BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Ferris State scored an extra-attacker goal with 20 seconds left in the third period and went on to edge the Miami University hockey team 5-4 in overtime Saturday night in both teams' regular-season opener.
 
John Waldron, Matthew Barbolini, Frankie Carogioiello and Thomas Daskas lit the lamp for the RedHawks (0-1-0). Antonio Venuto had a pair of goals to lead the Bulldogs (1-0-0).
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• 3:47 1st (Miami 1-0) | The RedHawks snagged their first goal of the season less than four minutes in. Raimonds Vitolins started the play by feeding a pass from the end boards to Hampus Rydqvist at the left point for a shot. Barbolini got a stick on the puck and helped screen FSU goaltender Noah Giesbrecht in front as Waldron deposited the rebound into the net.
• 5:19 1st (Miami 2-0) | Miami quickly doubled its lead with a power play goal. Vitolins retrieved the puck and cycled it out to Spencer Cox at the point. Cox walked the puck in and fired a shot that Barbolini redirected in front to make it 2-0.
• 12:20 1st (Miami 3-0) | The Red and White continued their offensive onslaught in the opening period, as Blake Mesenburg and Artur Turansky teamed up to outnumber a FSU skater and work the puck free from a battle in the corner. Mesenburg came out of the scrum with possession, and Turansky laid a pass back for Carogioiello's one-time blast to give the Red and White a 3-0 cushion.
• 2:39 2nd (Ferris State 3-1) | Venuto got the Bulldogs on the board shortly after an FSU power play expired in the middle stanza. Jason Brancheau fired a quick shot from the right side and Venuto was eventually able to maneuver the puck around the far goalpost. Stepan Pokorny provided the other assist on the play for Ferris State.
• 15:03 2nd (Miami 4-1) | The RedHawks reclaimed momentum with a goal late in the second period. After killing off a tripping penalty, PJ Fletcher and Daskas burst the other way for a 2-on-1 break. Fletcher's shot bounced loose behind Giesbrecht and Daskas hustled all the way to tip in the rebound for a 4-1 lead.
• 1:24 3rd (Ferris State 4-2) | Ferris State struck quickly after intermission as the Bulldogs won a puck behind Logan Neaton's net and quickly played it in front. Kaleb Ergang finished the play after an initial shot attempt was blocked, with Caiden Gault receiving credit for an assist.
• 2:31 3rd (Ferris State 4-3) | Just over a minute later, FSU scored once more to pull within a goal. Connor McGrath sent a pass to Nick Nardecchia, who found Jack Mesic trailing the play in a quick-developing 3-on-3. Mesic fired a shot and stayed with it to knock the puck past Neaton.
• 19:40 3rd (Ferris State 4-4) | After Miami came inches away from a game-sealing empty-net goal in the final minute, the Bulldogs capitalized on the resulting icing call. FSU won an offensive zone faceoff after taking a timeout and sent the puck the width of the zone.  Venuto ended the ensuing scrum in front of the net and collected the equalizer.
• 4:33 OT (Ferris State 5-4) | The RedHawks had the majority of possession in the 3-on-3 overtime period, but it was the home team that came out on top. Travis Shoudy grabbed the puck near center ice and won a race to the end line. When Neaton came out to challenge him, Jason Brancheau found himself in perfect position on the far side of the crease to end the game for Ferris State.

 
GAME NOTES:

• Neaton made 40 saves in goal for Miami.
• Carogioiello's goal was the first of his collegiate career.
• Vitolins picked up his first point as a RedHawk and won a team-high 15 faceoffs.
• Barbolini extended his point streak to three games (dating back to last season) and also scored a goal against the Bulldogs for the third consecutive meeting.
• Miami went 1-for-4 on the power play and killed off all four FSU penalties.

 
WHAT'S NEXT:
The RedHawks and Bulldogs face off again on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 5:07 p.m. at Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids, Mich.