For the second season in a row, BG heads into the final four games of the season sitting in the driver’s seat of a home playoff berth. Under Ty Eigner in 2023-24’ it was four straight losses to blow the third and fourth seed, this season in the same position, Dennis Williams looking to lead BG to the first postseason series win since 2019-20’.
The outlook for the Falcons looks promising, finishing against a somewhat rising Lake Superior State series after the upcoming road Bemidji State series, in Minnesota for the final time this regular season.
Safe to say the Beavers have been up and down this season, mostly down on the record. However, they have played spoiler and split against Minnesota State, Augustana, and Bowling Green, sweeping Michigan Tech most recently in Houghton, Mich.
Despite a 4-3-1-2 record against those opponents (all top four in the CCHA currently), they are 4-7-0-1 against teams outside of the top four. Possibly a classic case of rising and falling to competition.
Bemidji State sits in the eighth seed of the playoff currently, playing a sliding but still deadly Minnesota State team to finish, and BG who looking for revenge after a disappointing split at home against the Beavers earlier this season.
BG’s last encounter served as a kick in the pants for defense. On the Friday game, Bowling Green had a 3-2 lead before allowing an empty net goal in the final minute of play, leaving one point on the table. The second game was worse, the defense blowing a 3-0 lead in the second and a 4-2 lead in the third, leaving two points behind that would place them second in the conference right now.
Certainly, those points you want back, but your home-playoff destiny is still in control. Three wins the rest of the season should about guarantee a home playoff appearance, and, with some help from St. Thomas and Lake Superior State, could be even less than that.
Falcon Four Players to Watch
fifth-year left winger –Eric Martin, Bemidji State
The leading goal scorer for BSU, Martin is probably the most consistent offensive player on the Beaver side of the ice. He has scored a point in all but one series this season, a goal, and an assist against BG earlier in the season.
He has scored goals in three of the last five games, his best streak of the season. His 80 shots on goal lead Bemidji State, landing about %12 of them amidst one of the better forward ratings on the team (-3).
Senior goaltender – Mattias Sholl, Bemidji State
Of 30 games played this season, BSU has started Sholl in 29 of them, who can be considered one of the reasons the Bemidji State season has been disappointing. The CCHA Preseason Goaltender of the Year has a .891 save percentage and 2.9 goals against average this season, his worst stats of four seasons with 20+ games started.
In the last 15 games, Sholl has allowed less than two goals in only three, 2-0-1 in those three games. He has lost only one game this season when allowing less than three goals, and that’s where the bar sits. Allow three goals, and BSU loses. Allow two or fewer goals, and BSU wins. It is that simple.
Senior goaltender – Christian Stoever, Bowling Green
We do not know what the health of Stoever may be heading into the weekend. He has not dressed in two weeks, in either the St. Thomas series or the exhibition game against the USNDT.
In the four games he has played since the earlier BSU series, Stoever has not allowed more than two goals. His .948 save percentage still leads the NCAA and his 1.7 goals against average ranks fourth among the same group. BG is 9-1-3 with “Hot Stoeve” in the game, the only loss coming in a 0-1 home loss to Augustana.
His worst two games of the season were against Bemidji State, with seven goals allowed and 67 saves over two games, a still respectable .905 save percentage through questionable defensive play.
Senior left winger – Ryan O’Hara, Bowling Green
There could have been a debate between O’Hara and linemate Brody Waters about who was a better offensive player in the first half of the season. At this point, no contest.
The co-captain is on a three-game goal streak and four-game point streak, nine goals and six assists since the turn of the season. He is a consistent scorer, a tenacious defender, a highly consistent player, and BG has lost only 4 games in which he scored a point this season.
