Taulien Extends Point Streak to Five Games as Bulldog Hockey Splits with Minnesota State

Postgame Highlights 
Postgame Interview 

Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team split its series with Minnesota State University after suffering a 7-2 setback Saturday (Jan. 25) in the Ewigleben Ice Arena in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) action.

Sophomore defenseman Trevor Taulien tallied his eighth assist of the year in FSU's defeat, giving him an assist in five straight games, the longest point streak of any Bulldog skater this season. He is +2 in that same stretch.

The Bulldogs (8-16-2, 7-11-0 CCHA) topped the Mavericks (17-7-2, 12-4-2 CCHA) Friday (Jan. 24) 2-0 behind a dominant shutout from goaltender Noah West. In Saturday's game, West suffered a loss as FSU split its regular season series with Minnesota State.

Ferris State jumped out to a 2-0 advantage with quick goals from Gavin Best and Caiden Gault. Best lit the lamp for his seventh goal just 4:04 into the game. Holden Doell worked into the left-wing circle and passed to Best in the slot, who fired a shot past MSU goaltender Alex Tracy to give FSU a 1-0 advantage. Doell got his sixth assist and Cole Burtch also assisted, giving him a team-high 11 helpers.

Gault buried his team-leading ninth goal at 4:42. Taulien took a slapshot from the right point that Gault deflected past Tracy, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. With his assist, Taulien surpassed his freshman season point total (nine) with his tenth point and eighth assist. Tyler Schleppe also assisted, giving him points in three straight games.

It was all Minnesota State from there. The Mavericks tied things up before the first intermission with goals from Adam Eisele and Kaden Bohlsen. In the second, Ralfs Bergmanis gave MSU its first lead of the weekend 3-2. Bohlsen scored his second goal of the evening on the power play at 16:22, and Ferris State went into the second intermission down 4-2.

Eisele gave MSU a 5-2 lead early in period three, and then Josh Groll and Rhett Pitlick each tacked on a goal, sealing Minnesota State's 7-2 win.

Eisele (2-1-3) and Groll (1-2-3) each had three points in MSU's win, while Luigi Benincasa (0-2-2), Zach Krajnik (0-2-2), Bohlsen (2-0-2) and Pitlick (1-1-2) all had two-point performances.

West finished the game with 30 saves, giving him 68 total in the series. Tracy was 23-25 in his 17^th victory.

The Bulldogs blocked nine shots with Taulien finishing as the only skater with two. FSU was 0-3 on the power play and killed 2-4 MSU chances. Ferris State won 35 faceoffs compared to 23 for Minnesota State as Schleppe, Burtch, Zach Faremouth and Nick Nardecchia all won more than 50% of their draws.

Ferris State will head on the road for a series against Bemidji State next weekend. Puck drop for Friday's (Jan. 31) game is scheduled for 8:07 p.m. (ET) with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 7:30 p.m. (ET).