Ferris State Hockey Suffers 5-1 Setback Against Michigan Tech in CCHA Opener

Houghton, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team skated in its first Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) game of the year Friday (Oct. 24) against Michigan Tech in the John MacInnes Student Ice Arena and the Huskies came away with a 5-1 victory.

The Bulldogs (1-4-0, 0-1-0 CCHA) had a strong first period against Michigan Tech, but the Huskies scored four times in the second period to build a big lead. Jack Mesic had FSU's lone goal, a power play strike for his first of the year.

Mesic scored at 13:33 in the first period. Xavier Jean-Louis sent the puck down to Connor McGrath who skated behind the net and passed to Mesic at the top of the right circle. Mesic one-timed a shot through traffic that went five-hole on MTU goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz for his first goal of the season and first career power play conversion. Jean-Louis and McGrath each collected their third assist this year as FSU claimed a 1-0 lead.

The Huskies got their first goal of the second period from Teydon Trembecky 57 seconds after intermission. He forced a turnover at the Bulldog blueline and skated down through the right circle for a shot past FSU goaltender Hobie Hedquist. His goal was unassisted and tied the game.

Brayden Boehm scored his first collegiate goal on a breakaway chance at 4:11. He skated through the neutral zone and got past the Bulldog defense for a backhanded shot that beat Hedquist. Tom Leppa and Jack Anderson assisted.

Trembecky scored a power play goal at 7:21. He took a shot from the right circle that Hedquist saved, and the Bulldog clear attempt off the rebound went right back to him for a one-time shot that lit the lamp. Reid Andresen and Stiven Sardarian assisted as MTU took a 3-1 lead.

The Huskies claimed a 4-1 lead at 11:20 with a goal from Isaac Gordon. Trembecky forced a turnover in the Bulldog zone and found Gordon for a shot in the left circle. Gordon's first of the season gave Tech a three-goal lead going into the intermission with Trembecky and Michael Cicek assisting.

Noah Reinhart scored at 2:22 in the third for the game's final goal. He converted a power play goal with Sardarian and Andresen assisting. MTU took a 5-1 lead and held it for the remainder of the game.

As a team, the Bulldogs were 1-6 on the power play, 1-3 on the penalty kill, blocked 12 shots, had 30 shots on goal and won 35 faceoffs. The Huskies blocked 14 shots, had 29 shots on goal and won 24 faceoffs.

Valtteri Piironen had a game-high five blocked shots. Mesic, Tyler Schleppe and Josh Zary each blocked two. Zary had a game-high 13 faceoff wins.

Hedquist finished with 24 saves on 29 shots faced. Bartoszkiewicz had 29 saves on 30 shots faced.

The Bulldogs will look to split the weekend series against the Huskies Saturday (Oct. 25). Puck drop is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. (ET) with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 5:30 p.m. (ET). Fans can watch the game on a pay-per-view basis through Midco Sports Plus.