FSU secures NCAA bid despite loss in finals

By Tom Morelli/Ferris State Beat Writer

There's no shame in losing, especially when you have the clout that Ferris State has amassed throughout the season.

The Bulldogs bounced past Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA semifinals with a 5-4 overtime win, before being ousted by Minnesota State 4-1 in the championship game.

But the loss comes without consequence, as Ferris State's overall record of 28-10-3 and WCHA regular season title was enough to merit a spot amongst the 16 teams vying for the NCAA Championship.

In their journey to make it to the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs first had to cross paths with the Seawolves in Friday's semifinal, whom they previously beat twice during the regular season.

Ferris State however found out quickly that this was no walk in the park, after seeing their 2-0 lead in the first disappear with four consecutive goals by Alaska Anchorage by the midpoint of the following period.

Senior forward Garrett Thompson helped spark the Bulldogs' comeback at 12:50, scoring his team-high 16th goal of the campaign courtesy of a 2-on-1 situation. Earning helpers on that play were Justin Buzzeo and Scott Czarnowczan.

Less than three minutes later, another senior came through in the clutch for Ferris State, with Andy Huff finding the back of the net for the game-tying goal.

The Bulldogs needed just 2:38 seconds of the overtime session to finish the job, which came courtesy of a Gerald Mayhew shot from between the faceoff circles that trickled past Seawolves' netminder Chris Kamal.

Goaltender C.J. Motte finished with 34 saves for Ferris State, while Rob Gunderson surrendered four goals on 12 shots for Alaska Anchorage in the first two periods before being pulled. In his 23:38 seconds of relief duty, Kamal had 10 stops to his credit.

Saturday's tournament final was a much tougher challenge for the Bulldogs, who found themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Mavericks after just 20 minutes of action.

It wasn't until the final minute of the second frame that Ferris State responded, thanks to Mayhew's diving effort from outside the crease that cut the deficit in half. Helping to set-up the scoring play were Cory Kane and Huff.

Any chance of a Bulldog comeback was put to rest in the third period, as Brett Knowles notched an insurance goal at the 8:38 mark, followed by Teddy Blueger's empty-netter with four seconds remaining.

Motte (27-8-3) held a narrow edge over counterpart Cole Huggins in the saves department, 28-25.

Mayhew was the only Ferris State player named to the WCHA Final Five All-Tournament Team, joining the likes of Minnesota State's Bryce Gervais, Brett Stern, Blueger and Huggins (tournament MVP).

Up next for the Bulldogs is a first-round draw in the Midwest Regional against Colgate on March 28 at the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio. The winner of that game will face either North Dakota or Wisconsin the following night in the regional final.

Michigan Tech bounced in WCHA Final Five

MTU Press Release

Michigan Tech was less than five minutes away from its first WCHA Final Five win in more than 15 years before No. 9-ranked Denver turned the tables and came away with a 3-2 overtime victory in front of 11,489 fans at Xcel Energy Center in Minneapolis on Thursday.

The Huskies (17-18-4) came down on a 2-on-1 rush looking to add to a 2-1 lead over the Pioneers (24-12-4) late in the third period. A Tanner Kero shot was stopped and a loose puck cleared straight up the middle of the ice leading to a 3-on-2 breakout the other way. Luke Salazar scored, sending the game to overtime.

Just 2:38 into the extra session, Denver’s Jason Zucker tallied the sudden-death game-winner, becoming the first opponent to score in overtime against Tech in 17 extra-session games (since Jan. 2009).

“That’s hockey,” said MTU head coach Mel Pearson. “We had a chance to go up 3-1. Instead, they scored right away, then got a bounce in overtime. We’ve won our share of close games this year. It just didn’t go our way tonight.”

Goaltender Josh Robinson turned in perhaps his best performance of the season to keep the Huskies in the game. The senior netminder stopped a season-high 41 shots, including three straight saves during a sequence in the second period to keep the score tied at 1.

Ryan Furne gave Tech its only lead of the game just 18 seconds into the third period. Jordan Baker created a turnover on the half-wall and passed the puck to Furne, who walked in and threw a shot on net. The puck found its way under Denver goalie Juho Olkinuora’s right arm into the net.

The Huskies had their third power play of the game midway through the frame, but couldn’t snap a four-game goal-less streak on the man-advantage.

Kero’s chance on the 2-on-1 was one of four shots on goal for the freshman, three of which were good scoring chances.

Two more freshmen tied the game in the first period after Denver had taken a 1-0 lead on a Ty Loney tally at the 3:50 mark. Defenseman Justin Fillion hit Blake Pietila in stride at the blue line. Pietila split two defenders on the breakaway and scored top shelf off a forehand at the 10:45 mark.

