Only the second non-conference series of the season, BGSU hockey (5-4-3, 5-2-3 CCHA) skates off the Thanksgiving turkey in their two games at home against Princeton (5-2-0, 2-2-0) in the Slater Family Ice Arena. It is one of four non-conference weekends this season, the Falcons swept by Niagara in the season’s first series, and two games apiece against Ohio State and Notre Dame are upcoming.
BGSU and Princeton have not played against each other since December 2010 in the UConn Classic, losing 4-2 to the Tigers in Storrs, Connecticut. The previous matchups were in a split weekend at Bowling Green in 2001, Falcons clearing the previous seven for an 8-2 record against the Ivy League school.
Although Ivy League for most NCAA sports, Princeton is a member of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) in hockey, a different name for very similar competitors. This includes the likes of Harvard, Yale, Brown, Cornell, and Dartmouth.
The Tigers have played just four ECAC games, two 2-1 losses to Brown and Yale in their first weekend, and two wins against currently 1-5 (ECAC) Clarkson and St. Lawrence. Their 5-2 overall record also includes two three-goal wins over Alaska Fairbanks (2-8-1) and a 3-2 win over Stonehill (1-12-1).
A very solid start to their season; however, none of their five wins are against a team with a winning record. Their most difficult game was against 3-4 Yale (3-3 in conference), whose goalie allowed just one goal and has since given up four twice.
Tied for third in the ECAC in goals (8), junior center Kai Daniells has been the statistical star, leading the Tigers in scores and points (11). However, he scored four points in his first weekend and seven in the last, including a program high in goals in a game with five against St. Lawrence.
More consistent, and maybe better, is senior center Brendan Gorman. Gorman has scored a point in all but one game this season, second on the team in points (9), goals (4), and assists (5).
Despite being solid through three games played, junior goaltender Arthur Smith has not played since Nov. 7 due to an injury. In his stead has come junior Conor Callaghan, winning three of his four games while saving less than 90% of his shots against. The two have combined for all 421 minutes of goalie time.
Bowling Green is coming off a disappointing weekend in St. Paul, taking two of six available points at St. Thomas with an overtime win. This keeps them at second place behind Bemidji State, but allows ground for Minnesota State, Michigan Tech, and St. Thomas to gain.
The bright spot was senior center Ben Doran, who scored a goal in each game and added an assist in the second, getting the overtime game-winner in the first. The goals were his first of the season after nine games and four assists without.
Senior winger Quinn Emerson also had three points in Minnesota, a goal and two assists, and continued his point streak to five games. Since the start of conference play, Emerson has scored a point in all but one game, at Minnesota State, a team leading 11 assists, 14 points, and a +7 rating this season.
Princeton and Bowling Green square off on Friday at 7:07 p.m. and Saturday at 6:07 p.m. in the Slater Family Ice Arena, both broadcast on WBGU 88.1 FM.
