Ferris makes 3RC debut

Penguins' forward Chris Kunitz has played 229 games at PPG Paints Arena over the course of his 13-year NHL career. His alma mater, Ferris State, has never played a contest in the Steel City.

That, however, will change when Kunitz's Bulldogs square off against host-school Robert Morris University on Dec. 29 at 7:30 p.m. on the opening night of the Three Rivers Classic.
Kunitz, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and a 2014 Olympic gold medalist, is one of the top players produced by the Ferris State hockey program from Big Rapids, Mich.
Head coach Bob Daniels, now in his 25th season at Ferris State, coached Kunitz from 1999-2003.
"When I watch him out there, it's almost like he's getting better with age," Daniels said.
"He's been in a great spot with Pittsburgh. He's made us very proud. We've had a lot of players play in the National Hockey League, but none of them have had the longevity or won the Stanley Cups that Chris has."
Kunitz helped the Bulldogs to a 31-win season during his senior year and helped punch their first-ever ticket to the NCAA Tournament. His squad defeated Zach Parise and North Dakota in the first round of the 2003 West Regional to advance to the Elite Eight.
Daniels hopes his team's trip to Kunitz's current NHL city will springboard the Bulldogs into the second half of their season.
"We've used (holiday tournaments) over the years as a trial run for the playoffs," Daniels said. "It's a great opportunity in the middle of the season to garner a championship. We certainly look forward to playing in Pittsburgh."
Ferris State had a rocky start to its 2016-17 campaign, opening the season with a 0-7-1 record through eight games. The Bulldogs are 7-4 since then, and enter the tournament with a 7-11-1 overall record. They are 6-7-1 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) action.
The Bulldogs won their first conference tournament championship last spring when they defeated Minnesota State in the WCHA championship game to advance to the NCAA Tournament.
"We've traditionally been one of the stronger programs in college hockey," Daniels said. "I think we're getting there again right now. We're trending in the right direction."
The fifth-annual Three Rivers Classic will act as a homecoming for three Bulldogs from the Pittsburgh area: junior forward Tyler Andrew from Bethel Park; sophomore forward Trevor Recktenwald from Venetia and sophomore forward Jacob Hetz from Glenshaw.
"We understand the level of youth hockey that's being played in the Pittsburgh area," Daniels said. "There are a lot of collegiate players coming out of there. For us to be in that environment, it means a great deal to us. Hopefully, it will help us down the road to recruit more kids from that area."
Senior forward Gerald Mayhew leads the Bulldogs with 17 points entering the Three Rivers Classic, and recently registered his 100th career point. He became the first Bulldog to amass 100 career points since Greg Rallo in 2006.
Sophomore goaltender Darren Smith looks to pick up where he left off to end the first half of the season in Pittsburgh. He ended the first half 2-1-0 in his last three games with a .956 save percentage. He tossed a 36-save shutout against the No. 16 Minnesota State Mavericks on Dec. 9.
While Pittsburgh is unfamiliar territory for the Ferris State program, the Steel City is no stranger to Daniels, whose oldest daughter Jenna is a third-year dental student at the University of Pittsburgh.
"We're looking forward to it," Daniels said. "She's coming home for Christmas and will come back with us for the tournament. It'll be nice."
Tickets to the tournament are available online at
https://t.co/IucMHwpmWp