The 8th ranked Bowling Green hockey team will host defending Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season champion Ferris State this weekend at the BGSU Ice Arena. The Ferris State Bulldogs enter the series with an overall record of 11-15-1 and 8-10-0 in
the WCHA.
However, last year the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA regional final with a 29-11-3 overall record. Ferris State is also 4-1-1 against BG in the past two seasons.
Both teams will play each other in four consecutive games starting on Friday. BG will host the first series and Ferris State will host the next two games.
“Hopefully the weekend comes at a perfect time for us to get our game back on track against a team that we know we need to play well to have success,” said head coach
Chris Bergeron.
Last weekend against Bemidji State on the road, the Falcons earned one point in the WCHA standings out of a possible four points.
“We’re not happy with it. Full marks to Bemidji [State], they’re coming off a big tournament win a couple weeks ago and they played like it this past weekend and we didn’t,” Bergeron said.
On Friday night, the Falcons lost 5-2 and then ended Saturday’s game in a 2-2 tie against Bemidji State on the road. BG led 2-0 in the third period in Saturday night’s contest, however the Falcons allowed two late goals and the game ended in a 2-2 tie.
“We’re a little bit tired, more mentally than physically. We need to get back to playing the way we want to play, which is competing at a really high level and putting the focus on the process and the details of our game as individuals. We have not been in this position before where the target is on our chest and we haven’t handled it great over the last six to eight games,” Bergeron said.
BG freshman Nolan Valleau, scored his first two collegiate goals in Friday’s game. Additionally, Valleau has 11 assists on
the season.
Goalie Chris Nell, another BG freshman, is ranked seventh nationally in goals against average with 1.88 per game. Nell has a 6-2-2 starting record on the season.
The Falcons overall record of 15-6-5 is their best start since the 1994-1995 season. The team has also been ranked weekly in the United States College Hockey Online polls since Nov. 10th.
BG ranks fourth in the nation in combined special teams. The Falcon penalty kill is 97-for-104 [93.3 percent] this season and their power play is 17-for-104 [16.3 percent].
Offensively, the team is averaging 3.08 goals per game, third in the WCHA behind Minnesota State and Michigan Tech.
BG will look to improve on its 6-3-2 home record this weekend against WCHA rival Ferris State. Friday and Saturday’s game will begin at 7:07 p.m.
