| BG’s Max Grover (23) shoots as NMU’s Nicholas Kosinski (10) defends (Photo: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune) |
Bowling Green had little going on during the first two periods Friday night.
The Falcons found life in the third period from an unlikely source — their power play.
Two power-play goals enabled the Falcons to erase a 2-0 deficit and they eventually posted a 3-2 shootout
victory over Northern Michigan in a Central Collegiate Hockey Association game at the Ice Arena.
BG senior captain David Solway scored the only goal in the four-round shootout.
Each team received one point in the CCHA standings for the 2-2 tie after overtime. The Falcons earned a
second point for winning the shootout.
The Falcons capitalized on both ends of a two-man advantage to tie the game.
Cameron Sinclair brought BG within 2-1 from the right circle at 2:33, scoring with a hard shot from the
right circle as he gained control of the puck after a point shot was blocked.
BG tied the game 47 seconds later on Mike Fink’s deflection of Camden Wotjala’s shot from the left point.
The Wildcats had two men in the penalty box after Kyle Follmer was called for checking from behind at
1:10 and Andrew Cherniwchan received 5-minute major and game-misconduct penalties for a hit to the head
against Solway at 2:19. Cherniwchan, a junior forward, is one of NMU’s best players, logging major
minutes in all situations.
The Falcons tied the game just 16 seconds after receiving the two-man advantage.
NMU had taken a 2-0 lead on goals from Erik Higby at 13:16 of the first period and Justin Florek on the
power play at 5:53 of the second period.
“I’m not sure, without watching the tape, if we deserved to win that game,” BG coach Chris Bergeron said.
“But we deserved to win, based on our third-period effort and our resiliency in that (third) period. We
took advantage of our special teams. All in all, a nice win.”
BG dominated the remainder of the third period and finished with a 16-2 edge in shots. The Falcons
out-shot NMU in the game by a 34-19 margin.
BG is 8-21-4 overall and 3-18-4-2 in the CCHA.
“The momentum from the power play made a huge difference,” Bergeron said. “Some guys got a little bit
angry with what was happening and took their game up a notch.”
“A lot of guys stepped up and did well,” Solway said.
Solway won the shootout with his signature move, going wide to the left and then cutting back to the net.
He started to go to his backhand at the top of the crease, stopped and tucked a forehand shot into the
left side of the net.
NMU is 13-15-5, 11-11-3-0.
“(BG) came out and did a great job in the third period,” NMU coach Walt Kyle said. “They controlled the
third and they had other opportunities. I give them a lot of credit. We’re not a team with tremendous
composure.”
The BG power play was just 2-of-46 in its last 11 games before scoring twice Friday. BG’s only other game
with two power-play goals this season was Nov. 26 against Alabama-Huntsville. The Falcons have scored
only 16 power-play goals this season.
“We had an attitude to shoot the puck,” Solway said. “We just simplified things and tried to get pucks on
the net. We finally executed and it made a difference in the game.”
BG also killed off two of NMU’s three chances on the power play, the last coming with 3:59 left in
regulation.
“Our penalty-kill was good,” Bergeron said.
BG goalie Andrew Hammond played well with 17 saves, including a point-blank stop with 18 seconds left in
regulation. He also stopped two shots in the shootout and has given up just two goals in 11 shootout
shots this season.
“The key for me is being patient and staying confident,” said Hammond, whose patience usually forces the
shooter to make the first move.”
Hammond has a 2.65 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage overall.
“It’s just one of those things I’ve had pretty good luck with,” he said of the shootout.
BG defensemen Jake Sloat (quad contusion) and Ian Ruel (concussion) returned to the lineup, while forward
Marc Rodriguez didn’t play because of a concussion.
BGSU 2, NORTHERN MICHIIGAN 2, TIE
NMU 1 1 0 0 —2
BGSU 0 0 2 0 —2
(BGSU won shootout 1-0 in four rounds)
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1, NMU Florek 13 (Fox, Macaulay) 13:16.
Penalties: Spady, NMU, hooking, 7:53; Viselli, BG, roughing, 17:04.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 2 NMU Fox 9 (Hanson) 5:53 (5-4 pp).
Penalties: Brown, NMU, tripping, 3:31; Solway, BG, slashing, 4:13; Hanson, NMU, charging, 7:14.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 3, BG Sinclair 3 (Sproat, Peltoma) 2:33 (5-3 pp). 4, BG Fink 4 (Solway, Wojtala) 3:25 (5-4 pp).
Penalties: Follmer, NMU, checking from behind, 1:10; Cherniwchan, NMU, major-contact to the head and
game-misconduct, 2:19; Peltoma, BG, obstruction-hooking, 4:11;Mohler, BG, hooking, 16:41.
OVERTIME
Scoring: None.
Penalties: None.
SHOOTOUT
BG: Samuels-Thomas, no goal; Mohler, no goal; Fink, no goal; Solway, goal.
NMU: Spady, no goal; Hanson, no goal; Nugent, no goal; Higby, no goal.
SAVES BY PERIOD
Ellingson, NMU 6 9 14 3 —32
Hammond, BG 4 8 2 3 —17
Goalie statistics (goals against/minutes played): (NMU) Ellingson 2/65; (BG) Hammond 2/65.
Penalties-Minutes: NMU 6-23, BG 4-8. Power plays: NMU 1-3, BG 2-5. Attendance: 1,710.
