Bulldogs Claim Runner-Up Finish At 56th GLI, Fall To #18 Western Michigan

Postgame Press Conference 

Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team claimed its highest-ever Great Lakes Invitational (GLI) finish as the tournament runner-up after falling 8-2 to the nationally #18 ranked Western Michigan Broncos on Wednesday (Dec. 28) at Van Andel Arena.

Following the effort, Ferris State junior forward Mitch Deelstra was named to the GLI All-Tournament team as he ran his point streak to three games (5 points). Deelstra had a goal and an assist each night.

While Western Michigan pushed in front first at 9:03 (Chad Hillebrand), the Bulldogs owned the first period with a 13-9 shots on goal advantage and evened the game at 1-1 quickly.

On a breakaway, Ferris State sophomore forward Kaleb Ergang ripped a shot bar-down for his first goal of the year at 10:56 of the opening frame. Deelstra (4) and junior defenseman Ben Schultheis (4) each tallied assists on the goal.

Late in the first period, national goal scoring leader Jason Polin started a five-goal run for the Broncos, the first three of which were his own. Polin scored at 18:36 of the first, 3:02 of the second and 10:51 of the middle period. Luke Grainger (11:18) and Aidan Fulp (12:25) netted goals in the second to make it a 6-1 Western Michigan lead.

Ferris State cut into the lead when Deelstra scored his fourth goal in five games and ran his goal scoring streak to three consecutive games, going top shelf on WMU goaltender Cameron Rowe on the rush. Freshman forward Connor McGrath (4) picked up his third point of the GLI, an assist, on the goal.

In the third period, Western Michigan netted a power play goal at 8:25 (Max Sasson) and an even-strength goal at 9:02 (Hillebrand) for the 8-2 final.

The Broncos had a 43-30 shots on goal advantage for the game. Ferris State killed three of Western Michigan's four power plays, while FSU went 0-2 with the man-advantage. Ferris State junior goaltender Logan Stein made 15 saves and took the loss and was relieved by sophomore goaltender Noah Giesbrecht, who made 20 saves off the bench. Cameron Rowe picked up the win and made 28 saves.

Ferris State's second-place finish came in its first trip to the MacInnes Cup Final. FSU, which has won six of its last nine games, heads into the stretch run of Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play with two games in hand on the three teams directly in front of them. Ferris State is less than a series' worth of points behind the CCHA's 1-4 place teams.

The Bulldogs head next to Lake Superior State to take on the Lakers on Jan. 13-14 at Taffy Abel Arena in Sault Ste. Marie, which puck drops set for 7:07 p.m. ET (Friday) and 6:07 p.m. ET (Saturday) to begin seven-straight weeks of hockey slated to run into the CCHA Tournament.