Wildcats fail to gain ground on Bulldogs in the chase for the final CCHA Playoff spot
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — The Wildcats and Bulldogs each participated in their first shootouts of the season, and Ferris State skated away with a crucial two CCHA points.
The ‘Cats got major offensive contributions from its top line of Caiden Gault (two assists), Girts Silkalns (goal), and Kyle Bettens (goal and assist), who led the Green and Gold to a season-high four goals. The ‘Cats had a two-goal cushion before the Bulldogs struck twice in the final five and a half minutes to force overtime and eventually a shootout.
It must have been in the air tonight, as at the time of writing, there were a total of seven games across the NCAA DI landscape that were decided in a shootout.
The game would go down as a CCHA tie as the Wildcats (4-25-1, 4-17-1 CCHA, 12 pts) and Bulldogs (5-26-1, 4-19-1 CCHA, 15 pts) competed in a shootout for the first time this season, and the first for either team since the ‘Cats bested the ‘Dogs in the shootout in the regular season finale in Big Rapids to end the 2024/25 campaign.
In a crucial weekend for both teams, the Widcats and Bulldogs both came out flying, putting 11 and 14 shots on target in the opening frame. Tyler Schleppe opened the scoring for the Bulldogs on the power play seven minutes into the contest, who were able to convert on one of its two power play opportunities in the opening frame. Just as time was winding down in period one, Kyle Bettens raced down on a breakaway and was able to even the score with nine seconds left in the period to draw even.
The Wildcats opened the second period on the front foot, as Warren Clark took advantage of a perfectly timed Caiden Gault flash screen, and the ‘Cats took a 2-1 lead three and a half minutes in. Max Dukovac evened the game at 9:51 after his pass deflected off a Wildcat defenseman, but Jakub Altrichter responded just 17 seconds later to restore the Wildcat one-goal advantage.
The top-line for the ‘Cats continued to produce, as Girts Silkalns scored his second goal of the season to give the ‘Cats a two-goal lead in the opening five minutes of the third period. Schleppe converted on a turnover in the Wildcat end to bring the Bulldogs within one goal with five minutes left, the Bulldogs would pull the netminder with two and a half minutes left in the game, and Ferris would convert with a minute and a half left as Josh Zary cleaned up a rebound infront of the net. Cisar took an unsportsmanlike minor 30 seconds later, and the Bulldogs had the final minute of regulation on the man advantage before the game found its way to the overtime frame.
The ‘Cats killed the remaining minute of the CIsar penalty, netminder William Gramme made a huge save on a Bulldog 2-0, and Michael Burchill just missed the net on a breakaway chance moments later, but the teams would ultimately head to a shootout.
Max Itagaki scored in the second round of the shootout, goalie Martin Lundberg stopped all three Wildcat shooters, and the Bulldogs escaped with two points.
Game two and senior night from the Ewigleben Ice Arena is set for tomorrow night, with a 6:07 p.m. ET puck drop.
‘Cat Nips
- Bettens (1-9–10) scored his first goal as a member of the Wildcats, while his goal and assist marked the third multi-point game for the senior this season.
- Clark (3-3–6) now has two goals in his last three games, and holds the outright lead among all Wildcat blueliners in goals scored.
- With a goal tonight, Altrichter (4-6–10) notched his first point in ten games.
- Silkalns (2-5–7) notched his second goal of the season and first point in his last five games.
- Mid-year freshman addition, defenseman Olivier Beaulieu (0-3–3) notched his first multi-point game as a Wildcat. The blueliner now has three points in his last three games.
- Gault (13-2–15) notched his first two assists as the member of the Wildcats, and has three points in his last two games.
- Defensemen Nicolas Ardanaz (0-1–1) and Zane Demsey (0-1–1) each notched an assist, giving them both their first points of the campaign.
- William Gramme, who started got his first start since December 13, 2025, made 38 saves and posted a .908 SV%. The Bulldogs notched 42 shots on target, the most for the Bulldogs this season.
- The ‘Cats scored a season-high four goals, marking the first time NMU notched four or more goals since the season finale in Big Rapids a season ago, where they spoiled the Bulldogs senior day and Bob Daniels retirement ceremonies with a shootout win.
How It Happened
The Bulldogs opened the scoring on the power play, as Tyler Schleppe perfectly redirected a shot from Xavier Jean-Louis from the point.
As time was winding down in the first period, Gault played a long cross-ice stretch pass to Bettens, who was streaking down the right-hand boards. Bettens used his speed to beat the defender and walk in on a breakaway, and made a confident move to the backhand to beat the Ferris netminder.
Bettens won a battle against the left wall and played a pass back to Beaulieu, who let a shot go that was deflected just wide into the corner. The puck careemed off the end wall and landed on the stick of Clark, who was able to beat the netminder thanks to a perfectly timed flash screen from Gault.
The Bulldogs evened the score on a lucky bounce, as a centering pass from the corner deflected off of Clark’s skate and into the back of the Wildcat net.
The Wildcats responded immediately, as Altrichter and Demsey played give-and-go at the Bulldog blueline. Altrichter streaked in speed and beat the Ferris netminder to the short side from in tight.
The top line continued to click, and connected on a great forecheck after causing a turnover. Gault went to work behind the net to strip the puck from a Bulldog defender, and found a wide-open Silkalns on the edge of the crease, who beat the Bulldog netminder from in tight.
Schleppe jumped on a Wildcat turnover in its own end on an attempted breakout, and walked into a shot from the top of the left circle. His wrist shot went through the legs of two Wildcat defenders before sneaking through Gramme.
A shot through traffic from the point with the Ferris goalie pulled bounced around and found its way into the back of the net, and the Bulldogs completed the comeback to force overtime.
Shootout
Rd 1
- Connor McGrath, miss
- Jakub Altrichter, miss
Rd 2
- Max Itagaki, make
- Aidyn Hutchinson, miss
Rd 3
- John Lundy, miss
- Michael Burchill, miss
