BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The Lake Superior State hockey team fell to the Ferris State Bulldogs by a final score of 3-1 in the second game of a weekend Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) series at the Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids, Mich. With the loss, the Lakers hold a 9-10-1 overall record this season and a 5-6-0 mark in conference play. 

Junior forward Dustin Manz scored the lone goal of the game for the Lakers while sophomore goaltender Ethan Langenegger had another solid night in goal for the Lakers, making 26 saves in the loss. 

At 8:26 of the first period, the Lakers took a 1-0 lead when Dustin Manz scored his fifth goal of the season. On a power play, Mitchell Oliver, Jacob Nordqvist and Logan Jenuwine combined to gain the offensive zone. The Lakers lost possession of the puck along the boards and the Bulldogs collected the puck near the end boards but failed to clear the zone. Nordqvist forced a turnover to regain the puck and sent a quick pass from behind the net to Manz, who was stationed just outside Ferris State's goaltender Logan Stein's crease. Manz slammed the puck past Stein for the 1-0 Laker lead. 

The Bulldogs evened the game at one when Ethan Stewart scored at 14:23 of the second period. Stewart capitalized on a scramble in front of Langenegger as the puck was loose in the crease. The Bulldogs captain tapped the puck over the goal line, with the assists on the game-tying goal credited to Antonio Venuto and Jake Transit. 

Ferris State took the lead for the first time in the series at 1:56 of the third period when Justin Michaelian scored a goal off the faceoff for the Bulldogs. After the Bulldog centerman got the puck back to Michaelian, the Ferris forward got off a quick shot that beat Langenegger on his glove side as the puck made its way into the top corner of the Laker net to make it a 2-1 game.

Later in the third period, the Bulldogs extended their lead to two goals at 5:19 of the period when Jake Transit scored a goal after being set up by Stewart. Transit drove to the net on the play, collected a perfect pass from Stewart and slid the puck under Langenegger's blocker as the Laker goalie tried to make a diving save on the play. 

Langenegger ended the game with 26 saves on 29 shots as he finished the weekend with 61 saves on 64 shots, a 1.61 goals against average and a .949 save percentage against the Bulldogs. Stein played well for the Bulldogs stopping 25 of the 26 shots he faced from the Lakers. 

The Lakers will close out the first half of the season with a home CCHA series next weekend against the Northern Michigan Wildcats on Friday, Dec. 10 and Saturday, Dec. 11. The first game is set for a 7:07 p.m. start at the Taffy Abel Arena while the second game is scheduled for a 6:07 p.m. puck drop in Sault Ste. Marie.

To purchase Laker hockey tickets, click here.

For more information, visit lssulakers.com.

Follow Laker Hockey on Twitter,  Facebook, and Instagram for the latest news!