It was almost a sweep for the Bulldogs over Alaska this weekend, but back-to-back penalties in overtime cost Ferris a chance to break out the brooms.
With 1:23 remaining in overtime of the second game of the series, Alaska’s Andy Taranto snuck a goal past senior Bulldog goaltender Pat Nagle to give the Nanooks a 4-3 win. Alaska had a two-man advantage at the time due to two straight Ferris penalties.
Ferris rallied from an early 2-0 deficit with three straight goals, two in the second period and one in the third period, but Alaska tied the game with 3:23 left in regulation. The goal sent the contest to overtime and to the eventual loss for Ferris.
The Bulldogs were on the other side of the fence on Friday night, as they skated to a 4-2 victory over the nationally No. 16-ranked Nanooks.
With the score at 3-1 in favor of Ferris with 1:56 left in regulation, Alaska converted on a power play goal to tighten the score. Ferris junior center Jordie Johnston notched an empty-net goal with 20 seconds left to play to clinch the victory, however. Nagle recorded 30 saves on the night.
Ferris is in a fourth-place tie with Alaska and Northern Michigan in the CCHA standings. The Bulldogs are 6-6-3-2 in conference play and have earned 23 points in the standings. Notre Dame sits atop the conference standings with 29 points, followed by Michigan and Miami (OH).
The nationally No. 18-ranked Bulldogs will get a break from competition until Dec.31-Jan.1, when the team will compete in the University of Minnesota’s Dodge Holliday Classic in Minneapolis, Minn.