Three periods were not enough to determine the result of Ferris’ matchup with number 18 ranked Bemidji State.
The Bulldogs finished regulation tied 3 – 3 with the Beavers and collected the extra point in a shootout win thanks to senior forward Lucas Finner.
“It feels really good, but I think more importantly the guys feel really good about it,” head coach Bob Daniels said regarding the shootout win. “The guys have been working really hard, and it’s the one thing you can say is that the guys have not stopped working in practice. While it’s been really, really difficult, the guys have continued to work, and I’m happy to see them rewarded for their efforts. Eventually, you need a little sugar.”
Senior forward Coale Norris got the Bulldogs on the board first at 6:10 in the first period. For Norris, the goal marked his sixth of the season and gave the Bulldogs a 1 – 0 lead. Freshman forward Stepan Pokorny and freshman defenseman Ben Schultheis assisted.
Ferris held their 1 – 0 lead until five minutes remained in the first period. Strong play defensively fueled the Bulldogs for the first 15 minutes of the first period. They stymied Bemidji’s offense, and freshman goaltender Logan Stein had 10 saves. However, they finished the period allowing two goals on 12 shot attempts. The Beavers lead 2 – 1 going into the first intermission.
At 1:46 in the second period, Lucas Finner capitalized on a breakaway one-on-one with Bemidji’s goalie and tied the game at 2 – 2. Finner’s goal was unassisted and his second of the season.
Norris scored his second goal of the night at 10:35 and gave the Bulldogs a 3 – 2 lead. He was assisted by junior forward Ethan Stewart and freshman forward Stepan Pokorny. Norris’s seventh goal of the season tied him for the team lead with freshman forward Mitch Deelstra.
The Beavers tied the game at 3 – 3 with 2:43 left in the second period. The game would stay tied heading into the third period.
At 1:49 in the third period, Schultheis fell in the open ice and collided with the wall. He was shaken up and skated gingerly to the bench but returned to the game later in the third period.
Both teams locked down defensively to start the third period as it took seven minutes for either team to record a shot on goal. At the halfway point in the period, Bemidji had one shot attempt in the period and Ferris had none. The Bulldogs ended the period recording just two shots on goal and the Beavers registered five.
With the game tied and under 30 seconds remaining, Bemidji had a scoring opportunity that was rejected by Stein and Ferris’s defense, sending the game to overtime.
Stein recorded five saves in overtime, including a save on a Beaver breakaway. He had 27 stops in the game.
“I thought Logan Stein came up with some big saves for us,” Daniels said. “With about 12 seconds left in regulation he got one, and then a couple of times in the overtime he came up with some big ones too.”
The game remained tied after the first overtime and went to a shootout. Ferris won the shootout and collected the extra point.
The Bulldogs now sit at 1-13-1 and will close the season series with the Beavers Saturday, Feb. 6.