BIG RAPIDS -- This marks the third of a lengthy four-week holiday break for Ferris State’s hockey team, which in a way, would have preferred to have kept on playing.
The Bulldogs won two of their last three games prior to the holiday break to snap a three-game losing streak.
They are now 4-8 in the eight-team league for seventh place and 7-16-1 overall. In the Dec. 10-11 series at Bowling Green, they won the first game 6-3 but lost the second 2-1.
“It might have been the best weekend of hockey we played in the first semester,” Ferris coach Bob Daniels said. “I thought we played really well both nights. Obviously, the 6-3 win we were happy with. But I thought we followed it up with another strong performance on Saturday.
“I felt over the weekend, from the defensive standpoint, we were much more connected. In other words, we were playing in layers defensively. I thought that play defensively really led to so many good scoring chances on Saturday. We just ran into a very good goaltender. In terms of play, I thought it was the best back to back weekend we had in the first semester.”
Daniels said he likes the trajectory the team is on right now.
“This wasn’t necessarily the best time for a break, but it is what it is,” he said. “I was really happy with the performance over the week.”
Final exams week was Dec. 13-17 and Daniels planned for his team to skate each day at night for about an hour.
“It’s due to the finals’ schedule, which changes for everybody so it’s easier to go late at night,” he said.
The players were free to go home from Dec 17 to Dec. 29, before making preparations of the second half of the season.
“We’ll then get ready to play at Minnesota State on Jan. 7,” Daniels said. “The kids are going to get a good long break. We’ll also have a good long time with them before we tee it up against Minnesota State.”
Daniels said he would have preferred playing in a holiday tournament this week.
“I love a chance to play for a championship in the middle of the year in an environment that’s single elimination,” he said. “I think it’s really good for the guys to experience that. There’s less tournaments right now because of COVID. So this is a year we find ourselves on the outside looking in.”
The Great Lakes Invitational is still on the future schedule. Michigan and Michigan State are hosting games with Western Michigan and Michigan Tech in a showcase format rather than playing the games in Detroit.
“We’re scheduled to be in that tournament the year after next,” Daniels said. “This year and next, I think they’re committed to the showcase look. But I believe by the time we’re in it again, which I believe is 2023, that they’ll be back at Little Caesars Arena.”
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