By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
Scoring five goals in the third period, Bowling Green State University hockey routed Northern Michigan, 6-2, in game one of a two-game series at the Slater Family Ice Arena on Friday.
BGSU (4-9 overall, 2-3 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) finally got the monkey off their back by beating the Wildcats (5-7-1, 3-4) at home, something they have not done in the last five meetings dating back to March 13, 2021.
The Wildcats went into the third period up one goal before the Falcon offense exploded, scoring five straight unanswered.
The last time the Falcons scored five goals in a period was against Miami in a 7-4 win, where they scored five goals in the third period (October 6, 2019).
It was an offensive explosion that BGSU coach Ty Eigner credited to a finished check by BGSU freshman Brody Waters, which seemed to get the offense in gear.
“First of all, we liked how we played in the first period. In the second, it felt like we got away from that a little bit, but then in the third period, Brody Waters finished his check in the corner that flipped the whole thing,” Eigner said.
“Brody finishes his check, the defender is dinged up, heads to the bench, and boom, breakaway if he does not finish his check.
“Those two things the players decided we needed to do a better job of and get back to how we played in the first period and Brody Waters finishing his check.”
Northern Michigan was the first team in the box. With 10:45 left in the first period, Josh Zinger was called for interference, giving the Falcons the man advantage.
On that man advantage, Waters remained red-hot, scoring his fifth goal of the season, as senior Josh Noddler’s cross-crease pass found Waters, who found the back of the net, giving the Falcons a quick one-goal lead.
Zinger was back in the box again for interference with 6:48 left, but the Wildcats were not on the penalty kill for long as BGSU sophomore Jaden Grant joined him four seconds later for a hook, and the teams played 4-on-4.
Both teams got their guys back from the box with no harm to the scoreboard two minutes later.
Junior Ben Wozney was sent to the box with 2:30 left in the opening frame for interference, but that was killed off, sending the Falcons still up one goal heading into period two.
Nine seconds into the middle period, BGSU senior Seth Fyten was sent to the box for roughing, but it was killed off once again as the penalty kill unit shined for the Falcons. However, BGSU also failed on their next power play — with 15:07 remaining, Jakob Peterson was called for a cross-check.
NMU tied the game as their captain Artem Schlaine tipped senior Kristof Papp’s shot from the point, beating Falcon goalie Cole Moore on the top shelf with 12:45 left in the second.
BGSU headed back to the power play with captain Aiden Gallacher heading to the box for a holding penalty.
Unfortunately for BGSU, the man advantage would go horribly wrong, and with 2:49 left in the period, senior Michael Colella scored on a breakaway, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead on a shorthanded goal.
The Falcons headed into the third period down a goal, just before the magic began.
It changed exactly three minutes in with Waters scoring his second of the game while losing his defender on the breakaway.
Fifty-five seconds later, the Falcons took the lead for good as sophomore forward Brett Pfoh found himself all alone in front of the net, making it 3-2 with 16:55 remaining.
BGSU scored its third unanswered of the period as freshman Gustav Stjernberg took a wide slap shot that bounced off the boards behind NMU goalie Charlie Glockner, who tapped it in himself with the back of his skate, making it 4-2 Falcons with 12:48 remaining.
Senior Seth Fyten scored his first of the season in his first game back at the Slater Arena with a snipe, giving the Falcons their fourth of the period and a commanding 5-2 lead with 10:50 remaining in the game.
“It felt really good to get the monkey off the back. Credit goes to my teammates for giving me a lot of help and supporting me in coming back into the lineup,” said Fyten.
With 3:30 left, NMU captain Andre Ghantous got a game misconduct after cross-checking Gustav Stjernberg from behind.
Stjernberg was sent off, but just to the penalty box, as he served only a minor penalty for a cross-check.
Fyten scored his second of the game and put the game on ice, hitting the empty net with 3:48 left.
