BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Multi-point nights from four different players helped Ferris State earn a 7-1 win over Northern Michigan on Friday night.
A fairly even first period gave way to a Bulldog onslaught as Ferris State scored three goals in the second and third periods.
“I thought we played a solid game overall,” said Ferris State coach Bob Daniels. “We got two critical bounces at key moments in Garrett Thompson’s breakaway goal and [Matt] Robertson’s goal.”
Ferris State started the scoring midway through the first period with a goal from Kenny Babinski.
Northern Michigan answered back late in the frame to tie the game at one with a one-timer from Erik Higby that was set up a by a beautiful pass from Reed Seckel.
Unfortunately, that would be all for the Wildcats as two turnovers early in the second period helped put Ferris State ahead for good.
Ferris State got the go-ahead goal when a shorthanded clearing attempt deflected off Robertson and past NMU goaltender Mathias Dahlstrom.
The Bulldogs added to their lead with Thompson’s breakaway. Andy Huff found Thompson lurking behind the Wildcat defense and made a perfect pass to set up the goal.
“They’re a very good team,” said Northern Michigan coach Walt Kyle of Ferris State. “You can’t make the mistakes we made. This was the second night in a row when we had mistakes that led to quality chances. We had a senior defenseman that let a guy get behind him for a breakaway and a junior defenseman try a toe drag on a shorthanded clearing attempt.
“It’s a one game at a time approach. You can’t waste time thinking about it, you have to get back in the saddle.”
Huff added another assist with an individual effort to get his own rebound and set up Chad McDonald for a shorthanded goal late in the second period.
“Like a lot of teams, Northern’s going to try to press to capitalize,” Daniels said. “The scoreboard was lopsided, but the game wasn’t,. We played hard, had a lot of energy and did a good job of pursuing the puck.”
With a three-goal lead heading to the final frame, Ferris State kept up the pressure and added three more goals with Brandon Anselmini and Cory Kane getting on the scoreboard and Thompson netting his second of the night.
“Garrett took a step in the right direction,” added Daniels. “He’s been quiet lately. He really got better as the night went on.”
Ferris goaltender C.J. Motte made 29 saves, while Dahlstrom and Derek Dun, who played the final 15:55, combined for 24 saves in the Wildcats’ cage.
