Since Ferris Hockey’s sweep of Bowling Green in the 2023 CCHA playoffs quarterfinals, they’ve yet to win a game against the Falcons.
A 4-3 loss against Bowling Green (12-7-3, 8-4-3 in CCHA) pushes the string of losses to the Falcons to seven games and the Bulldogs’ (6-15-2, 5-10 in CCHA) overall losing streak to five, as they still search for their first win in 2025.
Another slow start plagued the Bulldogs’ loss, as they fell down by three goals in the first period. According to head coach Bob Daniels, who said the occurrence has become a theme, there’s no real reason behind the slow first periods.
“I don’t know. The guys work hard all week and they seemed ready to go,” Daniels said. “I thought they won the majority of the one-on-one battles in the first. I thought they were really good in our offensive zone, around our net with a lot of quick plays and quick sticks. Nevertheless, we’ve got to come out in the first like we come out in the second and third.”
Alongside the slow start, early turnovers also began to concern Daniels.
Ferris State didn’t get in on the scoring until the second period. Freshman forward Jack Silich put an end to the lopsided affair with his first collegiate goal. The Wisconsin native’s first career tally means a lot to him.
“It’s a huge thing for me. It’s super emotional,” Silich said. “I know my parents are up in the stands and they’re really happy for me. It’s been a long road and I’m really happy to get that done.”
Silich added that the play he scored on was something he and teammate junior forward Tyler Schleppe came up with in practice.
In the first 3:37 of the opening frame, Bowling Green put two goals behind graduate netminder Noah West. A third Falcon tally came in the last two minutes of the period.
The Bulldogs showed fight in the second stanza with Silich getting the team on the board on the power play and junior defenseman Andrew Noel adding another for a 3-2 game.
Bowling Green was quick to dash hopes of a tie game, scoring its fourth goal just 22 seconds into the final frame. Senior forward Zach Faremouth returned the game to a one-goal deficit. However, despite the late push from Ferris, Bowling Green captured the 4-3 win.
With the Bulldogs still looking for their first win of the new year, they’ll have a chance to snap both losing streaks with another game against the Falcons tomorrow night. The puck drop in the rubber match is set for 6:07 p.m.