This weekend the BG hockey team will try to solve its offensive struggles and earn some much needed points in the CCHA standings as the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks come to the BG Ice Arena for a pair of games.
The Falcons (3-10-1, 1-7-0) are in the midst of a six-game losing streak and have lost 10 out of their last 11 games. BG is coming off of a road trip to New York last weekend in which they were outscored by a combined score of 9-0 in games against Clarkson and St. Lawrence.
Despite boasting the defending CCHA player of the year and Hobey Baker Award (nation’s top player) candidate, Scott Parse, UNO has also stumbled in the first part of the season. After finishing fourth in the conference last year and qualifying for the NCAA tournament, the Mavs (4-7-4, 3-6-1) are only two spots ahead of BG for the last spot in the conference standings.
BG coach Scott Paluch knows this weekend will feature a pair of games between two teams that are desperate for wins.
“We’re struggling scoring goals, and [UNO] has been a team that’s been a little inconsistent, both scoring and giving up goals,” Paluch said. “It’s a series that we really need to be strong defensively to get ourselves the best chance this weekend.”
In the Falcons’ recent slide, the goals the defense has given up have been magnified by the offense’s inability to produce. In the last six games, BG has been outscored 31-6 by opponents.
For the Falcons, keeping a positive attitude when wins are not coming is essential.
“We’ve been going through some rough times the last few weeks and we’re ready to turn it around,” said BG captain Michael Hodgson. “It’s always tough when you’re not winning, but you have to that confidence to have a positive attitude. You have to think and know that you’re going to win.”
A key for BG this weekend will be the offense’s being able to produce goals early for a much needed confidence boost. So far this season, the Falcons have been outscored 21-10 in the first period.
“What’s important is that our team gets some rewards for our hard work,” Paluch said.
“We’ve gone through a stretch where we haven’t been able to get the benefits of a lot of the things we’ve done well and we need that right now.”
Even with the recent losing streak, Paluch and the Falcons are determined to turn the team’s play around.
“We want to improve,” Paluch said. “We’re not happy with where we sit, we need to improve and get ourselves back into the mix in the league. There’s a lot of hockey to be played yet.”
The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. both nights inside the BG Ice Arena.
