Bulldog Hockey Falls to St. Thomas in Mason Cup Quarterfinals Opener

Postgame CCHA Highlights
Postgame Interview - Coach Daniels 
Postgame Interview - Faremouth & Silich 

Mendota Heights, Minn. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team opened its best-of-three Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) Mason Cup Quarterfinals series with a 7-3 loss to the University of St. Thomas Friday (March 7).

The Bulldogs (13-19-3) scored all three goals in the first period, and freshman Jack Silich recorded his second career multi-point game in the loss. He scored a back-handed shot from the left-wing circle at 1:31 to put FSU up 1-0 with his third goal of the year. Jacob Badal tallied his sixth assist and Nico DeVita got his third.

Liam Malmquist tied the game at 5:47 with his 14^th goal of the year for UST. Ethan Gauer and Chase Foley assisted. Jake Braccini gave the Tommies a 2-1 lead with a goal at 5:59 from Ryan O'Neill and Cooper Gay.

Zach Faremouth scored his eighth goal of the year at 9:53. Kaleb Ergang won a puck battle in front of UST's bench and Caiden Gault skated below the circle. He sent a pass to Faremouth on the doorstep who beat UST goaltender Jake Sibell and tied the game 2-2. Gault extended his point streak to four games with his 10^th assist and Ergang tallied his 15^th helper.

Malmquist gave the Tommies a 3-2 advantage with his second of the night at 14:27. Matthew Gleason and Lucas Wahlin assisted.

FSU once again tied the game, this time with a power play strike from Logan Heroux. Heroux took a shot from the point that beat Sibell for his third goal of the season. Silich recorded his third helper of the year and second multi-point game. Tyler Schleppe extended his point streak to four games with his ninth assist.

Quinton Pepper scored with 51 seconds left in period one to give UST a 4-3 edge at the intermission. Wahlin then scored short-handed at 15:56 in the second before Gay scored twice in the third, sealing a victory for the Tommies.

In the game, FSU went 5-5 on the penalty kill, 1-6 on the power play, had 32 shots on goal, blocked 11 shots and won 45 faceoffs. UST had 37 shots on goal, 10 blocked shots and 32 faceoff wins.

Badal led the team with four shots on goal, Travis Shoudy paced the squad with three blocks and Faremouth had a game-high 17 faceoff wins. FSU starting goaltended Noah West finished with 30 saves.

The Bulldogs will face St. Thomas in Game 2 of the series Saturday (March 8). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. (ET) at St. Thomas Ice Arena.