Five Skaters Have Multi-Point Games as Bulldogs Fall to St. Thomas on the Road

Mendota Heights, Minn. – Five skaters had multi-point efforts for the Ferris State University men's ice hockey team as the Bulldogs fell short in their comeback attempt against the University of St. Thomas Friday (Jan. 10), suffering a 9-6 defeat at St. Thomas Ice Arena in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play.

It was the Bulldogs' (6-13-2, 5-8-0 CCHA) first CCHA game in over a month, and they tallied a season-high six goals. Junior defenseman Travis Shoudy had his third career three-point game (2-1-3), while Cole Burtch dished three assists, his first career multi-assist effort as he became the first Bulldog to have a three-assist performance since Antonio Venuto against Bemidji State Jan. 6, 2024.

Kaleb Ergang scored two goals for the first time in his career while Caiden Gault had his first career two-assist performance. Nick Nardecchia also had two assists, his second time achieving that feat this season.

Noah West started between the pipes for Ferris State but gave way for freshman Martin Lundberg after St. Thomas scored six goals in the first period. Lundberg made 18 saves on 20 shots faced throughout the final two periods of play.

The nine goals against was a season-high for the Bulldogs, with the Tommies getting three power play goals, a short-handed goal, a penalty shot goal and an empty-net goal. Three of their goals were at even strength.

Ryan O'Neill scored the game's first goal at 1:47 with a power play conversion from Lucas Wahlin. At 3:13, Wahlin drove towards the net after getting behind the Bulldogs' defense, drawing a penalty from Xavier Jean-Louis. Wahlin would go on to convert the penalty shot, giving UST a 2-0 lead.

Ergang got the Bulldogs on the board at 6:27 with his second goal of the year. Nick Nardecchia won an offensive zone faceoff back to Ergang, who snuck a shot past UST starting goaltender Aaron Trotter. Nardecchia earned his fifth assist of the year as FSU cut its deficit in half.

At 8:56, Liam Malmquist converted another power play goal for the Tommies with Cooper Gay and Chase Foley assisting. UST reclaimed a two-goal advantage, leading 3-1.

Tyler Schleppe brought the Bulldogs back within on at 9:27. Kade Turner broke a puck out of the Bulldogs' defensive zone up the wall for Shoudy, who fired a pass that was tipped by Gault to Schleppe at center ice. Schleppe raced into the Tommies' side and ripped a shot from the top of the left-wing circle past Trotter for FSU's second goal. Schleppe's sixth goal came from Shoudy and Gault.

After Schleppe's goal, Trotter was replaced by Jake Sibell, who would go on to play the rest of the game for UST.

Gay put the Tommies back up two with an even strength goal at 9:58. Jake Braccini and Caige Sterzer assisted.

Shoudy scored his first goal of the night at 18:36. He crashed through the left-wing circle and took a back-side pass from Holden Doell through traffic. Shoudy ripped a shot from the dot that beat Sibell, making the score 5-3. Doell and Burtch had the helpers.

UST tacked on their sixth goal of the first period at 19:11. West could not cleanly handle a shot from Braccini, and Sterzer crashed into the crease to finish the chance. Braccini and Gay each assisted, giving the Tommies a 6-3 lead going into the first intermission.

Shoudy scored the only goal in period two at 6:23. Nardecchia took a shot that went wide left and rimmed around the boards for Connor McGrath. McGrath fired a pass to Shoudy, who shot and scored from the left-wing dot again. McGrath got his seventh assist, while Nardecchia collected his second of the night and sixth of the year.

Tobias Abrahamsson took a major penalty for spearing at 19:45 in the second period, sending FSU to a power play. Ergang scored his second career power play goal and second goal of the evening at 1:56 in the third, pulling the Bulldogs within one goal at 6-5. Gault and Burtch assisted.

Luc Laylin put UST back up by two with a short-handed goal at 3:43. Sterzer assisted. Braccini struck at 5:46 to put the Tommies up 8-5 with an unassisted goal.

Gavin Best kept Ferris State's hopes alive with a goal at 13:44. Logan Heroux took a shot from the point that Best tipped past Sibell for his fifth goal. Heroux got his sixth assist and Burtch completed the playmaker with his third helper of the game and ninth of the year.

Malmquist got his hat trick with an empty netter at 19:06, ending the Bulldogs' valiant comeback effort. Foley and Chase Cheslock assisted.

For the game, FSU had 32 shots on goal, went 1-5 on the power play and 1-4 on the kill while winning 38 faceoffs. UST had 34 shots on goal and won 27 draws.

Schleppe went 17-4 on the faceoff circle, finishing +1 and leading the squad with four shots on goal. Shoudy finished +2 and registered a blocked shot, one of five for the Bulldogs.

Sterzer, Foley, Braccini, Gay and Malmquist each had three points, while Wahlin and O'Neill had two points apiece. Sibell finished the game 24-28, earning his second victory.

Ferris State will look to split the series against UST Saturday (Jan. 11). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. (ET) at St. Thomas Ice Arena with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 6:30 p.m. (ET).