The Ferris State Bulldogs haven’t won many games so far this season. And after Friday’s 1-1 tie with the Massachusetts Minutemen. FSU didn’t add a win to their resume.<\/p>\n
But it sure felt like it.<\/p>\n
After 65 minutes of punchless hockey in the offensive end for both teams, Ferris State (4-11-3 overall, 2-8-2 CCHA) capitalized on three of its first four shootout attempts to move into the championship game of the Dodge Holiday Classic at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. <\/p>\n
“We were on the short end of the stick last year [at the Denver Cup],” said Bulldogs forward Matt Verdone. “It wasn’t a lack of effort on anybody’s part, it was really the same situation. This year, we were just lucky to net a few.”<\/p>\n
Both teams could muster only a handful of quality scoring chances in the opening period, as Ferris State \u2013 aided by a pair of power plays \u2013 out shot Massachusetts (8-5-3 overall, 5-4-2 HEA) by a 12-9 margin. UMass did have the best opportunity, however. <\/p>\n
With three minutes to go in the period, UMass stormed the Bulldog net and FSU netminder Mitch O’Keefe lost the puck in the scramble. The puck deflected like a pinball from one side of the net to the other. At one point, the puck even hit the crossbar, but the Minutemen played the puck with a high stick and the opportunity to score was lost.<\/p>\n
“We can handle that [not scoring on power plays] because we have been doing that all year,” said FSU head coach Bob Daniels. “But it is unsettling.”<\/p>\n
“It was a typical game post-Christmas,” said UMass head coach Don Cahoon. “I think both teams will look at the game tape and see some things to they could have improved on.”<\/p>\n
It wasn’t until deep into the second frame that the game’s first goal was finally scored, and it was Ferris State who struck first.<\/p>\n
Verdone gained control of the puck and led a 2-on-1 short-handed attack across the UMass blue line. His slap shot went over the outstretched glove of Jon Quick at 14:07 to stake the Bulldogs to a 1-0 lead. The goal was Verdone’s fourth this season, as Chris Zarb and Jim Jorgensen added assists.<\/p>\n
“I missed a few opportunities earlier in the game, and its been like that pretty much the entire year,” Verdone said. “Finally I got the nice little bounce.”<\/p>\n
But as their nickname implies, it took just over a minute for UMass to respond. <\/p>\n
Senior Mark Matheson picked up a loose puck in front of the Ferris State net and slid a wrister past O’Keefe at 15:33. Kevin Jarman earned the only helper and the game headed to the third period tied at one apiece. <\/p>\n
The third period was a lot like the first, with few quality scoring opportunities and one huge save. This time it was Quick, who made a sprawling leg save on a Bulldog 2-on-1 attempt with just under 10 minutes to play in regulation.<\/p>\n
It was another leg save by Quick in the overtime that sent the game into a five-player shootout.<\/p>\n
Ferris State started the shootout by bagging three-of-four, while UMass missed on its first three attempts.<\/p>\n
“I would rather play it out until the end, but you are forced to have shootouts in these tournaments,” Daniels said. “We lost last year, so I definitely know how UMass feels.”<\/p>\n
Ferris State will take on Minnesota for the championship; UMass will faceoff against Alabama-Huntsville.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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