BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - Three goals in the second period helped lift Lake Superior State over Ferris State on Saturday at Ewigleben Ice Arena for the first time since Oct. 31, 2008. The victory caps the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series with a split for the Lakers (13-20-5, 10-13-5 WCHA) in the regular season finale. The Bulldogs (15-14-6, 13-11-4 WCHA) retained the fourth seed and home ice in the WCHA quarterfinals next weekend with a loss by Northern Michigan against Michigan Tech on Saturday.
Sophomore goaltender Gordon Defiel bounced back nicely after the 3-1 loss on Friday, in which he made a career-high 49 saves on 51 shots. In the series finale, Defiel was tagged for a pair of goals again but stood strong with 36 saves to earn the victory and the series split.
Chad McDonald opened the scoring late in the first period with his ninth goal of the season to put FSU ahead, 1-0. The tally, coming at 17:19 of the first period, was assisted by Sean O'Rourke and Tyler Dorantes.
After one period of play Ferris State led 1-0 and held an advantage in shots, 15-6.
Freshman Mitch Hults (8-10--18) made it a tie game within five minutes of the start of the second period on an odd-man rush set up by J.T. Henke (9-11--20) and Anthony Nellis (4-12--16). The line of Hults, Henke, and Nellis also factored into the lone goal for the Lakers during Friday's 3-1 series opening loss.
With his 11th assist of the season on the goal by Hults, Henke became the first LSSU player to reach 20 points in a season since the 2013-14 campaign when the Lakers had five players reach the plateau.
Just over midway through the period, Jake Hand (3-6--9) put the Lakers ahead, 2-1, for their first lead on the weekend series. Reigning WCHA Rookie of the Month Gage Torrel (8-11--19) picked up an assist on the play, as did defenseman Aidan Wright (1-3--4).
Three minutes later with LSSU on the penalty kill, Diego Cuglietta (6-5--11) collected the puck after the Bulldogs failed to hold the zone and went in on a breakaway to put the Lakers ahead 3-1, unassisted. Cuglietta was also tripped on the play by McDonald to negate the Bulldogs power play. The tally also held up as the eventual game-winning goal.
LSSU held on to their 3-1 lead through 40 minutes despite being outshot 29-11. For Bulldogs starting goaltender Darren Smith, the five shots he saw in the middle frame would be the last of his night. FSU coach Bob Daniels turned to his senior, backup netminder Charles Williams to serve the final 20 minutes in net.
Mitch Maloney made it a one goal deficit with 8:22 left in the third period on a shot that was deflected in front of Defiel and dribbled through for his fourth goal of the season.
With a victory by Bemidji State over Minnesota State on Saturday evening, the Lakers remain in the seventh seed and will now face the Mavericks in Mankato during the WCHA Quarterfinals next weekend. The Mavericks were still able to produce a share for the MacNaughton Cup as the WCHA regular season champions, an honor they share with MTU.