Bowling Green has been stellar in the first game of CCHA series, winning four games and outscoring opponents 14-6.

This time? Not so much in the first game on Bemidji State’s home ice. 

Bemidji State kept control for two periods, finding even-strength goals in the first period by Logan Acheson and the second period by Carter Jones. Jones’ goal marked the point of no return for the Falcons as Tommy Pasanen scored the only Bowling Green goal followed by an empty-net goal on the powerplay for Eric Martin and the Beavers. 

Seven players scored points for Bemidji State while the team took a whopping 81 shots with 46 on goal. Late in the game, even when leading by two goals, the Beavers peppered shots, totaling 32 shots in the third period and 20 shots on goal.

With only four total penalty minutes and nine blocks, the stat line for the home team is truly stifling. 

Even still, there were positives for the Falcons.  

Once again, Bowling Green controlled the circles, winning 38 faceoffs and losing only 22 for a save percentage of .633, their best percentage of the year.  Despite being outshot by 40 with only 19 shots on goal, the orange and brown still managed to shoot 40 pucks only four away from this season’s high. 

It has proved difficult to keep the name Cole Moore out of the mouths of Falcon hockey followers.

Even in a loss, the freshman goaltender outperformed his competitor in the crease, saving 43 pucks, 95.6% of shots, and allowing only two goals with the empty netter to finish the game. Moore’s yearly save percentage continues to climb to .921, and his goals-per-game drop to 2.63. 

Because of the Thursday-Friday series, the Falcons have an opportunity to gain their fifth win in a row on a Friday night. Bowling Green chases the split with the second game of the series in Bemidji, MN starting at 8:07 p.m. EST. 

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