BG Hockey splits series with nationally ranked Michigan Tech Huskies

Ben Shanahan, Sports Reporter, FMSN

The Falcons split a series with Michigan Tech on Feb. 10 and 11 at John Macinnes Student Ice Arena.

Game 1

In the first 12 minutes, Falcon goalie Christian Stoever stopped a ton of  close Huskies chances

On the other side of the ice, senior defenseman Hunter Leillig fired a slap shot through traffic.

With a Nathan Burke tip, the Falcons took a 1-0 lead.

Five minutes later, the Falcons’ Adam Pitters and the Huskies’ Jack Works were both called for two minute minors.

During 4-on-4, MTU center Kyle Kukkonen headed up the ice and took advantage of a rebound to tie up the game 1-1.

In the beginning of the second, Seth Fyten found his first goal of the season to give BG a 2-1 lead. 

Fyten was not done there as he added another one toward the end of the frame to make it 3-1.

With 12 minutes left in the game, the Falcons extended their lead as forward Ryan O’Hara took control of a rebound to give them the 4-1 lead.

 After the sequence of saves by Stoever,  BG captain Alex Barber found the puck and tapped it in for a 5-1 lead. 

The Huskies got on the board too little too late, as Kukkonen got his second of the night to make it 5-2.

Bowling Green took a big win over #12 Michigan Tech at the Winter Carnival, making Head Coach Ty Eigner elated for their hard efforts.

“We’re really proud of our guys tonight. We had a bunch of guys that played really well.”

Game 2

Halfway through the first period, MTU’s Brett Throne was called for tripping.

With the man advantage, BGSU got on the board first as Austen Swankler blasted the puck in past MTU netminder Blake Pietila.

The Huskies tied it up four minutes later as Kukkonen beat Stoever and scored his third goal of the weekend 

At the halfway mark in the second, BG was called for too many men on the ice.

On this man advantage, Michigan Tech took their first lead of the weekend when forward Ryland Mosley found the puck on his stick and got it past Stoever.

Less than three minutes later, MTU extended their lead to two.

Huskies sophomore Tristan Ashbrook got a rebound opportunity and converted to make it 3-1.

Late in the third, Bowling Green got within one as senior Nathan Burke outplayed Pietila and scored.

BG senior Chase Gresock got the secondary assist on Burke’s goal, earning his 100th point.

This makes him the third Falcon to reach this mark and the eighth Falcon under Ty Eigner to reach the milestone.

Kukkonen sealed the deal with an empty netter and the Huskies came out victorious with a score of 4-2.

The Falcons will be off next week before returning to action on Feb. 24 at home against Northern Michigan, with puck drop scheduled for 7:07 p.m.

For more information about this team, visit the athletics webpage.