Both teams had great chances in the second period. The fourth line of Bryce Reddick, Dennis Rix and Chad Pietila created several 'grade A' chances, but DU posted a 16-6 advantage in shots on goal in the frame.

Shots were 15-10 in the third period and 3-1 in overtime, both in favor of Denver.

Robinson wrapped up his career with a 15-14-4 record in net during 2011-12. Olkinuora made 27 saves for the Pioneers to improve to 9-7-3 on the year.

Michigan Tech has concluded up its 91st season of intercollegiate hockey, having quadrupled its win total from a year ago (four). Robinson, Reddick, Brett Olson, Baker, Alex MacLeod and Corson Cramer were all part of a senior class that helped the Huskies turn the program around.

“I’m so proud of the way our team represented Michigan Tech and our program all season long,” said Pearson. “This season was about the seniors. They’re the ones who bought into what we were trying to do and led the rest of the guys in the locker room.”

Notes: Michigan Tech finished the season 4-1-4 in overtime games … The Huskies and Pioneers each had a win, a loss and a tie in three games against each other this year … Furne finished with the team lead in goals with 12 … Olson had a team-high 30 points on the year.

Michigan Tech sweeps CC, off to WCHA Final Five

MTU Press Release

David Johnstone tipped home a Daniel Sova shot just 3:30 into overtime to send Michigan Tech to its first WCHA Final Five in five years with a 4-3 victory at Colorado College Saturday night.

Steven Seigo scored with just 1:05 left in regulation to send the game to overtime, then Johnstone notched his second goal of the game and third of the weekend to help the Huskies sweep the Tigers in the best-of-three first round WCHA playoff series.

“I got a piece of it and didn’t know it went in,” said Johnstone of the game-winner. “I saw my brother (Jacob) celebrate and that’s when I knew.”

Michigan Tech (16-18-4) looked as though it was headed to a decisive game three with CC as the Tigers (18-16-2) held a 3-2 lead late in the third period. The Huskies pulled Josh Robinson from net with 1:30 remaining to gain the extra attacker. It paid off as Seigo slapped a shot from the point through traffic to tie the game at the 18:55 mark. The Huskies had several more chances before the period ended, but couldn’t get the game winner.

After a full intermission, 20 minutes was put on the board. Only 3:30 was needed for the Huskies to get the game winner and improve to 4-0-4 in overtime games on the year. The visitors kept the puck in the offensive zone for more than a minute before Sova wound up and fired from the left point. David Johnstone deflected the shot inside the near post.

“This is a big win for our program,” said MTU coach Mel Pearson. “Our guys worked really hard and turned in a gutsy effort tonight. CC’s a good team and any team’s going to give you everything they’ve got when they’re facing elimination.

“I’m just so happy for our players and our alumni and fans as well.”

Johnstone had the game’s first and last goals on the night. He scored the game’s opening goal for the second straight game. Saturday’s came just 1:08 into the first as he collected a loose puck after a CC defenseman fell down. Johnstone fired a shot from the slot that beat Josh Thorimbert.

Just five minutes later, Huskies' senior captain Brett Olson made it a 2-0 Huskies’ advantage. With the teams skating 4-on-4, line mate Jordan Baker circled with the puck in the neutral zone, drawing three Tigers. He then fed a pass to Olson, who skated into the zone 1-on-1 with a defenseman and buried a shot into the top right corner.

CC got on the board at the 8:23 mark of the 1st as Archie Skalbeck and Andrew Hamburg worked a 2-on-1 breakaway after Tech’s Riley Sweeney had fallen down at his offensive blue line.

Hamburg scored again 3:50 into the second period to tie the game at two.

Tech was called for back-to-back penalties early in the third period, but killed off both including 15 seconds of 5-on-3. Not too long after that, CC scored the go-ahead goal as Scott Winkler wristed a shot from the right circle past Robinson.

The score remained 3-2 until late in the third, when Seigo scored the game-tying goal to send it to overtime.

The teams were a combined 0-for-7 on the power play tonight. Tech held a 41-32 advantage in shots on goal.

Robinson stood tall in net for the Huskies with 29 saves.

Michigan Tech will now make its first appearance at the WCHA Final Five since 2007, when it won a first-round series at CC two games to one. The Huskies will have to wait to see who they play. The Final Five is re-seeded after all the first-round series are completed.

Tech will either play North Dakota at 2 p.m. on Thursday (Mar. 15) or St. Cloud State at 7 p.m. on Thursday (Mar. 15) at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

Notes: Tech is 4-1 vs. CC at World Arena in the WCHA playoffs and 0-28 in regular season games here … Johnstone grabbed a share the team lead in points with his four-point weekend. He and Olson are tied with 30 apiece.