The Bowling Green ice hockey team is in a lull right now, losing five out of their last six games, but they are hoping to turn that around in the new year.
The Falcons have treated their six straight non-conference games like a training camp for the second part of the season. After “training camp” ends with this weekend’s series at Rensselaer, BG will end the conference part of their season with 12 CCHA games.
“We’re still in a construction phase where this is just another week in training camp for the second half of the year,” said BG head coach Buddy Powers. “The second half of the year starts with Michigan, and in these games, guys are lobbying for jobs and positions for the last 12 games of the season and, barring injury, we’re hoping to put a lineup out on the ice that we hope is set for those last 12 games. You’re either in or you’re out.”
Senior captain Greg Day said the Falcons will take on a new identity down the stretch.
“The last three weeks have been somewhat of a training camp for us, so I think everyone is in shape,” he said. “It’s a new year, a new leaf, and we’re a new team this half. We’re a hardworking team. We have a new identity this half, a blue collar team. We didn’t really have an identity in the first half.”
The Falcons went 5-13-4 last semester and so far this year they are 1-1-0 (6-14-4 overall.) Traditionally, the team does better in the second half of the season. Last year they went 5-10-4 first semester and 9-8-1 second semester.
“We’ve got to be the hardest-working team in the CCHA over the second half of the season,” said freshman forward Steve Brudzewski. “We have to work through all the bad times to get things going. You’ll see us come around in the second half.”
RPI represents the final prep session for the Falcons.
“RPI is just another test to prove we’re gonna be competitive the last half of the season or if things are just going to go the way they’ve been going,” said freshman forward Ryan Minnabarriet.
Coming and going
Former Toledo St. John’s High School hockey phenomenon Ben Assenmacher has joined the Falcon hockey team effective immediately. The Falcons acquired Assenmacher from the Lincoln Stars of the United State Hockey League (USHL) in Lincoln, Neb.
Assenmacher was a forward for the Stars and had one goal
He may get a chance to play this weekend as freshman forward Colen Pappas suffered a rib injury in practice yesterday that will keep him out for at least this weekend.
“Assenmacher will turn 21 in March, so he wanted to get on with college,” Powers said. “He’s a big strong kid. He just has to get acclaimated right now. We’ll take Ben on the trip. Whether he
Another player who will not be with the Falcons this weekend is senior defenseman Joe Statkus. He has left the University and the hockey program due to personal reasons. He has reportedly signed with Rockford in the United Hockey League.
Statkus, who graduated in May 2000, was a two-time letterwinner for the Falcons and appeared in 17 games this season.
For his career, Statkus had 0-4–4 in 77 games played for the Falcons. He finished with 32 penalties for 64 minutes. His best year in the team was last season when he played in 33 of 40 games and had three assists (0-3–3).
