Quite a turnaround from a 2-0 game the night before, the Falcons completed their first Central Collegiate Hockey Association sweep of the season and of the Dennis Williams era on Saturday against Ferris State by a final score of 5-4.
On the Friday game, the two Falcon scores came in the first and third periods around no scores on 11 powerplays by both teams. In the second game, six of the nine goals came in the second period, five on powerplays, and both teams went six for 13 on man advantages.
“We have critics one night and praise the next,” said Williams postgame. “I tell our players we have to stay even keel and stay focused, don’t listen to the outside noise.”
The Bulldogs spread their goals among five forwards, Caiden Gault, Jacob Badal, Zach Faremouth, and Gavin Best (in order), also with two assist nights from both Nick Nardecchia and Cole Burtch. The scores came one in the first and three in the second, only Best’s an even strength.
Bowling Green played quite similarly through two periods. Brody Waters scored BG’s first goal on a powerplay, which would prove theme as late in the second period, he would fill two more, both also on a powerplay for his first career hat trick and first three-point game.
“The guys did a really good job at making it easy on me,” said Waters, “so a lot of credit to them.”
Gustav Stjernberg also scored between Waters’ first and second, unassisted and on a powerplay, his second goal of the season and first two-goal game in orange and brown. More career history would be made with Jackson Niedermayer, his first goal and point in a BG uniform, perfectly timed as an unassisted game-winner just over halfway into the third period.
“With Brody getting hattie and the powerplay doing what they needed to today, it was what we needed,” said Niedermayer. “We have (Cole) Moore as a hero, and he plays well day in and day out for us. If we keep putting the puck in the back of the net like we did today, this team got a chance to do a lot of special things.”
Both goaltenders rounded off strong weekends. Ferris State’s Noah West recorded 38 saves on five goals allowed, making his weekend stats a 67 save seven goal-allowed performance, a .905 save percentage. BG’s sophomore netminder Cole Moore knocked away 57 shots with four goals allowed in the CCHA opening weekend, a .934 save percentage with a shutout.
The Falcons have the coming week off from games before heading to St. Paul, Minn., on Nov. 15 and 16 for their first CCHA away series against St. Thomas.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Ben Corak will have the call on WBGU 88.1 FM starting at 6:45 p.m. on both days.
