Puck Preview - Week 1 - Bulldogs Travel To Oxford to Open Season at Miami

Oxford, Ohio - The 2022-23 Ferris State Hockey season kicks off this coming Saturday when the Bulldogs venture south to Ohio to face off with the Miami Redhawks at the Goggin Ice Center in a weekend Saturday-Sunday set. The Bulldogs will play a 5:05 and 3:05 pm puck drop this coming weekend.

SEASON OUTLOOK (Click to Hear from Head Coach Bob Daniels)

Bulldog Hockey returns to the ice, opening at the Goggin Ice Center on October 1-2, making their first visit since October of 2019 when the Bulldogs split with the Red Hawks. The Bulldogs return over 1900 minutes in goaltending from last season, as well as the CCHA Rookie of the Year and a strong core of returning defensemen and talented forwards to the 2022-23 squad. Five double-digit point scorers and 12 skaters that registered career highs in either points or goals also return this season. On defense, the Bulldogs have seven upper classmen and a pair of newcomers locking down an experienced blue line. Ferris State improved their win total by double digits over the previous season and for long stretches, led the nation in shorthanded goals. Ferris State had one of the nation's most productive freshman classes a year ago, tallying 46 points between them.

THE MATCH UP (Click to Hear from Stepan Pokorny)

In 108 prior meetings, the Bulldogs hold a 47-45-16 edge over Miami dating back to 1979. The Bulldogs have the last laughs in both of the last two series between these two, as Ferris State's Stepan Pokorny netted a three-on-four shorthanded overtime game-winner on October 3 of 2021 to give the Bulldogs their first win of the 2021-22 campaign. Ferris State also secured a 3-1 victory in their last visit to Miami, edging out the Redhawks on October 19, 2019 in strong goaltending performance from Roni Salmenkangas on the road. In the last series against Miami, Dallas Tulik, Bradley Marek, Antonio Venuto and Pokorny each had multi-point weekends against the Redhawks. Only two returning Redhawks had multiple points in the series, which the Bulldogs and Redhawks split.

SCOUTING THE REDHAWKS

The Redhawks are coming off a 7-27-2 record in the midst of a rebuilding stretch under Head Coach Chris Bergeron, but there is some reason for optimism in Oxford this fall. For starters, they return potentially their top talent in the speedy Matthew Barbolini (10-11-21) who led the team in goals last year. Red Wings draft choice Red Savage is also back after a 16-point freshman campaign in Oxford. Two years ago, Ludvig Persson was one of the nation's most impressive goaltenders. His other-worldly .925 save percentage despite seeing over 33 shots per start gave a glimmer of a bright future in between the Redhawk pipes. The defense gave up more than four more shots per start last season with Persson in goal and his numbers regressed below a .900 percentage, but the high-volume goaltender had a few lopsided games deflating his numbers. Persson is still one of the country's top goaltending talents. Signs of Bergeron's team building their identity did start to peek through - their power play clicked at 20.6 percent on the year, a strong sign from a team that was challenged in the NCHC and had nearly two full goals in differential per game to make up. Still, Miami brought in a strong recruiting class, ranked 22nd out of 64 by NeutralZone with nine commits. 

THE HOME OPENER

Ferris State opens their home schedule October 7-8 with match ups against Michigan Tech and Western Michigan, both in non-league action. Both games are expected to draw large crowds with the home opener and fans are strongly encouraged to begin buying at the open of business Monday (Sept. 12) to ensure they lock down their seats for the open of the home schedule.

BULLDOGS TO COMPETE IN 57TH ANNUAL GLI IN GRAND RAPIDS

The Ferris State Bulldogs will join Michigan State, Western Michigan and Michigan Tech in Grand Rapids at Van Andel Arena for the 57th Annual Great Lakes Invitational, and the first ever in Grand Rapids. Tickets are already on sale.

Ticket pricing is based on a per-day basis and tickets will be distributed on a mobile device. On-glass tickets are $75, with lower bowl sections for $50 and $40, and student tickets at $20. Upper-level tickets are $30.

The Bulldogs will face Michigan State on the opening day of the GLI on Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. (ET) inside Van Andel Arena with the third-place and championship games in the event slated for Dec. 28. The host of the event is Michigan Tech with Western Michigan also slated to join the Bulldogs, Spartans and Huskies in the field.

NEW DAWGS

Eight new Bulldogs, seven of them freshmen, join the fold for the 2022-23 season, with four forwards, three defenseman and a goalie now aboard. Canadian forwards Caiden Gault and Connor McGrath were two of Canadian Junior Hockey's top forwards. McGrath racked up 84 points in 56 games for the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) where he was named the top rookie and forward of the entire Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) circuit. Gault scored 46 goals and was named to the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) All-League Team and was tops amongst 2002-born AJHL-ers in goals scored. Up front the Bulldogs rounded out their class with some size in 6-4 forward Tyler Schleppe, who scored 56 points in 50 games in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), and North American Hockey League (NAHL) standout Jacob Badal who had 62 points in 60 games for the Johnstown Tomahawks. On the blue line, the Bulldogs added the highly skilled Travis Shoudy from the United States Hockey League's (USHL) Cedar Rapids Rough Riders where he generated 33 points in 62 games, as well as the physical Andrew Noel out of the BCHL's Nanaimo program. In goal, Joey Henson joins the program after playing out East with the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL) where he was one of the top performers.

HITTIN' THE PORTAL

Ferris State brought in one transfer to join the 2022-23 Bulldogs, with just his graduate year of eligibility remaining in defenseman Matt Slick. After 121 games and two letter-wearing years with the Holy Cross Crusaders in Atlantic Hockey, the Buffalo, New York native will wear #5 this coming season for the Dawgs. At 6-2 and 216, Slick adds size to an already big Bulldog blue line. He had 28 points on 9 goals with 19 assists for Holy Cross in his career.

THE BENCH BOSS

Head Coach Bob Daniels begins his 31st season behind the Bulldog Bench in 2022-23. After a double-digit win improvement from the previous season, Coach Daniels passed college hockey legends Joe Marsh (St. Lawrence) and Murray Armstrong (Denver) last season and is 17th all-time in NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey in wins as a head coach with 473, all with Ferris State. 

DAWGS IN THE PROS

More than 30 former Bulldogs continue to excel in professional hockey as the calendar inches closer to the 2022-23 professional seasons. From the National Hockey League to the Bulgarian league, the Bulldogs are scattered across the world map in professional hockey. In the National Hockey League (NHL) Gerry Mayhew continues to thrive, signing his third NHL Contract as he joined the Florida Panthers this summer. He had career bests in goals and points in split time between Philadelphia and Anaheim this past season. Perhaps the biggest  move is Derek Lalonde, former Bulldog assistant, joining the Detroit Red Wings as head coach this past summer after winning two Stanley Cups in Tampa Bay under Jon Cooper. Speaking of Jon Cooper, he's brought aboard former Red Wing bench boss Jeff Blashill, who joins the Lightning as an assistant coach this coming season. Phil Osaer (Goaltending Department Head) remains with the Red Wings, while Brian garlock continues on with Tampa Bay as the Video Coordinator. Chris Kunitz at last check will continue with the Chicago Blackhawks in player development. In the AHL, CJ Motte has returned state-side as he's rejoined the Iowa Wild, where he spent early stretches of his professional career. Seth Appert is in his third year as the man behind the bench of the Rochester Americans (Buffalo affiliate).