BGSU hockey (13-6-4, 10-4-3) claimed their 10th victory in CCHA play of the season during the first game of their weekend series against the Bemidji State Beavers (9-13-3, 7-7-3) via a 3-1 scoreline at BSU’s Sanford Center.
Bowling Green entered the game with multiple players absent from the lineup as freshman forward Noah Morneau, sophomore forward Adam Zlnka and senior defenseman and team captain Dalton Norris were all missing from the lineup due to injuries.
The two teams skated into the first intermission with the same 0-0 score as when they started the game despite Bowling Green out shooting BSU 9-5 in the first frame of play.
In the second period, it would be Bemidji leading the shooting battle as they outshot BG 12-9.
Despite being outshot in the second frame of play, it would be the Orange and Brown to strike twice in the second period and enter the second intermission with a two-goal lead and a 2-0 scoreline.
Junior forward Ben Doran would start the scoring while on a powerplay opportunity by scoring on an up close opportunity with BSU’s freshman netminder Max Hildebrand. Junior forward Brody Waters and junior defenseman Breck McKinley set up the goal and were rewarded with assists for their contributions to the play.
Just over a minute later, sophomore forward Max Martin would backhand a shot past Hillebrand on a breakaway for the Tawas City, Michigan native’s first goal of the season to give the Falcons a two goal advantage. Freshman forward Jake Sloan and senior forward Brett Pfoh were credited with the assists on the goal.
A shot from freshman defenseman Maxon Vig would cut the Falcon lead in half in the third period in what would end up being Bemidji State’s lone goal of the contest. Sophomore forward Jaksen Panzer and junior forward Kasper Magnussen were both credited with assists on the play.
Ben Doran would put the game on ice in favor of the Falcons with only 11.5 seconds remaining in the third period when the Chesterfield, Missouri native would shoot from just off the center ice logo in the neutral zone into an empty net after Bemidji pulled their goalie for the extra attacker for an unassisted, empty net goal.
Cole Moore finished the game for the Orange and Brown having recorded a season best .963 save percentage after the junior netminder made 26 saves.
Hilledbrand finished the game having made 23 saves while posting a respectable .913 save percentage.
BGSU had multiple players step up defensively during the game with a total of 12 different Falcons blocking at least one shot and freshman defenseman Brayden Crampton, freshman forward Connor Levis, Pfoh and McKinley all blocking two Bemidji shots apiece.
Bowling Green had a strong night at the faceoff circles as they won the faceoff battle 34-25 with senior forward and alternate captain Jaden Grant leading the charge by winning 14 of the 18 faceoffs he was tasked with.
Another strong contributor to the Falcons’ success was the success of their special units as the Bowling Green penalty kill killed off all four of the penalties the Orange and Brown took over the course of the game while the BGSU powerplay went one for two on their powerplay opportunities.
The win for the Falcons marks the first time in head coach Dennis Williams’s most recent tenure as Bowling Green’s bench boss that a game between BGSU and Bemidji State ended by more than a one goal difference with all six previous matches only being separated by a single goal and five of the six ending in an overtime and/or shootout.
For Bemidji State, the loss continued a disappointing trend for the Beavers as they are now on a five-game losing streak in conference play and have not secured a regulation victory since Nov. 22 when they defeated Northern Michigan (1-24-0, 1-16-0) 6-2.
Williams and the Falcons will return to the Sanford Center tonight, Jan. 24, and will look to close out the weekend sweep over the Beavers.
Falcon Media Sports Network’s Ben Corak will have the call live from Bemidji, Minnesota on WBGU 88.1 FM with puck drop scheduled for 7:07 p.m.
