It was quite a messy hockey game between Dennis Williams’ BGSU Falcons and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) Tigers, headed by BGSU 1984 National Championship winner Wayne Wilson.
Like in 1984, the game fell favorably to the Falcons, who gained their third victory and second overtime win of the season.
RIT struck first with an even-strength goal from junior forward Simon Isabelle, helped by graduate student forward Nick Cafarelli and graduate student defenseman Dimitri Mikrogiannakis.
Less than two minutes later, junior defenseman Dalton Norris scored his first goal and point of the season on a power play off beautiful assists from forwards Ryan O’Hara and Adam Zlnka.
Surprisingly, there wasn’t more scoring from both teams in this contest, especially due to the penalties.
Sophomore defenseman Gustav Stjernberg set camp in the penalty box for six minutes of the game, two minutes apiece for roughing, charging and tripping. However, only one of Stjernberg’s penalties resulted in a man disadvantage as simultaneous penalties were committed from the Tigers on the roughing and charging calls.
Additionally, BGSU junior forward Brett Pfoh and Zlnka served two minutes for kneeling (completing a hit while leading with the knee) and tripping, and, with Stjernberg, totaled six minutes of short-handed play in the game.
There were eight minutes of penalty kill for RIT on six penalties, plagued by a slashing infraction on sophomore forward Christian Catalano, which resulted in the tying goal from Norris 16 minutes and four seconds into the second period.
After sending it to the three-on-three five-minute overtime, RIT goaltender Jakub Krbecek tainted a spectacular 43-save game with his first even-strength goal allowed of the season. How fitting it was that, after spending six minutes in the penalty box, Stjernberg scored the first game-winner of his career, also his first goal of the season.
Mainly due to the great volume of power-play and four-on-four opportunities, BG recorded an immensity of shots, 74 total, with 45 reaching Krbecek.
Bowling Green sophomore goaltender Cole Moore had quite a comparable day, saving only 26 shots but allowing one goal for a .963 save percentage (Krbecek’s was .956).
Williams and BG turn the bus back to Ohio, and their attention to Ohio State, whom they will battle in a home-home series on Oct. 25 in Columbus and Oct. 26 in the Slater Family Ice Arena.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s voice of Falcon hockey, Ben Corak, will have the call at 7 p.m. on Friday and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, only on WBGU 88.1 FM.
