For the second straight season, the Ferris State hockey team will take on the Bemidji State Beavers in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
Last season, Ferris was the number one seed while Bemidji snuck into the eighth and final seed. The Dawgs disposed of the Beavers in game one with an 8-0 destruction and then played an epic rematch the following night.
Ferris looked strong early in game two, taking a 1-0 lead before now graduated forward Cory Kane’s foot impaled a pane of glass, causing a 40 minute delay. Bemidji pulled ahead 2-1 before then freshman Ryan Lowney scored in the final minute of regulation to tie the game.
Now graduated captain Scott Czarnowczan scored a shorthanded goal in the second overtime to ice the Beavers and send Ferris to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids in his final game on Ferris ice.
This year, the roles are different. Ferris comes in as the number five seed in the WCHA playoffs, with Bemidji in fourth.
Ferris hopped Northern Michigan in the standings in the final weekend of the regular season with a road sweep of the Lake Superior State to avoid playing against nationally ranked no. 13 Bowling Green in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
The Dawgs went 0-1-1 against Bemidji on senior weekend in Big Rapids. A 2-1 Friday night loss was followed by 1-1 tie on senior night when senior forward Justin Buzzeo scored the game tying goal.
The WCHA playoffs open on March 13 at 8:37 pm from Bemidji, Minnesota. Game two is set for an 8:07 puck drop on March 14, while game three is scheduled for a 6:07 puck drop on March 15 if necessary.
The winner moves on to the WCHA Final Five at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.