UAH got a much-needed win to finish its home stand in up-and-down fashion, beating Ferris State 5-3 Saturday night at the Von Braun Center for a series split.
UAH (5-8-1 overall, 4-3-1 WCHA) got two goals from Brandon Salerno to finish 3-2-1 on its six-game home stand before embarking on a 12-game road swing.
The next home game for the Chargers is January 26 against Bemidji State.
Ferris State (6-9-1, 3-4-1) held leads of 1-0 and 2-1 in both intermissions, but both were erased by two-goal bursts by the Chargers in the second and third periods.
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The Bulldogs continued where they left off Friday, when they scored six unanswered goals to win 6-2, and had control of most of the first period.
It took only 1:13 for the Bulldogs to take a 1-0. Corey Mackin’s tip of Nate Kallen’s shot up the middle bounced over UAH goaltender Jordan Uhelski like a bad bounce through an baseball infielder. It was Mackin’s second goal for the series.
UAH had a couple of power play chances, including a five-minute opportunity when Tyler Dorantes drew a major penalty for cross-checking Brennan Saulnier into the boards late in the first.
The power play continued into the start of the second period, and the Chargers finally capitalized. Josh Kestner ripped a one-timer from the left circle to tie the game at 1-1 at the 1:21.
It was Kestner’s team-leading eighth goal of the season, assisted by Brandon Parker on the pass from the high slot, and Tyler Poulsen.
The major power play was cut short on Kestner’s tripping penalty, resulting on some 4-on-4 hockey before a Ferris State power play.
Eight seconds into the FSU advantage, before the Bulldogs could get possession, Saulnier found Salerno in front of the FSU net. Salerno deked FSU goaltender Darren Smith and scored his first goal of the season to give UAH a 2-1 lead at the 3:34 mark.
UAH almost made it 3-1 on a Kestner breakaway, and the goal light went on, but the referee waved it off. Video replay confirmed the no goal as the puck hit the pipe.
Just as quickly as UAH took the lead, Ferris State took it right back.
The Bulldogs converted a Parker tripping penalty into the tying goal by Zac Tierney with 2:58 left in the second. Then Mitch Maloney, who had a hat trick in FSU’s win Friday, made it 3-2 Bulldogs on a breakaway goal with 41 seconds left.
UAH regained the lead with another two-goal spurt halfway through the third.
At 10:06, John Teets scored from near the blue line for his second goal of the season to tie the game at 3-3, with Madison Dunn and Hans Gorowsky getting the assists.
Salerno got his second goal of the game just 2:48 later, taking a nice feed from Poulsen as the Chargers regained the lead again at 4-3.
UAH made sure it would keep that lead for good as Gorowsky converted a two-on-one with Kestner with 1:55 remaining.
The Chargers withstood one final flourish from the Bulldogs, who pulled Smith with about a minute left and got a power play after UAH was assessed a delay of game penalty for intentionally knocking its goal off the mooring.
Uhelski finished with 32 saves in his 11th start of the season. Ferris State outshot UAH 35-26.
With 13 points, the Chargers head into their long road stretch in fifth place in the WCHA standings. The first stop is Northern Michigan next weekend.
Three stars of the game:
1. Brandon Salerno (2 goals)
2. Hans Gorowsky (goal, assist)
3. Tyler Poulsen (2 assists)
Notes: UAH is 4-2-1 on Saturdays this season, but 1-6-0 on Fridays. … FSU defenseman Cam Clarke left the game after taking a puck to the head in the second period.