BLOG 39: Ferris Looking To Play with Intensity from Start to Finish

By Sandy Gholston

Ferris State hockey player Aaron Lewicki battles for a puck during a faceoff in an early-season home game in Ewigleben Ice Arena (Photo/Sandy Gholston)

BIG RAPIDS – Some times it sounds a little cliché when people talk about the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and mention the word parity.

But, parity is exactly what exists in the CCHA and this season probably more than ever in recent memory. Unfortunately, Friday, Ferris discovered just how much parity plays a role in the CCHA as a 2-1 loss to Western Michigan proved a tough and bitter pill to swallow.

Ferris was not without its chances, much of the evening, but the Broncos did one thing the Bulldogs could not do: capitalize on chances.

With the high degree of parity that exists in the conference, letdowns can be the difference between winning and losing. Western came to Big Rapids on Friday, in a sense, playing as if it had nothing to lose. Then, as the Broncos claimed the lead of 1-0 and then went up 2-0, confidence and momentum was clearly in the corner of the Broncos.

Ferris head coach Bob Daniels lamented his team’s low intensity level at the start of Friday’s game – the stretch during which the Broncos grabbed a 1-0 lead and never trailed.

“I didn’t think we came out playing with the sense of urgency we needed to play with early in the game,” Daniels said. “I don’t think we really got that sense of urgency until we were down 2-0. I don’t want to take anything away from Western, because their team played well and played hard, but once we fell down by two goals we picked it up, and we needed that from the beginning of the game.”

It was a tough way for Ferris to learn a lesson.

If you have any questions, ideas or comments feel free to contact Sandy Gholston at sgholston2@netzero.com