Lake Superior threw everything at Bulldog goaltender Mike Brown except the kitchen sink Friday night. In return, Brown denied every Laker scoring opportunity to help earn Ferris State a 2-0 win.
“Brown played outstanding tonight,” Bulldog coach Bob Daniels said. “I feel that our team as a whole could have played better, though, but Brown was there to make the saves.”
Rob Collins provided the scoring early in the first period with a big shorthanded tally. Collins and Chad McIver broke in on goaltender Scott Murray on a two-on-one opportunity. Collins faked the pass and then drained the shot past Murray at 5:54 to make it 1-0.
“Rob Collins is one of the premier players in the league. When he gets the puck, he just has the knack to make things happen,” said Daniels.
During the second period, the ice seemed to tilt more in the Lakers’ favor. Brown turned away a breakaway early in the second period and then a two-on-one a few minutes later. Likewise, LSSU netminder Scott Murray did a excellent job in halting all the quality chances the Bulldogs threw at him.
The momentum was on the Lakers’ side at the beginning of the third period, and strangely it took a fight between Aaron Davis and Chad McIver in the middle of the third to tilt the momentum back in the Bulldogs’ favor. Although the defenses were stingy, both goaltenders were there to eliminate any scoring opportunities that were left.
It took an empty-net goal by the Bulldogs to put this one out of reach and get Ferris its first league win.
Lake State and the Bulldogs will face off again on Saturday night.
