona State Sun Devils on Sunday, Jan. 5. At 1-3-2 in that span, the Huskies offense has been held to two goals or less in their last four outings. Interestingly, the Huskies, who are just outside of the USCHO's national rankings, have struggled mightily to find positive results at home at just a 3-6-2 mark in one of college hockey's all-time great environments, the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. Away from their rink, they are 10-5-1 (two neutral site wins at the Great Lakes Invitational at Little Caesars Arena). The Huskies have been very strong defensively, and across the board strong in goal. Matt Jurusik has played 23 games (1,296 minutes) with a .919 save percentage. Freshman Blake Pietila (a different Blake Pietila than the 2015 graduate that picked up 106 points in 153 games), has a .909 save percentate in five games, with Robbie Beydoun the third man in games played (four games) and a .915 save percentage. Nine Huskies have double-digit points, lead by the 19 of Alec Broetzman who leads the way with 12 goals (four more than his freshman campaign) as a second year forward. Trenton Bliss and Brian Halonen each have nine goals as well, while Tommy Parrottino has six goals. Sophomore defenseman Eric Gotz leads all Husky blue-liners with 15 points, including 11 assists. Michigan Tech sits in the middle of the pack nationally on specialty teams, with a 33rd ranked power play and 34th ranked penalty kill. Michigan Tech does their most offenisve damage (+8) in third periods, followed by the first periods (+6). Michigan Tech is most vulnerable in second periods, where they've given up 29 goals this season (-8), where they have a -38 shots margin. 

WILLETS 3RD IN WCHA DEFENSEMEN SCORING

In the WCHA, Willets is third behind Bowling Green's Alec Rauhauser (26) and Northern Michigan's Philip Beaulieu (19) who are both in strong consideration for WCHA Defenseman of the Year Honors. Willets is second amongst WCHA defensemen for power play points (11) behind Rauhauser. Willets is currently leading the Bulldogs in point scoring, and could become the second ever freshman defenseman to lead the Bulldogs in point scoring, which happened last season when Cooper Zech did it. Willets is now being chased by fellow freshman defenseman Blake Evennou who now has 13 points and sits in third on the team in point-scoring. 

EVENNOU MARKS PLAYMAKER 

Ferris State freshman defenseman Blake Evennou picked up his first career collegiate playmaker, registering three assists against the Alaska Nanooks last Saturday (Jan. 18). The last Bulldogs to register a playmaker were Coale Norris and Corey Mackin who both did it on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019 in a win over Alabama Huntsville near the end of last season. Evennou's playmaker is the first of the 2019-20 season for Ferris State, as he's pulled into second on the team in assists behind fellow freshman defenseman (Jake Willets) now with 12. Evennou has 13 points, good now for third most on the team behind Willets (18), senior defenseman Nate Kallen (14), and junior forward Marshall Moise (14). 

FERRIS HOCKEY ALL-DECADE TEAM ANNOUNCED 

The 2010-2020 All-Decade Team for Ferris State Hockey has been announced. The forward lines are as follows: 1st Line - Garrett Thompson (2014), Kyle Bonis (2013), and Gerald Mayhew (2017). 2nd Line - Corey Mackin (2019), Cory Kane (2014), and Chad McDonald (2017). 3rd Line - Jordie Johnston (2012), Kyle Schempp (2016), and Travis Ouellette (2013). 4th Line - Justin Buzzeo (2015), Jared VanWormer (2017), and Kenny Babinski (2016). The defensive pairings are as follows: 1st Pairing - Chad Billins (2012) and Zach Redmond (2011). 2nd Pairing - Scott Czarnowczan (2014) and Simon Denis (2016). 3rd Pairing - Ryan Lowney (2017) and Nate Kallen (Active). CJ Motte (2015) was named the starting netminder, backed up by Taylor Nelson (2012). For more coverage of the 2010-2020 All-Decade Team, visit FerrisStateBulldogs. com where a full release with biographical information is included. The All-Decade team was announced on Monday, Dec. 30 at the Great Lakes Invitational. Ferris State Hockey experienced their most successful decade, making three NCAA Tournament appearances, winning three conference championships, and making one trip to the National Championship Game. For more information ont he All- Decade Page here: https://www.ferrisstatebulldogs.com/sports/mice/2019-20/ releases/20191220r5nlxj