3-2 win over Ferris State
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Michigan Tech hockey team improved to 3-0 in CCHA action with a 3-2 victory at Ferris State on Friday. The Bulldogs got on the board first, but the Huskies scored three straight and held on late.
“This is a hard place to play, and we weren’t very comfortable in the first period. They played outstanding in the first and made it difficult for us to get out of our zone,” Tech coach Joe Shawhan said. “We got some opportunities on the power play and cashed in, and then the third period was by far our best.”
Trailing 1-0 after the first, Tech’s power play came alive in the second. Chase Pietila blasted a long one-timer into the back of the net at 14:41 of the middle period to tie the game. His third of the season and sixth of his career was assisted by Stiven Sardarian and Nick Williams.
Marcus Pedersen gave the Huskies the lead 2:37 later, again on the power play, after finding the back of the net for the second straight game. A shot by Elias Jansson was loose in the crease and Pedersen whacked at it until it crossed the line. Rylan Brown added the second assist on Pedersen’s eighth career goal.
Stiven Sardarian scored for the third straight game, and the fifth time in the last six, to make it a two-goal Tech lead 3:31 into the third. He carried the puck across the top of the zone and wristed a shot that found its way in. Max Koskipirtti extended his point streak to three games with the assist on Sardarian’s fifth of the season and 14th of his NCAA career.
Ferris (2-7-2, 1-4-0 CCHA) pressured late in the third and cut into the lead after Cole Burtch scored with 1:42 remaining on the clock.
The Bulldogs added the extra attacker but never got a shot on goal before time expired.
Max Vayrynen kept the game scoreless with eight early saves before Gavin Best finally broke through with 3:22 left in the first period. He received a pass from Cole Burtch and moved to the center of the zone, firing in his second of the season to give the home team the lead.
Tech (5-2-0, 3-0-0 CCHA) led in shots 31-25, including a 16-3 advantage in the third period. Max Vayrynen improved to 3-1 on the season with 23 saves. Noah West stopped 28 shots for the home team.
The Huskies were 2-for-5 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill.
The teams will wrap up the CCHA series at 7:07 p.m. on Saturday at the Ewigleben Ice Arena.
