Zary Scores Twice as Ferris State Hockey Falls in Shootout to Lake State in Regular Season Finale

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. – Senior forward Josh Zary scored two powerplay goals Friday (Feb. 27) in the Ferris State University men's ice hockey team's regular season finale against Lake Superior State University.

The Bulldogs closed the regular season with a 2-2 tie, and the Lakers earned the shootout win and extra point in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) standings. Ferris State finishes the regular season with a 7-25-2 overall record including 6-18-2 in league play. FSU will be the eight seed for the Mason Cup Playoffs beginning next weekend and will await results around the league to determine its first-round opponent.

Zary scored both of FSU's goals for his nation-leading 32^nd and 33^rd career powerplay goals and reached the 20-point mark for the season. Carter Rapalje had an assist and also hit 20 points, while Caden Brown dished two helpers.

Martin Lundberg made a career-high 46 saves and started all six games for the Bulldogs in Feb. He went 3-1-2 in that stretch with one shutout.

In Friday's tie against Lake State, Zary put the Bulldogs up 1-0 with his 12^th goal of the season at 11:53 in the first period. Brown passed from the right circle to Christopher Lie at the point who took a shot that LSSU goaltender Andrew Oke saved. Zary was on the doorstep for the rebound and finished the shot while falling to the ice. Lie got his team-leading 16^th assist and Brown got his eighth.

Zary scored another powerplay goal at 16:54 for his 13^th goal this year and 20^th point. Brown skated behind the net and passed across to Rapalje in the left circle who took a shot that Zary tipped five-hole for the goal. Both Rapalje and Brown got their ninth assists of the year while Rapalje recorded his 20^th point.

William Ahlrik put LSSU on the board at 6:24 in the third period with a short-handed goal. Johnny Druskinis assisted. Hadley Hudak tied the game at 11:23 from Evan Bushy and Matheson Mason.

Neither team scored in the final 8:37 and the game went to overtime. With the overtime appearance, FSU collected its fourth point of the weekend to win the series against LSSU.

Neither team found the back of the net in overtime, forcing a shootout. John Lundy scored in the second round for FSU, but LSSU got goals from Adam Barone and Hunter Ramos to take the extra point.

For the game, FSU was 2-5 on the powerplay, 4-4 on the penalty kill, had 30 shots on goal, blocked 25 shots and won 37 faceoffs. The Lakers had 48 shots on goal, 11 blocked shots and 40 faceoff wins.

Individually, Lundy led the team with five shots on goal. Valtteri Piironen and Xavier Jean-Louis each blocked four shots and Trevor Taulien blocked three. Tanner Rowe led the squad with 10 faceoff wins.

The Bulldogs will play the #1 seed in the Mason Cup Playoffs Quarterfinals next weekend in a best-of-three series beginning Friday, March 6. Stay tuned to ferrisstatebulldogs.com for information about the opponent and game times as it becomes available.