All was right again in Ferris State’s world.<\/p>\n
A day after allowing a season high for goals and shots on goal, the Bulldogs clamped down on defense, got some strong offensive performances and put together what they called a bounce-back victory.<\/p>\n
Blair Riley scored and added an assist in the first period as No. 11 Ferris State took third place in the Badger Hockey Showdown with a 5-1 victory Sunday over Merrimack.<\/p>\n
“We came to play tonight,” Ferris State coach Bob Daniels said. “You can’t erase last night, but at least it’s something we can build on moving forward.” <\/p>\n
The Bulldogs’ defense was out of sync and its offense couldn’t get started in the final 20 minutes of a 6-1 semifinal loss to Yale, in which they allowed four goals.<\/p>\n
However, Riley made sure they wouldn’t have a repeat early Sunday.<\/p>\n
“None of the guys were pleased with the effort that we gave last night,” Riley said. “So we wanted to make sure we came back tonight and play a strong, 60-minute effort.”<\/p>\n
Riley was central to Ferris’ first-period show of strength. He dropped the puck into the right circle for Cody Chupp, who blasted a shot past Merrimack goaltender Joe Cannata for a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n
Ten minutes later, Riley did all the work himself, circling the back of the net and roofing a backhand shot when he got out front on the right side and found no Warriors skater to stop him.<\/p>\n
“One of their [defensemen] backed off and the goalie was off the post a little bit, so I just tried to throw it on net,” Riley said. “I think it bounced off his arm and went in.”<\/p>\n
Merrimack generated some offense in the second period, when it outshot the Bulldogs 8-6, but the emotion from a 5-4 loss to host Wisconsin a night earlier didn’t quite carry over.<\/p>\n
The Warriors’ locker room door was closed until 34 minutes after the game ended, when coach Mark Dennehy declined to characterize the post-game conversation he had with his team.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think I’ve been a part of too many teams that haven’t had to have a summit,” said Dennehy, whose team fell to 0-9 away from home this season. “That’s basically what it was.”<\/p>\n
Dennehy wanted to use this tournament as a measuring stick for his team, but the results weren’t pleasing.<\/p>\n
“It’s always disappointing when you don’t measure up,” he said.<\/p>\n
Grafton, Wis., native Aaron Schmit, a sophomore defenseman playing only his fourth game of the season, scored his first collegiate goal in the second period for a 3-0 Bulldogs lead.<\/p>\n
Schmit’s slap shot rang off the post and rebounded in front of the net, where it hit Merrimack defenseman Karl Stollery and redirected back into the goal.<\/p>\n
The Warriors got some reward from a period in which they appeared to have the better of the play when Adam Ross sent home a wrist shot off a feed from Pat Kimball to cut the deficit to 3-1.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs restored their three-goal lead on a third-period power play when Justin Menke slammed home the rebound of a deflected shot.<\/p>\n
Zach Redmond made it 5-1 with 3:03 remaining when he eluded one Merrimack skater at the blue line, then split two defenders in the slot to get off a wrist shot.<\/p>\n
Ferris State’s Pat Nagle made 23 saves, giving the Bulldogs a stabilizer in their zone.<\/p>\n
“He was very much in control of the game,” Daniels said.<\/p>\n
Merrimack freshman Stephane Da Costa saw his point-scoring streak end at 11 games; it was the longest in the school’s Hockey East era, which dates to 1989.<\/p>\n
The Warriors (7-10) still haven’t defeated a CCHA team since a 7-5 win over Miami on Oct. 12, 2001.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs (14-4-2), meanwhile, now face a stretch where they play at Notre Dame, at home against Miami and home-and-home against Michigan. Needless to say, getting back to their brand of hockey Sunday was critical.<\/p>\n
“After snapping a 10-game unbeaten streak, to get some confidence going again and get everyone rolling [is big],” Riley said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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