Ferris State Hockey Falls 5-2 to Michigan Tech in Final CCHA Game of 2025

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's ice hockey team played its final Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) game of 2025 Saturday (Dec. 13) against the Michigan Tech Huskies and suffered a 5-2 defeat in the Ewigleben Ice Arena.

The Bulldogs (4-14-0, 3-9-0 CCHA) will compete in the Great Lakes Invitational Dec. 28 and 29 at the Van Andel Arena to round out the 2025 portion of their schedule in non-league play beginning with a game against Michigan State. A matchup with either Michigan Tech or Miami (Ohio) awaits Monday, Dec. 29 pending the Sunday results.

In Saturday's game against Michigan Tech, the Huskies scored three unanswered goals to start the game. First, Noah Reinhart lit the lamp at 3:27 in the first period with Tyler Miller and Isaac Gordon registering assists. Then, Matthew Van Blaricom scored his first collegiate goal at 4:15 with Tom Leppa and Carson Birnie assisting. Finally, Stiven Sardarian scored at 4:21 in the second period to push MTU up 3-0. Gordon recorded his fourth assist of the weekend on Sardarian's goal.

Valtteri Piironen tallied his first goal as a Bulldog at 6:08 to put FSU on the board. Tyler Schleppe took a shot in the slot that went wide and Piironen jumped on the rebound. He skated behind the net and beat MTU goaltender Owen Bartoszkiewicz to the far post for the goal. Schleppe tallied his fifth assist and Caden Brown also collected a helper, his second this year.

Max Dukovac scored his second goal of the season at :58 in the third period to bring FSU within one goal. It was a four-on-four sequence that saw Sardarian lose the puck in the Bulldog zone and Carter Rapalje come up with the takeaway. He skated through the neutral zone and passed to Dukovac in the slot who drew to his backhand and beat Bartosziewicz for the goal. Rapalje got his fourth assist of the season on the play.

Brayden Boehm reclaimed a two-goal advantage for the Huskies with his fourth goal this year at 9:35. Kalem Parker and Jack Anderson assisted.

The Bulldogs took two major penalties in the final 8:03 that sent MTU to the power play. Schleppe was whistled for a game misconduct at 11:57, but the Bulldogs killed that penalty. Then, John Lundy had a game misconduct at 19:20. Carson Birnie scored his first collegiate goal at 19:55 on the power play with Reid Daavettila assisting.

For the game, FSU did not have a power play try and were 4-5 on the penalty kill. The Huskies outshot the Bulldogs 30-28 and won 29 faceoffs to the Bulldogs 22. Ferris State had 15 blocked shots while the Huskies had three.

Piironen led the team with three blocked shots and he, Jack Silich, Riley Wallack and Gavin Best each had three shots on goal to led the team. Starting goaltender Martin Lundberg made 25 saves in the losing effort. 

Ferris State will be off until Dec. 28 for the Great Lakes Invitational. Puck drop against Michigan State is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (ET) with live coverage provided on Sunny 97.3 FM.