Ferris State Hockey Tops Northern Michigan 3-1 to Open Weekend in Marquette

Marquette, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team earned a 3-1 win over Northern Michigan in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play Friday behind a strong 35-save performance from Noah West in the Berry Events Center.

The Bulldogs (5-10-2, 4-7 CCHA) scored 30 seconds into the game and led the remainder of regulation. FSU also converted two power play goals, the third time this season they have scored two power play goals in a game.

West earned his fifth win this year with a 35-36 (.972) performance, including 16 saves in the first period. He also recorded an assist, the first time a Bulldog goal scorer has earned an assist since 2022.

Gavin Best started the scoring just 30 seconds after the opening puck drop. Cole Burtch worked in the NMU zone, drawing two Wildcat defenders. He sent a pass to the left-wing side for Best, who shot top-left corner for his fourth goal this year. Burtch and Kaleb Ergang tallied assists, giving Burtch six and Ergang five this year.

Caiden Gault tacked on a power play goal for the Bulldogs at 16:33. His team-leading seventh goal of the season was his first career power play strike. Max Itagaki sent the puck to Travis Shoudy at the point, who found Gault in the left-wing circle. Gault took a shot that went five-hole, giving FSU a 2-0 advantage. Shoudy earned his second assist and Itagaki got his sixth.

In the first period, NMU outshot the Bulldogs 16-7, and FSU took two trips to the box but killed both penalties. West stopped all 16 shots, and Ferris State led going into the intermission.

Tyler Schleppe scored a power play goal with .2 seconds remaining in period two. He took the puck from his own zone to the Wildcat's goal line where he fired a shot from between the circle and red line short side for his fifth goal of the year, all coming in his last five games. Logan Heroux got his fifth assist of the year and West tacked on a helper, his first career assist and the first and first time a Bulldog goaltender recorded an assist since Noah Giesbrecht had a helper against Canisius Oct. 15, 2022.

Aidyn Hutchinson scored NMU's lone goal at 4:19 in the third, cutting Northern Michigan's deficit to two goals. Grayden Slipec and Jakub Altrichter assisted, but FSU still led 3-1.

Itagaki took a hooking penalty at 16:54, sending Northern Michigan to their third power play of the night. FSU killed it off, and NMU immediately pulled goaltender Ryan Oullette for the extra attacker. The Bulldogs did not allow another goal and preserved their 3-1 win.

For the game, Northern Michigan outshot Ferris State 36-26. The Bulldogs were 2-3 on power play tries and killed all three of NMU's chances. The Wildcats won 44 faceoffs compared to 23 for Ferris State.

FSU blocked 16 shots, with three apiece for Kade Turner and Jacob Badal. Shoudy, Andrew Noel and Xavier Jean-Louis each blocked two shots. Schleppe, Heroux, Gault, Trevor Taulien and Jacob Dirks each fired three shots on goal.

West's 35 saves were tied for his third most in any game this year and tied for most in a victory. Oullette finished the night with 23 saves on 26 shots faced, suffering his 12^th loss.

Ferris State will have an opportunity to sweep the Wildcats Saturday (Dec. 7). Puck drop is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. (ET) from the Berry Events Center with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 5:30 p.m. (ET).