'Cats and 'Dogs split in Big Rapids

The Ferris State Bulldogs welcomed the Northern Michigan Wildcats to Big Rapids this weekend, and each team walked away with a victory.

The Cats struck first on Friday night at 10:10 of the first period. Mike Santorelli and Nathan Oystrick set up Pat Bateman to score. Matt Verdone (pictured) took advantage of a power play to even the score less than two minutes later (Jeremy Scherlinck and Alex Spezia assisted). Scherlinck picked up a goal of his own before the end of the period, with a little help from Corey Couturier. Both teams lit the lamp twice in the second period: Northern tied up the game twice, and each time Ferris struck back to regain the lead. After Andrew Contois, assisted by Zach Tarkir and Matt Maunu scored for the Cats, Greg Rallo and Chris Zarb set up Matt Stephanishion for the Bulldogs' third goal of the night and second on the power-play. Northern's Dusty Collins then got some help from Jamie Milam to light the lamp for the Cats, and the Bulldogs retaliated when Rallo earned his tenth goal of the season in the waning minute of the second period off assists by Stephanishion and Mark Bomersback.

Northern held Ferris to only four shots in the final period, and pulled their goalie near the end of the game to attempt a tie. But the only last minute scoring would be by Bomersback, who notched an empty net goal off an Adam Welch pass. Goalie Mitch O'Keefe had 25 saves in the Bulldogs' 5-3 victory. Derek Janzen finished with 21 saves for Northern.

On Saturday, Northern started with the offensive advantage, outshooting Ferris 14-8 in the first period, but managed only one goal by the first intermission--Bateman and Santorelli set up Matt Siddall to score. Ferris increased their aggression in the second period, peppering Northern goalie Bill Zaniboni with sixteen shots, but to no avail.

Ferris got their chance on a power play, when Stephanishion finally scored at 3:20 of the third period (Zarb and Jim Jorgensen assisted). Midway through the period, Oystrick scored the game-winner for Northern, off assists by Milam and Geoff Waugh. Despite pulling O'Keefe in the last minute, Ferris could not tie the game, and Northern earned the 2-1 victory. Zaniboni finished with 34 saves; O'Keefe stopped 25.

Ferris idle next week; Northern will welcome Western Michigan to Marquette next weekend.