GAMEDAY CENTRAL: Bulldogs At Alabama Huntsville in For Final WCHA Regular Season Series With Chargers

Game Day Central serves as the virtual press box for media, National Hockey League scouts, and fans. Live in-game updates will be provided by Ferris State Hockey's twitter account (@FerrisHockey). Additional coverage questions can be answered via email by Ferris State Hockey Play-by-Play Broadcaster and Athletics Communications Associate Harrison Watt (watth@ferris.edu). 

FERRIS STATE VS ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE: SERIES PREVIEW

Ferris State heads south to take on the winless Alabama Huntsville Chargers for the final ever WCHA regular season meetings between the two this weekend. The Bulldogs own an 18-9-2 all-time mark against UAH, going 1-0-1 last year in two meetings. The Bulldogs have seen new production offensively, sprouting from several players that factored on the scoresheets minimally last season. Ethan Stewart scored his first collegiate goal this season, now he leads the Bulldogs in point scoring (3-2-5) in six games in a three-way tie for first with Lucas Finner (1-4-5) and Justin Michaelian (2-3-5). Jason Brancheau is in a four-way tie for second with four points after just three during his entire freshman campaign. The Bulldogs will also welcome back Logan Stein from the World Junior Championships, where he competed with Team USA this past month.

Ten Bulldogs have multiple points for Ferris State. The Chargers (0-5-1) are a tricky front. Despite their record, they've played hard hockey under first-year bench boss Lance West, and have managed to score with more proficiency than years past. Australian freshman Tyrone Bronte leads the pack with four points - seconded by Bauer Neudecker and Tyr Thompson, who sport identical 2-1-3 scoring lines.

In goal, the Chargers boast mountainous goaltender David Fessenden, standing 6-6 and 230 pounds. The Colorado native has a stingy .925 save percentage but an 0-2-1 record through 223:30 of ice time (left one game early). That said, the Chargers have all of 14 games played in goal at the NCAA level in terms of experience. The Chargers are above a middle of the road special teams group with a strong power play (23.5%) and average penalty kill group (80.0%).

STEW-PENDOUS 

In the last week, Ethan Stewart tripled his career point total in one night with three against Northern Michigan (Dec. 30) and two against Bowling Green (Jan. 2). He tied the team-lead in point-scoring (5) and goal-scoring with Mitch Deelstra (3). Stewart had no goals coming into this season in 21 games after missing out on most of last season with a broken leg. Stewart also leads the Bulldogs in power play goals with two on the nation's 10th-ranked man advantage unit (25.0%).

COLLEGIATE FIRSTS

Ferris State freshman forward Jacob Dirks scored his first collegiate goal Sunday (Jan. 3) against Bowling Green, while fellow freshman defenseman Sam Skinner earned his first collegiate point (an assist) on the play. Fellow freshman Antonio Venuto earned an assist, his first collegiate point, on Jason Brancheau's overtime forcing goal on Dec. 30. Brancheau's goal was also his first collegiate tally, scored with 33.3 seconds remaining in regulation.

BROADCAST

Harrison Watt returns behind the mic on the call solo with the pregame show beginning on Friday, Jan. 8 at 7:30 pm ET on Sunny 97.3 FM and FerrisStateBulldogs.com.