The BGSU hockey team opened its regular season schedule with three points at home this weekend as they captured a 2-1 overtime victory against Connecticut on Friday and a 5-5 tie with Alabama-Huntsville yesterday.
Yesterday’s game saw Huntsville (0-3-1) charge ahead 3-0 in the first four minutes of the game, leading to coach Scott Paluch goaltender Jimmy Spratt.
The Falcons (1-0-1) answered back by regaining the lead midway through the second with four consecutive goals, only to fall behind again in the third 5-4. BG again knotted the score for a final time when forward Todd McIlrath slammed home a power play goal with 53 seconds left to send the game into overtime.
“Clearly an interesting game for sure,” Paluch said. “We started out down 3-0 but I’m really pleased how we were able to get the game back.”
Spratt’s replacement, Eddie Neville was solid in net, saving 22 out of the 24 shots he faced in over 60 minutes of action.
“[Neville] came in today and did a really good job,” Paluch said. “He came in early, made some saves and goes a long time shutting the door.”
BG’s penalty killing unit was effective in shutting out all seven of Huntsville’s power play chances, but the Falcons’ own power play failed to score on two different five-on-three opportunities in the third period.
“It’s tough to swallow,” said forward Derek Whitmore, who had two goals in the game for BG. “We had some positives, but we should be able to keep the lead and put the nail in the coffin when we’re closing the game.”
Whitmore led the Falcons attack with two goals and an assist. Jonathon Matsumoto added a goal while Mike Nesdill dished out two assists. Newcomers Kai Kantola and McIlrath each notched their first career goals for BG.
Friday’s season opener with Connecticut was a physical hard-hitting affair with Whitmore leading the way by scoring just 46 seconds into overtime to give the Falcons their first home opening win since the 1999-2000 campaign.
“We actually called a face-off play that we have been working on,” said Whitmore, referring to the game winner. “Fortunately enough it worked. Tim [Maxwell] was able to walk out. I just used some of my hockey sense and went to the net, and found a nice puck laying there for me to tap in.”
On the night both power play teams were blanked. UConn was held in check three times, while the Falcons went scoreless on six occasions.
Along with Whitmore, Matsumoto notched a goal and an assist while John Mazzei and Maxwell each added assists to close out the scoring for the Falcons. Spratt recorded his first victory of the year, stopping 16 shots.
“These types of games happen 85 percent of the time in college hockey, the one goal games going into the third period and coming down the stretch,” Paluch said. “You have to get that feeling and make plays down the stretch to win hockey games and we were able to do that.”
The Falcons open their road schedule this weekend as they travel east to take on Providence and Boston College.
