The Ferris State Bulldogs returned from a road trip last week in Anchorage, Alaska to take on the Alaska Nanooks this weekend in Big Rapids.
The Bulldogs are sitting in third place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) with a record of 4-3 and eight points.
The Dawgs have been without head coach Bob Daniels for family medical issues. Associate head coach Derek Famulak and coach Mark Kaufman are taking the reins and leading this team until he is able to return.
“The team has been dealing with it well. We have Coach Daniels in our thoughts and prayers but we also have a lot of trust in our whole coaching staff and feel very comfortable getting the job done under Coach Famulak and Kaufman,” senior defenseman Zach Dorer said.
Associate coach Famulak also appreciates the leadership that this Bulldog team has with its upperclassmen in this critical time. “We have tremendous leadership from our upperclassmen and captain Kyle Schempp. Kyle is surrounded by strong assistant captains in Sean O’rourke, Simon Denis and Jared Van Wormer,” Coach Famulak said.
Senior defenseman Zach Dorer knows that the coaching staff can get the job done while Coach Daniels is away. Alaska is 2-3 with five points in the WCHA but the Bulldogs know how important it is to stay focused and play the way they know how. “We will need to be solid defensively, and play within our systems. When we stick to our game plan we can play with anyone,” Dorer said.
Captain Kyle Schempp said, “We have to just play our game and not try and do too much.”
Associate head coach Famulak agreed when he said “To be successful special teams are critical. On our power-play and penalty-kill we need to be heavy in front of both nets and win the one v one battles.”
The Bulldogs will be playing Alaska at 7:07 p.m. in Ewigleben Ice Arena on Friday, Nov. 20 and Saturday, Nov. 21.