Best, Itagaki, Jean-Louis Extend Point Streaks to Four Games as Bulldog Hockey Falls to St. Thomas

St. Paul, Minn. – Three skaters extended their point streaks to four games during Ferris State Hockey's Saturday (Jan. 3) loss to the University of St. Thomas at Lee & Penny Anderson Arena in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play.

Gavin Best and Xavier Jean-Louis scored while Max Itagaki assisted, giving each player points in four straight games. That streak ties the longest point streak for the Bulldogs this season, set earlier in the year by Best (Nov. 1-14) and Carter Rapalje (Nov. 14-22).

In Saturday's loss to St. Thomas, the Bulldogs (4-18-0, 3-11-0 CCHA) built a 2-0 first period lead before the Tommies scored eight unanswered goals, eventually claiming an 8-4 victory.

Best put the Bulldogs up 1-0 with his eighth goal of the season at 4:39. Itagaki took a shot that UST goaltender William Ingemann saved, but the rebound came to Best for the finish. Best is now tied with Josh Zary for the team lead in goals, while Itagaki registered his sixth assist and 10th point.

Jean-Louis scored unassisted at 11:34 to give FSU a 2-0 advantage. He forced a turnover in the offensive zone and skated into the high slot for a backhanded shot past Ingemann for his fourth goal of the season.

UST scored four goals in the first period. Jake Braccini scored a power play goal at 13:22, Hayes Hundley struck at 17:53, Lucas Wahlin lit the lamp at 18:35 and Attila Lippai scored at 19:49 to give the Tommies a 4-2 edge going into intermission.

St. Thomas also scored four goals in the second period. Nick Williams started the run at 2:22, Braccini tacked on another power play goal at 7:55, Alex Gaffney scored short-handed at 16:31 and Nathan Pilling lit the lamp at 19:51 as St. Thomas took an 8-2 lead into the second intermission.

FSU got two goals in the third period beginning with Trevor Taulien's first career power play goal at 2:22. Christopher Lie took a shot from the point through traffic that Riley Wallack and Taulien both deflected. It was Taulien's first goal of the season, Wallack's third assist and Lie's 10th.

Max Dukovac scored his third goal of the year at 16:45 to round out the game's scoring. Valtteri Piironen won a puck battle in the Bulldog defensive zone and passed up the wall to Rapalje. Rapalje found Dukovac at center ice who skated down the right wall into the low circle for a shot past Ingemann. Rapalje got his fifth assist and Piironen collected his second.

Hobie Hedquist drew the start for FSU but was pulled for Martin Lundberg after the first period. Hedquist finished 7-11 on save attempts and Lundberg was 18-22 in 40 minutes.

The Bulldogs had 19 shots on goal, were 1-6 on the power play, 3-6 on the penalty kill, blocked 12 shots and won 28 faceoffs.

Dukovac and Wallack led the team with three shots on goal, Lie finished with a game-high five blocked shots and Wallack led the way with seven faceoff wins.

Ferris State will return home for a series against Bowling Green next weekend at Ewigleben Ice Arena. Puck drop for Friday's game is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. (ET) with pregame coverage provided on Sunny 97.3 FM. Fans can watch the video stream via pay-per-view through Midco Sports Plus online.