Bulldog Hockey Falls 5-3 to Lake State and Splits Weekend Series

Postgame Highlights 
Postgame Interview - Coach Daniels 

Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team suffered a 5-3 setback against the Lake Superior State University Lakers Saturday (Feb. 15) in the Ewigleben Ice Arena, snapping a three-game winning streak in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play.

The Bulldogs (11-17-2, 10-12 CCHA) trailed 1-0 after the first period and were down two goals late in the third but battled back and cut their deficit to one with 5:15 remaining. However, the Lakers scored late and sealed a 5-3 win, splitting the weekend and season series against Ferris State.

Sasha Teleguine scored his 14th goal of the season at 10:45 in the first, giving LSSU a 1-0 lead for the second consecutive night. Evan Bushy collected his 13th helper on Teleguine's goal.

FSU had 20 shots on goal after the first period with 14 coming across three power play tries. The Lakers had 15 shots, one of which came on the power play.

Zach Faremouth tied the game with a power play goal at 10:13 in the second. It was his second power play goal of the weekend and third of the season. Kaleb Ergang skated into the circle and took a shot that was saved by LSSU netminder Easton Hesse. The rebound went right to Faremouth, who buried his fourth goal of the year. Logan Heroux collected his ninth helper and Ergang got his 10th, giving him points in four straight games.

LSSU reclaimed the lead with a power play goal from Reagan Milburn at 13:32. William Ahlrik and Evan Bushy assisted on Milburn's goal, which was Lake State's first power play conversion of the weekend.

Just 18 seconds later, LSSU took its first two-goal lead in the series. Branden Piku scored his second goal of the weekend with assists to Blake Humphrey and Wilson Dahlheimer.

Caiden Gault scored his team-leading 11th goal at 16:55 on the power play. The Bulldogs won a faceoff, and Ergang quickly sent a pass to Cole Burtch behind the net. Burtch found Gault in the left-wing circle for a shot that beat Hesse. Gault and Burtch each extended their point streaks to five games as Burtch collected his team-best 15th helper and Ergang got his third of the weekend.

Piku put LSSU back up two goals with a scoring strike at 7:01 in the third period. His eighth goal of the season came from Dahlheimer and gave the Lakers a 4-2 lead.

Trevor Taulien scored his third goal of the year at 14:45, bringing the Bulldogs back within a goal. Taulien's 11th point came from Jack Silich and Travis Shoudy.

LSSU had a two-on-one opportunity late in the game and Luke Levandowski finished a scoring chance to give the Lakers a 5-3 edge. Connor Milburn and John Herrington assisted as Lake State sealed a series split.

For the game, the Bulldogs were 2-6 on the power play, 4-5 on the penalty kill, blocked seven shots, won 44 faceoffs and took a season-high 53 shots on goal. LSSU had 12 blocks, 46 shots and 36 faceoff wins.

Noah West started between the pipes for Ferris State and made 41 saves in the loss. Hess finished with 50 saves for the Lakers.

Nico DeVita and Xavier Jean-Louis each blocked two shots, while Silich and Gault led the way with five shots on goal apiece. Faremouth finished with 16 faceoff wins to lead FSU.

The Bulldogs will be back in action next weekend for their final regular season road series as they travel to Houghton, Mich., for a series against Michigan Tech. Puck drop for Friday's (Feb. 21) game is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. (ET) with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 6:30 p.m. (ET).