Central Michigan D1 club hockey prevails against Ferris State
The Chippewas emerge victorious as they enter their season's final chapter
Central Michigan University freshman forward Andre VanElls fights off a Ferris State player at the hockey game against Ferris State University at Martin Ice Arena on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026. (CM-Life | Jasmine Brookins)
Central Michigan's D1 club hockey team finally breathed a sigh of relief, as it ended its nearly two-month losing streak and conquered Ferris State at home 5-2 on Saturday.
The Chippewas have struggled lately to find their way back into the win column, failing to reach victory since early November. However, they took advantage of an opportunity against an opponent at the D3 level, who remained winless after they visited Mount Pleasant.
Ferris State posed a unique challenge for the Chippewas, featuring a much smaller roster than the other opponents they had faced.
“Skill-wise, they weren’t too far off. It’s just they didn’t have the bench,” head coach Brittany Knopp said. “We had a full bench, so that’s what kept us alive today."
Most of the game was spent with the momentum favoring the Chippewas, though Ferris State remained competitive in the first two periods. Central Michigan eventually pulled away in the third, scoring three times to cement the win as its own.
Offensively, CMU played with an aggressive mindset and took every opportunity it could to score, attempting 54 shots on goal. Senior forward and team captain Frankie Williamson found the net twice, pushing the Chippewas further towards the win.
“We settled in their zone pretty well,” Williamson said. “We had a lot of offensive zone pressure; … it showed with the score that we pretty much dominated most of the game.”
This confident energy allowed the team to remain physical throughout the night, and players across the roster finished the game with new moments to remember. Among them was the first career goal for sophomore defenseman Carter Schluckbier, who scored late in the third period.
Meanwhile, CMU's defense would catch a break against a disorganized Ferris State offense, and despite a back-and-forth second period, managed to keep the Central Michigan zone relatively clear while limiting the opponent's total shots on goal.
"Seeing only 20 shots in the game, whereas the weekend prior [against Western Michigan] I saw 79 shots, it's a little bit of a different change of pace," goalie and team president Dylan Niermeyer said.
With the season rapidly approaching its end, these moments are exactly what build the team atmosphere Knopp is seeking to install.
“We’ve really improved [team culture], and actually feeling like it’s a family,” Knopp said. "The boys definitely deserved that one today."
Emphasizing family looks to be the focus as the Chippewas conclude their season next week. Standing at 3-24 on the year, they will play two home games at Martin Ice Arena on Feb. 13 through 14, facing off against Cincinnati, whom they encountered in a two-game series earlier in the season.
“This is a win that obviously everybody knows we desperately needed,” Williamson said. “We’re a huge momentum team. If we keep that positive and energetic momentum going, I think we should have a great weekend next week.”
