The last-placed team in the CCHA now has two wins on the season.
Both are against the Bulldogs.
The St. Thomas Tommies (2-22, 2-16 CCHA) stand in last place in the CCHA, six points behind the Bulldogs (7-17, 5-11 CCHA).
In the second and final series meeting with the Tommies, the Bulldogs won the first game 3-1 Friday, Jan. 15, but the Tommies prevailed 4-3 on Saturday.
Earlier this season, Ferris went to St. Thomas and won the first meeting 2-1 on Friday, Oct. 22, but the Tommies avoided that sweep as well and won 5-2 the next night.
Following the Bulldogs’ win Jan. 15, head coach Bob Daniels spoke on what his team needed to do to get the sweep.
“We have to continue to move the puck,” Daniels said. “All we can do is put our best game on the ice tomorrow night and that’s what the mantra is going to be to the guys.”
On Jan. 15, it took until 5:37 in the second period for the scoring to start. Junior defenseman Blake Evennou picked up his first goal of the season and Ferris took a 1-0 lead. Senior forward Ethan Stewart and sophomore forward Jacob Dirks assisted.
Ferris dominated the second period with offensive opportunities. They outshot the Tommies 16-4 in the period and held a 1-0 lead.
Ferris converted their second goal of the evening at 5:25 in the third period when senior forward Marshall Moise picked up his sixth goal of the season. Evennou and senior forward Liam MacDougall assisted on the play.
“It was 1-0 going into the third period and that goal that Marshall Moise scored to put us up two was a big goal for us,” Daniels said.
At 7:00 in the third, Ferris extended their lead to 3-0. Senior forward Justin Michaelian picked up his seventh goal of the season. Sophomore forwards Mitch Deelstra and Stepan Pokorny assisted.
The Tommies got a power play opportunity following a slashing penalty from freshman forward Nick Nardecchia at 15:28 and scored their first goal of the night at 16:27, cutting the Bulldog lead to 3-1.
“I was disappointed in Nardecchia’s penalty that put us down a man and they were able to get a goal,” Daniels said. “It was a retaliatory-type penalty and those are the ones I don’t like.”
Ferris held off the Tommies’ comeback and emerged victorious.
“It took a whole team effort,” Evennou said. “We played a whole 60-minutes and we have to continue to do that. The job’s not over, we have to get it done tomorrow as well.”
Ferris was unable to get the job done Saturday, losing 4-3.
Daniels had “mixed emotions” following the loss, and was “very dissapointed” overall.
“I feel bad for the guys,” Daniels said. “I was really, really proud of their stick-to-itiveness being down three going into the third. Plus we had to start by killing the first five minutes we were short-handed. So we got the kill and we scored three goals in the last 15 minutes to tie it. Obviously it’s pretty depressing having them score late for us to lose.”
The fight would begin for the Bulldogs going on the penalty kill as a Bulldog was called for tripping. St. Thomas would take advantage of the power play and go up on the Bulldogs, 1 – 0. Six minutes later, St. Thomas would strike again, leaving the Bulldogs looking at a 2 – 0 deficit. After the second goal, the first period would quiet down and come to a close.
The second period would begin with the Bulldogs looking to avenge that two goal deficit. Seven minutes into the second period, the Bulldogs would go to the power play. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, St. Thomas would get a breakaway and score a shorthanded goal. This increased the Tommies lead to 3 – 0. The second period ended with a seemingly insurmountable lead for the Bulldogs.
Four minutes into the third, the Bulldogs had a 5-3 man advantage and finnally got a goal from Stewart. With six minutes remaining, Dirks cut the Tommies’ lead to 3-2. At 18:30, Ferris pulled their goalie and Evennou slotted the tying goal. With the Bulldogs hopeful for overtime, St. Thomas had other ideas. With three seconds left in the game, the Tommies wrapped around the net and scored to sink the Bulldogs, 4 – 3.
Ferris outshot the Tommies 41 – 16 in the loss.
Ferris will be on the road for their next two games at Bemidji State on Friday, Jan. 21 and Saturday, Jan.22.