BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Goals from both ends of the age spectrum provided spark for Ferris State in a 2-1 win over Lake Superior State.
Senior Cory Kane started the scoring for Ferris State and freshman Kyle Schempp tallied his eighth of the season with the game-winning goal midway through the second period.
“We played hard, we battled. We missed a two-on-zero chance shorthanded to tie the game on the road against a very good team,” said Lake Superior State coach Jim Roque. “I told the guys to play the same way tomorrow night. Defend, block shots goal tend. The difference tonight was a five-on-three.”
That five-on-three power play came late in the first period. Kane took the puck out of the corner and walked in on Lakers’ goaltender Kevin Kapalka along the bottom of the right circle. With everyone collapsing to the net, Kane muscled the puck past Kapalka to put the Bulldogs up 1-0.
The Bulldogs added to their lead in the second period when a botched three-on-two opportunity led to the puck deflecting off Schempp and past Kapalka for a 2-0 Ferris State lead.
Lake Superior state came right back minutes later with a goal from Colin Campbell off a faceoff in the Ferris State zone. After Dan Radke won the draw, Campbell slipped a shot from the left point past C.J. Motte for the Lakers’ only goal of the night.
While the Lakers wouldn’t score again, they would have chances in a third period that was dominated by the Bulldogs.
Lake Superior State generated a shorthanded two-on-zero opportunity that ended with Garrett Clemmen sending the puck wide of the net.
“I’m not sure if I got a piece of it,” said Motte. “I just tried to stay with the puck carrier as long as possible.”
Despite the Lakers playing tough with a playoff berth on the line, the bounces just wouldn’t go their way. And when the bounces did go their way, Motte was in the way. The Ferris State junior finished with 32 saves on the night.
“Both teams played well, but a lot of the credit goes to C.J.,” said Ferris State coach Bob Daniels. “I was really pleased with our performance and how C.J. played.”
Lake Superior State (16-18-1, 12-15-0 WCHA) and Ferris State (24-9-3, 19-6-2 WCHA) conclude their weekend series and wrap up WCHA regular-season play tomorrow night with Ferris State playing for a WCHA championship and Lake Superior State trying to get into the WCHA playoffs.
