BIG RAPIDS - The Ferris State Bulldogs hockey team is heading into the CCHA tournament as the 8th seed, going up against the number one seeded Bemidji State Beavers. The best of three series will begin on Friday with puck drop slated for 8:07 Eastern time, the Bulldogs have had some success against the Beavers this season, beating them at home in Big Rapids and taking a game to overtime on the road. Bulldogs’ assistant coach, Dave Cencer knows the familiarity between the two teams will be crucial.
“You play a team four times the regular season, it could be seven times by the time this weekend’s over, there’s no secrets between us, we’ve all done our homework.” Said Cencer. “We know what they’re going to bring against us. They know what we’re going to bring against them. So it’s a matter of execution at this point, really being prepared.”
For the Bulldogs players, they head into this game as underdogs with something to prove.
“I feel like, you know, there’s not as much pressure, but I still feel like we’re really prepared and it’s not like there’s no pressure and we don’t want this, you know, we want this really bad.” Said forward Luigi Benincasa.
“I mean, that’s all we’re really looking to do is go in there and upset. I mean, a lot of a lot of people are counting us out right now, but we have the belief in the locker room with one another that we can get the job done.” Said forward Antonio Venuto.
All games in the best of three series will take place in Bemidji, Minnesota.