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KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Sophomore goaltender Jerry Kuhn made 39 saves and then stoned three Bulldog shootout attempts as the Western Michigan hockey team beat Ferris State 2-1 in the program's first ever Central Collegiate Hockey Association shootout. Cam Watson scored the shootout's only goal as the Broncos went 1-0 in three rounds.
Western Michigan (1-3-1, 0-0-1-1 CCHA), was out shot by Ferris State 39-18, was trailing 1-0 with 1:15 left in the game. The Broncos called a time out and pulled Kuhn from net. Off the face-off in the FSU zone, Kevin Connauton passed the puck to Tyler Ludwig who fired a shot on net. Bulldog goalie Pat Nagle made the initial save but the puck bounced loose to Patrick Galivan who had an open net, putting the puck in to tie the game, 1-1, on his third of the season.
Ferris State would get the only shot on goal in the overtime period and the game went to the shootout. FSU's Zach Redmond was first up for the Bulldogs but lost control of the puck and never got a shot off. Watson followed for WMU, skating towards the right edge in between the circles. At the last minute he moved left and fired a shot into the left side of the net, beating Nagle on his glove side.
Derek Graham attempted the next shot for Ferris State but did not get a good attempt off and Kuhn brushed the puck away with his stick. Freshman Greg Squires was the second up for the Broncos but his shot went high over the left side of the net.
Finally it was do-or-die for Ferris State and Aaron Lewicki was FSU's last shot at forcing sudden death. Lewicki tried to beat Kuhn on his stick side but Kuhn stuck his leg out to stone the shot.
"I'm extremely impressed right now and the way that we've prepared for the upcoming season and the teams we've played," said head coach Jim Culhane. "I think it's a testament to our game itself and the coaches and the players. The pace of tonight's game was incredible."
Western Michigan, heading into the third period, was out shot 33-7 but out shot Ferris State 12-8 in the final period with six of the 12 coming with 5:00 remaining in the game.
"It's a real exciting win for the team," added Galivan, who scored his second-straight extra-attacker goal of the season. "It's our first conference win and its good to get off on a good note to start out CCHA play."
Western Michigan now travels to Big Rapids to finish the first home-and-home series between the Bulldogs and the Broncos. Face-off is at 7:05 p.m. from the newly renovated Ewigleben Arena.
