Bulldog Hockey Wins First Regulation Game of the Season with 5-2 Victory Over St. Thomas

Postgame Highlights 
Postgame Press Conference - Coach Daniels 
Postgame Press Conference - Logan Stein 
Postgame Press Conference - Luigi Beinincasa 

Big Rapids, Mich. – The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team recorded its first win in regulation Friday night (Dec. 1) with a 5-2 victory against the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) leading Tommies of St. Thomas in the Ewigleben Ice Arena.

The Bulldogs (5-7-1) got out to an early lead in Friday's win and held on to collect three points in the CCHA standings. They also put themselves in a position to potentially sweep a conference opponent at home for the first time this year.

Emerson Goode started the scoring for FSU early in the first period. At 3:05, Jacob Dirks won a puck battle in the corner and fired a pass to Goode out in front of the net. Goode buried the shot for his third goal this year, while Dirks collected his third assist.

FSU scored three times in the second period, with their first tally coming at 3:18 from Jason Brancheau. The fifth-year senior played a beautiful two-man game with Antonio Venuto on an odd-man rush. Venuto drew two defenders, passed to Brancheau in the slot and Brancheau fired in his fifth goal of the year. Venuto collected his third helper.

Later, at 9:09, Venuto scored his 10th goal of the year on the power play (fifth power play goal). Luigi Benincasa took a shot through traffic that Venuto tipped past St. Thomas' goaltender Aaron Trotter and gave the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. Benincasa tallied his eighth assist and Travis Shoudy got his team-leading 11th.

Ferris State extended its lead to 4-0 at 15:01 thanks to Kaleb Ergang's fourth goal this season. After the Bulldogs forced a turnover in the neutral zone, Ergang took a pass from Benincasa behind the Tommies' defense and placed a perfect shot in the top-right corner for the scoring strike. Benincasa and Trevor Taulien assisted.

St. Thomas got its first goal of the evening with 52 seconds on the clock in the second period. It was a power play goal where Jake Braccini scored in the waning seconds of the man advantage to pull St. Thomas within three goals.

Zach Faremouth scored unassisted at 4:09 in the third period and gave the Bulldogs a 5-1 lead. The Tommies capitalized on another power play chance at 17:58, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Lucas Wahlin scored his first power play goal of the year, with Liam Malmquist and Ryan O'Neill assisting.

Venuto took a 5-minute penalty for charging at 16:41, so the Tommies closed the game on power play. They also pulled Trotter for an extra attacker with just under 2-minutes to play, but the Bulldogs stood tall and held on for a victory.

Logan Stein earned his third win, making 34 saves and allowing two goals. Trotter took the loss allowing five goals and stopping 25 shots.

Benincasa and Venuto each had two-point performances, and nine Bulldog skaters recorded points. St. Thomas took 36 shots and went 2-4 on the power play. Ferris State had 30 shots and was 1-5 on the power play. The Bulldogs won the faceoff battle 41-29.

FSU will be back in action Saturday (Dec. 2) to host the Tommies in Ewigleben Ice Arena. Puck drop is set for 6:07 p.m. (ET). Fans are encouraged to bring a teddy bear to the game for the Teddy Bear Toss after the first Bulldog goal of the game.