Ferris State Hockey Splits Opening Weekend Series Against Miami (Ohio) After Sunday Setback

Postgame Highlights 
Postgame Interview 

Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team fell 5-2 Sunday (Oct. 8) against the Miami Redhawks and came away from the regular season opening weekend with a split on home ice.

FSU (1-1) played at home in Ewigleben Ice Arena for both contests this weekend. After winning a thrilling game Saturday in overtime, the Bulldogs could not complete the sweep of the Redhawks on Sunday and fell in regulation.

Miami got on the board first courtesy of Max Dukovac. Dukovac's first of the season came from Will Hallen and Artur Turansky. The Redhawk goal at 9:32 in the first period gave them a 1-0 lead going into the second period.

FSU answered in the second period. Freshman Luigi Benincasa fed a pass to the right-wing wall where Connor McGrath ripped a shot that hit the bar and rimmed through the goal. McGrath's first tally of the season evened the game at 1-1, and Benincasa recorded his first collegiate point.

The third period had five total goals. Miami struck first at 3:42 when Jack Clement beat FSU goaltender Noah Giesbrecht for his first goal of the season. Then, at 4:50, Frankie Carogioiello scored his second goal of the weekend. Miami's 3-1 lead lasted for five minutes.

Zach Faremouth scored the Bulldogs' first power play goal of the year at 10:02. Kaleb Ergang fired a shot from the corner and Faremouth collected the rebound to beat Logan Neaton. Ergang and Travis Shoudy assisted.

Miami answered with two more goals, the first from Dylan Moulton at 13:03 and the other from Matthew Barbolini at 16:00. FSU could not overcome the deficit in the setback.

For the game, the Bulldogs outshot the Redhawks 27-26 and went 1-5 on the power play. They also killed all three penalties they committed.

Giesbrecht had 21 saves in the loss. Shoudy collected his third assist of the young season, and Ergang's first assist gave him two points on the year. McGrath also collected his second point from his first goal.

Stepan Pokorny went 14-6 on the faceoff circle, giving him an incredible 39-14 mark through two games to start the year. As a team, the Bulldogs were 36-23 from the dot.

Neaton earned the win for Miami and made 25 of 27 stops.

FSU will be back in action on the road against #12 Western Michigan on Thursday, Oct. 12. The Bulldogs will return home to face the Broncos on Friday, Oct. 13 in the Ewigleben Ice Arena. Both games are set for 7:07 p.m. (ET).