Season Ends As Bulldogs Roar Back To Force Double Overtime Before Falling At Michigan Tech

Postgame Highlights 

Houghton, Mich. - A two-goal third period run gave the Ferris State University men's ice hockey team new life as they forced overtime for the second-straight night, but ultimately the Bulldogs fell 3-2 in double overtime to the nationally 15th-ranked Michigan Tech Huskies in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Quarterfinals.

It was the fourth consecutive meeting in which the Bulldogs went to overtime with the Huskies. Ferris State freshman goaltender Noah Giesbrecht made 53 saves in the five-period-long marathon effort.

Michigan Tech got in front early, scoring shorthanded at 9:53 of the first period on a two-on-one for a 1-0 MTU lead.

The Bulldogs held the Huskies off until the third period when junior defenseman Blake Evennou hauled down Michigan Tech forward Jake Crespi on a breakaway to prevent a goal. On the play, Crespi was awarded a penalty shot. Crespi netted it for a 2-0 lead at 5:28 of the third period.

The goal woke the Bulldog offensive unit up. The Bulldogs replied a little over a minute later at 6:52 of the third period when sophomore defenseman Brenden MacLaren took a pass in the high slot, faked a slap shot, danced to the right and ripped a shot top left corner for his first goal of the year. The goal cut the Huskies lead to 2-1 and senior forward Justin Michaelian notched his 15th assist of the year.

Ferris State stayed on task, scoring at 14:17 to knot the game at 2-2. Evennou floated into the right wing corner and fired a shot from below the goal line that hit a Husky in front and banked in for his fourth goal of the year. Junior forward Dallas Tulik (12) and sophomore forward Mitch Deelstra (8) picked up the assists on the play.

The game went into overtime, and while Michigan Tech had a big shots on goal advantage after one overtime, 10 of their 20 first overtime shots came on two different flurries. The first overtime was played evenly.

In the second overtime, Ferris State was pinned back until Parker Saretsky ended the game with his second goal of the year at 6:34 of the fifth period on a centering pass from behind the goal for the 3-2 final.

Ferris State held one of the nation's best power plays 0-5 including two kills in overtime. The Bulldogs went 0-4 on the man advantage on the night. The Huskies were credited with a 56-34 edge in shots on goal. The Bulldogs won the face-off battle narrowly at 42-40. The Bulldogs also blocked a staggering 27 shots on the night.

The Bulldogs wrapped their season on a double-digit wins improvement from the previous season and FSU stands to return a large percentage of its roster with two fifth-year seniors and four fourth-year seniors.