Ferris State Hockey Suffers 4-3 Setback at St. Thomas in Weekend Finale

Mendota Heights, Minn. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team wrapped up its weekend series against the University of St. Thomas on Saturday (Jan. 11) with a 4-3 defeat at St. Thomas Ice Arena in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play.

The Bulldogs (6-14-2, 5-9 CCHA) were unable to collect any conference points this weekend as the Tommies (8-10-4, 5-6-3) swept their first CCHA series this year. After a three-point performance in Friday's loss, junior defenseman Travis Shoudy contributed two more assists in Saturday's defeat, giving him a five-point weekend.

Cole Burtch scored the game's first goal 9:55 into play. He followed up a three-assist performance Friday with his fourth goal of the season Saturday. Holden Doell sent a pass out of the Bulldogs' zone to center ice for Gavin Best. Best and Burtch executed a perfect two-man game down the ice, ending when Burtch finished a back-side pass from Best. Best and Doell each collected their fifth assists as the Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead.

Liam Malmquist scored his fourth goal of the series at 16:37, tying the game 1-1. Lucas Wahlin and Ethan Gauer assisted.

Later, at 9:39 in period two, Xavier Jean-Louis scored his first career short-handed goal for FSU. Shoudy drove to the left side of the net and then fired a pass to Jean-Louis on the backside who beat UST goaltender Jake Sibell, giving FSU a 2-1 lead. Trevor Taulien and Shoudy each got their fourth assist on Jean-Louis's second goal as a Bulldog.

Cooper Gay answered back for the Tommies with a power play goal at 12:30. Ryan O'Neill and Wahlin assisted, tying the game 2-2.

UST took a penalty late in period two, sending Ferris State to its first power play of the game 14 seconds before the intermission. At 56 in the third, Tyler Schleppe scored his second power play goal, redirecting a shot by Shoudy from the point past Sibell. Shoudy got his second assist of the game and third of the weekend, while Connor McGrath also assisted, his second of the series.

Wahlin tied the game at 15:14 with a goal from Malmquist and Gauer. UST then got the game-winning goal on a power play strike from Jake Braccini at 17:27. Luc Laylin and Chase Cheslock assisted.

FSU sent the extra attacker out for the final 90 seconds but was unable to convert. Noah West finished the game with 21 saves on 25 shots faced. Shoudy capped off a five-point weekend with back-to-back multi-point performances, and Burtch had his first career four-point series.

For the game, FSU had 26 shots on goal, went 1-2 on the power play, 2-4 on the penalty kill, won 35 faceoffs and blocked seven shots. UST had 25 shots on goal, nine blocks and won 35 faceoffs.

Schleppe led the team with 11 faceoff wins, while Kaleb Ergang had a team-high four shots on goal. Zach Faremouth blocked three shots and Kade Turner blocked two.

Ferris State will return to Big Rapids for its first CCHA game at home since Nov. 23 when Bowling Green comes to Ewigleben Ice Arena Friday (Jan. 17). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. (ET) with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 6:30 p.m. (ET). The game will also be streamed live on Midco Sports Plus.