The BG hockey team’s season ended at the hands of Notre Dame in the second round of playoffs this weekend, capping off the final season of Central Collegiate Hockey Association play.
The Irish swept the Falcons, winning game one Friday 1-0 in overtime, and taking game two a day later, 4-3.
Bryan Rust scored 1:22 into overtime in the first game to give the Irish the victory.
Notre Dame outshot the Falcons 36-22 on Friday. BG goalie, Andrew Hammond, kept the Falcons in the game, making multiple big saves and keeping the Irish off the board through regulation.
“We knew he was going to have to give us a chance in tonight’s game, and he did,” said coach Chris Bergeron. “He was back on top of his game.”
The Falcons helped Hammond out by blocking 16 shots. When the defense wasn’t blocking the shot, they kept from screening Hammond, allowing him to get a clear look at the puck.
“I thought our [defense] did a good job of opening up,” Hammond said. “I thought they did a good job of blocking shots.”
Rust’s goal came after a turnover by BG. He was wide open in the slot, beating Hammond with a backhand after receiving a pass from Jeff Costello.
“They’re a team that exposes you if you don’t take care of things,” Bergeron said. “Too many times tonight, we didn’t, and ultimately it cost us.”
Notre Dame goalie, Steven Summerhays, stopped 22 shots to record the shutout.
Saturday, Rust scored his second of the weekend to get Notre Dame on the board first, his first of two goals in the game, en route to a 4-3 win for the Irish.
Bryce Williamson had two goals and an assist for BG, and Ben Murphy scored once and added an assist.
“It was a tough game, we put everything we had into it,” Williamson said. “We just came up a little bit short.”
Notre Dame scored twice in the first period. Rust’s goal came 6:44 into the period and Nick Larson scored six minutes later.
However, the Falcons’ special teams helped them get out of that hole. BG scored two power play goals in the second period — from Williamson and Murphy — to tie the game entering the third.
“Our power play kind of got us back in the game there,” Williamson said. “But in the third period there we got caught in penalty trouble and they capitalized.”
Rust scored the go-ahead goal midway though the third period on a penalty shot. The penalty shot was awarded when a BG player closed his hand on the puck while it was in the Falcons’ crease.
Notre Dame center, Anders Less, scored a power play goal just under four minutes later to increase the lead to two. BG almost immediately cut that in half, however, as Williamson netted his second of the night just 13 second later.
Hammond stopped 30 of 34 shots in the loss.
Despite the exit from the postseason, Bergeron was pleased with the progress his team displayed throughout the season.
“We’re establishing a brand of Bowling Green hockey that we’re willing to be great on a daily basis,” Bergeron said. “It takes time. Our guys are getting it. We’re getting punched in the face and getting back up … I do think the willingness is coming, and our young guys are understanding that.”
