ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Junior goalie Nick Eno provided Bowling Green’s hockey team with a chance to beat
Michigan during the first two periods Friday night.
His teammates turned the chance into a reality in the third period.
Eno stopped 29 shots and the Falcons scored three times in the first six minutes of the third period for
a 4-2 upset of
the 16th-ranked Wolverines before a capacity crowd of 6,756 at Yost Arena.
Michigan – which has lost five straight for the first time since the fall of 1988 to fall to 4-7 overall
and 2-5 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association — took a 2-1 lead on Robbie Czarnik’s wrist shot
from the right circle with just 1:01 left in the second period.
But the Falcons rallied, scoring on both ends of a two-man advantage and adding their fourth goal shortly
after that.
Tommy Dee had one goal and one assist for BG, while the other goals were scored by Kyle Page, David
Solway and James Perkin. Jordan Samuels-Thomas added three assists for BG (2-8-1, 2-4-1-1).
The Falcons have won two of their last three. Michigan was the coaches pick to win the league title.
“You’ve got to let those things go and move on,” Dee said of Czarnik’s goal. “You’ve still got 20 minutes
left, down by a goal at Michigan … We’ll take that every time.”
The Falcons quickly went on the power play in the third period as Michigan’s Lee Moffie was called for
tripping at 1:41 and Steve Kampfer was whistled for cross-checking at 3:29, giving BG a 5-on-3 for just
13 seconds.
But the Falcons needed only nine seconds to score as Page scored with a slap shot from the center point
through traffic to tie the game 2-2 at 3:38.
The Falcons still had 1:51 left on the Kampfer penalty, allowing Dee to fire in a back-door rebound from
the left side of the slot to give BG a 3-2 lead at 4:52.
The BG power play was 2-of-3 and looked good for the third straight game. BG has scored a power-play goal
in three straight games.
Michigan’s power play was 1-of-2.
“We have a lot of confidence on the power play right now,” Dee said. “We have good chemistry and we’re
getting used to each other. We did a good job of passing the puck and getting in position for good
scoring chances.”
Michigan’s penalty-killing entered the game ranked fifth nationally in penalty-killing at 91.5 percent,
allowing just five goals in 59 attempts. The Falcons had scored just six power-play goals in 58
attempts.
“Our power play looked good, that’s something we’ve worked hard on in practice the last two weeks,” BG
coach Dennis Williams said.
Perkin was in front to add another rebound goal for a 4-2 lead with 14 minutes left.
“Our guys played hard. I’m really proud of them,” Williams said. “Our hard work is starting to pay off.”
The Wolverines held the edge in play over the first two periods, but Eno responded with nine saves in
each period. He also had 11 saves in the third period as Michigan finished with a 31-21 advantage in
shots.
“He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Dee said.
Eno has been terrific in his last five games, stopping 127-of-138 shots for a 2.51 goals-against average
and a .920 save percentage. Of the 11 goals he’s given up, four have come on the power play.
The Wolverines, who have one of the league’s most talented offenses, have scored just five goals during
their losing streak.
“(Eno) was very good,” Williams said.
The teams traded first-period goals. Michigan’s Louie Caporusso scored a power-play goal from in front at
10:59, but Solway tied it from the left circle at 18:56.
The Falcons, with eight freshmen (four forwards, four defensemen) in the lineup — were dominated in the
first period but settled for the 1-1 tie.
“That was important for us to survive the first period,” Williams said.
Samuels-Thomas has five goals in the last six games, while Solway has three and two assists in the last
three games after being slowed by a shoulder injury to start the season.
The Falcons go for the sweep tonight at 7:05 in downtown Toledo’s Lucas County Arena.
