For the first time in program history, the Ferris State Bulldogs are headed to the Frozen Four. Ferris State clinched a spot in the Frozen Four with a 2-1 victory over Cornell on Saturday night in the Midwest Region final of the 2012 NCAA hockey tournament.
Saturday's game between Ferris State and Cornell was scoreless after two periods. Neither team was able to get on the board, and the score was 0-0 heading into the third and final period.
Once in the third period, the scoreless tie didn't remain for long. Only 11 seconds into the period, Garrett Thompson scored a power-play goal for Ferris State, breaking the tie and putting the Bulldogs on top. Their lead was brief, though. Cornell answered 1:21 later with a goal from Dustin Mowrey, once again making this a tie game.
Ferris State retook the lead five minutes later with a goal from Jordie Johnston on a two-on-one. The setup was executed perfectly, and Johnston buried the puck in the net, putting the Bulldogs on top 2-1. They never looked back and kept Cornell from tying things up this time around. The Big Red put a lot of pressure on goalie Taylor Nelson in the final minutes, but he kept the puck out of the net and led Ferris State to a 2-1 victory.
Ferris State is now set to take on Union on April 5 in Tampa in the 2012 Frozen Four. Union beat Michigan State and UMass-Lowell en route to winning the East Region, and now a matchup with Ferris State awaits the Dutchmen, which are also headed to the Frozen Four for the first time in program history.
You can check out a full bracket for the NCAA hockey tournament on the NCAA's official website.
For more on the 2012 NCAA hockey tournament, check out SB Nation Detroit's StoryStream.
