The Ferris State University hockey team defeated the Michigan Tech Huskies 4-3 on Friday night (Jan. 26) in front of sold out crowd in Ewigleben Ice Arena to celebrate 90’s night.
Friday night’s contest featured the 13-9-5 (6-5-2) Michigan Tech Huskies and the 10-17-1 (7-12-1) Ferris State Bulldogs. Michigan Tech is currently sitting in fifth place in the WCHA standings and the Bulldogs are in eighth.
The Bulldogs have had their ups and downs this season and looked to get consistent play on Friday night in a highly touted contest on 90’s night in Ewigleben Arena against the Huskies.
The first period consisted of a furry of shots by both teams early on in the game.
The Bulldogs would strike first at 18:43 in the first period with a goal from junior forward Trevor Reckenwald for his third of the year with the assists from freshmen forward Lucas Finner and freshman forward Coale Norris.
Senior forward Andrew Mayer made the Huskies feel his presence with a multitude of hits early on in the first. Ferris State also jumped out early by doubling the Huskies in shots before Michigan Tech provided their offensive surge.
The Huskies would answer with a rip from freshman forward Greyson Reitmeier with 12:28 left in the first period.
Both goaltenders had their work cut out for them in the first period as Ferris junior goaltender Darren Smith stopped ten shots and the Huskies’ Patrick Munson stopped five shots. The game was tied 1-1 after the first intermission.
The Bulldogs would have an early advantage in the second period as the Michigan Tech Huskies committed two penalties in the first three minutes of the period. The Bulldogs had a 5-on-3 with 17:00 to go in the second.
The offensive firepower would continue early in the second as junior defensemen Ryker Killins found the back of the net on the power play to take advantage of the early Husky penalty for his seventh goal of the season. Just fourteen seconds later, Killins would assist freshman Coale Norris for his sixth goal of the season and the Bulldogs took a 3-1 lead.
The Bulldogs suffered a 5-minute major penalty that would result in two Husky goals from sophomore forward Gavin Gould and sophomore forward Thomas Beretta in less than three minutes, as Michigan Tech tied the game up at 3-3 halfway through the second.
Michigan Tech gave up a late penalty in the second period, which resulted in a Ryker Killins blast into the back of the net for his second goal of the night to help aid the Bulldogs as they took a 4-3 lead heading into the third period.
The 4-3 lead that the Bulldogs built at the end of second period proved to be enough to get the win on Friday night. Michigan Tech husky goalie Patrick Munson was pulled midway through the second and his replacement junior Devin Kero shut out the Bulldogs in the third period.
Meanwhile, junior goaltender Darren Smith stood on his head in the third period for the Bulldogs as he held the 4-3 lead throughout the period. Overall on the night, Smith stopped 35 shots.
The win improved the Bulldogs to 11-17-1 (8-12-1) overall on the season.
The Bulldogs will be back in action against the Michigan Tech Huskies on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 7:07 p.m. in the Ewigleben Ice Arena.