BGSU hockey completes its season series against Lake Superior State this weekend in its second CCHA series of 2026. Bowling Green (11-5-4, 8-3-3) finishes their season with seven-straight weeks of competition, the Lakers (8-13-1, 5-9) drawing four of the CCHA’s top-five teams in their next four weeks.
The Falcons took down Ferris State in their most recent series, bringing their lossless streak to five games and taking their first season-series sweep. The Bulldogs were dominated, recording 45 fewer shots and six fewer goals through two home losses.
BG takes the home advantage against Lake Superior State, their first all-home series since the first week of December. They are an impressive 6-2-1 at home this season, their losses coming in their second CCHA series against Bemidji State and their last in 2025 against Northern Michigan.
Head coach Dennis Williams led BG to Sault Ste. Marie for their first CCHA games of the season in late October. The games resulted in a sweep for the Falcons, 4-1 in the first game and 3-2 in the second.
“That seems like forever ago,” said Williams of the series. “It’s going to be two drastically different teams, and that’s the hard part.”
LSSU has caught a relatively hot spell in the last few weeks. They swept last-place Northern Michigan last week after two one-goal losses to powerhouse programs, Wisconsin and Boston College, over Christmas break.
They also had split weekends against two of the top three CCHA teams, St. Thomas and Augustana, before the break. For a team that had a 1-7 conference record before their last eight games, those are great results.
The Lakers have certainly improved their game since BG last met them. Yet the same can be said of Williams and his squad, who have only improved from the beginning of the season.
BG owns one of the more premier wins for the CCHA this season in their victory over Ohio State 5-3 at home on Jan. 3. They have also taken at least two points in every CCHA series this season, including splits against Minnesota State and St. Thomas, both currently.
The keys to much-needed victories for both are in the special teams. The Orange and Brown commit the most penalties and serve the second most minutes per game in the conference. The Blue and Gold commit the sixth-most penalties and seventh-most minutes of any CCHA team.
Earlier this year, Lake State scored just two goals on eight power-play attempts, while the Falcons won the special teams’ battle with 3 goals on seven power-play tries. BG swept the series.
In the last series of the 2024-25 season, LSSU went three for nine on power plays and BG just two for ten. LSSU split with BG on the road.
In the first series of last season, BG scored three power-play goals on seven attempts to the Lakers’ one on nine tries. BG won both games.
The Falcons and Lakers skate at the Slater Family Ice Arena on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 16 and 17. Puck drops at 7:07 both nights, broadcast on WBGU 88.1 FM, streaming on bgfalconmedia.com.
