At last, playoff college hockey is here. 

On Friday, the CCHA Mason Cup Playoffs officially begin and Bowling Green Hockey is looking for their chance at postseason glory. 

The Falcons are facing off against the Ferris State Bulldogs in a three-game quarterfinal round series at Slater Family Ice Arena. 

This season, Bowling Green went 1-2-1 against Ferris, proving to be one of the most difficult opponents. 

Additionally, the regular season did not end on the best note, as BG was swept by the Northern Michigan Wildcats at home. 

The Falcons had to deal with a lot of hurdles this year, but Head Coach Ty Eigner says the team knows to put the past behind them and move on. 

“What we’re trying to do is not dwell on things that we can’t control,” Eigner said. “Our guys have responded to the adversity and our hope is that we can pick up where we left off.” 

Despite the obstacles, BGSU went 12-12-2 in the CCHA, placing third in the final standings. 

They have also clinched home ice for the series and are able to play in front of rowdy BG hockey fans once again. 

Eigner says that the team definitely enjoys being in front of a packed Slater crowd. 

“I know the players really enjoy it,” Eigner said. “They look forward to playing in front of the student section and want the crowd to be engaged.” 

Two players who have plenty of experience playing in a loud Slater are Captain Alex Barber and Alternate Captain Evan Dougherty. 

Although both players have spent years fighting for another Falcon championship, they say playing in front of a home crowd in the post season is still something they look forward to. 

“We haven’t had home ice in a couple of years so it’s nice to have it back,” Barber said.  

Dougherty says that while the players are excited themselves, they’re more thrilled for the fans to be able to cheer them on. 

“They’ve been behind us all year,” Dougherty said. “It’s a rocking house here at Slater.” 

No matter the results, the fans will always loudly cheer on their beloved orange and brown. 

The first-round series is scheduled for March 3-5. Puck drop for Friday and Saturday will be at 7:07pm. If a tiebreaker is necessary, Sunday’s puck drop will be at 5:07pm. 

For more information about the series, visit the athletics website.