Bulldogs Win OT Thriller Over St. Thomas To Open CCHA Play

Postgame Highlights 
Postgame - Coach Daniels 
Postgame - Connor McGrath 
Postgame - Ben Schultheis 

Big Rapids, Mich. - Freshman forward Connor McGrath's overtime goal gave the Ferris State University men's ice hockey team a 3-2 overtime victory in their Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) opener on Friday (Oct. 28) inside Ewigleben Ice Arena.

In the effort, Ferris State junior goaltender Logan Stein had 35 stops in a strong effort for the win, while six different Bulldogs registered points.

The Tommies jumped in front late in the first period when Luke Manning laced a shot through traffic on the power play for a 1-0 UST lead.

Early in the second period, in the midst of a major penalty kill, Ferris State tied the game when junior defenseman Ben Schultheis' zone clear found senior forward Cade Kowalski.

Kowalski fired a bullet across the face of UST netminder Aaron Trotter from the bottom of the left face off circle that went top right corner and in to tie the game at 1-1. The goal was Kowalski's first of the year and came shorthanded, while Schultheis picked up the helper on the play.

After a penalty filled second period, the Bulldog penalty kill held long enough to earn Ferris State a power play of their own. At 19:20.5 of the middle frame, FSU junior forward Jason Brancheau shifted to the middle of the zone and ripped in his third goal of the year. Junior defenseman Luke Farthing (2) and junior forward Stepan Pokorny (3) earned the assists on Brancheau's goal for a 2-1 Bulldog lead.

St. Thomas answered on the rush when Josh Eernissee scored on a rebound from Lucas Wahlin to tie the game at 2-2.

Ferris State killed off a late regulation penalty with a pair of diving blocked shots by Schultheis and sophomore forward Brad Marek to force overtime.

In the extra session, McGrath slapped the puck off the stick of UST's Luke Manning, and skated up the ice unabated. McGrath gave the Bulldogs the extra standings, point, firing a shot over the blocker of Trotter for his third goal of the year, unassisted and a 3-2 Bulldog overtime victory.

Ferris State's penalty kill was put to work, as they killed six of seven St. Thomas chances, including scoring a shorthanded goal. The Bulldog power play finished 1-3. The Tommies had a 37-22 advantage in shots on goal. Trotter took the loss for St. Thomas on 19 saves.

The Bulldogs play for a chance at a league-opening weekend sweep Saturday (Oct. 29) at 6:07 pm inside Ewigleben Ice Arena.