Series Preview: at Ferris State, Jan. 15-16

The Chargers finally snapped their WCHA losing streak last week. Now they’ll try to build on it in Big Rapids, Michigan, where UAH takes on Ferris State on Friday and Saturday at Ewigleben Ice Arena.

Game time is 6:07 p.m. Central Time both nights.

Matchup history: Ferris State leads the all-time series 12-3-0 going back to 1985, including a 7-1-0 mark at home. Last season, UAH won in Big Rapids for the first time by a 3-2 score, but Ferris State still took the season series 3-1-0.

Matt Larose made 28 saves in UAH’s win on Saturday. (Photo by UAH Athletics/Doug Eagan)

Charger recap: UAH (5-15-2 overall, 3-11-2 WCHA) finally ended an 11-game winless streak in WCHA play by salvaging a split with Alaska at the Von Braun Center.

On Friday, the Chargers took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals by Chad Brears and Max McHugh, but the Nanooks rallied to tie. Brears added another goal in the second period to regain the lead for UAH, but the Nanooks scored four unanswered, including three in the third period, and won 6-3.

UAH burst to another 2-0 lead in the first period on Saturday, thanks to Cody Marooney and Josh Kestner, but this time Chargers made it hold. Kestner added another goal in the third period, and Alaska would not score until 1:58 remaining in the contest. Matt Larose stopped 28 of 29 shots as the Chargers won 3-1, UAH’s first win over the Nanooks since 1992.

UAH remains in last place in the WCHA, four points behind Alaska Anchorage and Alaska for the eighth and final playoff spot.

McHugh is in a three-way tie for second in the WCHA in points with 19, and leads the league in assists with 14. Brears is tied for fifth in goals with nine.

LEADING SCORERS: Max McHugh (So., 5-14–19, 22 GP), Chad Brears (Sr., 9-7–16, 20 GP), Brennan Saulnier (So., 6-9–15, 20 GP), Brandon Parker (So., 2-6–8, 22 GP), Kurt Gosselin (Fr., 2-5–7, 17 GP)

GOALTENDING: Carmine Guerriero (Jr., 3.04 GAA, .904 SV%, 15 GP), Matt Larose (Jr., 2.20 GAA, .924 SV%, 8 GP)

	Tale of the tape (WCHA rank)
5-15-2	Overall record	9-9-4
3-11-2 (10th)	WCHA record	7-7-2 (5th)
2.23 (9th)	Goals/game	2.59 (3rd)
3.05 (10th)	Goals allowed/game	2.86 (8th)
13.3 (3rd)	Pen. minutes/game	12.4 (6th)
13.0% (8th)	Power play	15.2% (6th)
85.1% (4th)	Penalty kill	80.8% (8th)

About the Bulldogs: Ferris State (9-9-4 overall, 7-7-2 WCHA) was idle last week. The Bulldogs’ last action was in the Mariucci Classic at Minnesota, where they lost to 7th-ranked Harvard 7-3 before beating Connecticut 5-2 in the third-place game.

Ferris State has gotten two points in all eight WCHA series it has played this season: seven splits and a pair of ties against Alaska. The Bulldogs sit tied for fifth place in the standings with Northern Michigan.

Gerald Mayhew leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 19 points, which is tied with McHugh for second in the WCHA. Corey Mackin is making a bid for league Rookie of the Year honors, leading all freshmen with seven goals and 16 points.

Darren Smith has been great as a freshman between the pipes with a .926 save percentage and 2.25 goals against average.

LEADING SCORERS: Gerald Mayhew (Jr., 6-13–19, 22 GP), Corey Macking (Fr., 7-9–16, 22 GP), Kyle Schempp (Jr., 6-8–14, 22 GP), Chad McDonald (Jr., 5-5–10, 17 GP), Andrew Dorantes (So., 4-6–10, 20 GP), Matt Robertson (Sr., 4-6–10, 22 GP)

GOALTENDING: Darren Smith (Fr., 2.25 GAA, .926 SV%, 14 GP), Charles Williams (Sr., 3.59 GAA, .885 SV%, 10 GP)

Around the WCHA: 

All times Central. Games featuring WCHA teams at home can be seen on WCHA.tv.

Friday, Jan. 15
UAH at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
#19 Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Alaska at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Arizona State at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 16
UAH at Ferris State, 6:07 p.m.
#19 Minnesota State at Michigan Tech, 6:07 p.m.
Alaska at Northern Michigan, 6:07 p.m.
Alaska Anchorage at Lake Superior State, 6:07 p.m.
#16 Bowling Green at Miami, 6:05 p.m.
Arizona State at Bemidji State, 7:37 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 17
Alaska Anchorage at Lake Superior State, 4:07 p.m.