By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Bowling Green State University hockey fell to 1-5 after losing to No. 9 ranked Western Michigan (3-0-1), 5-2, at Lawson Arena on Saturday.
The Broncos saw an offensive explosion from senior and Anaheim Ducks prospect Sam Colangelo, who scored a hat trick and earned an assist, doubling his so-far season total to eight points. This was also Colangelo’s first hat trick in college.
For the Falcons, they saw 6-foot-6 freshman goaltender Cole Moore shine once again, saving 42 of the Broncos shots.
“Cole did a nice job this weekend against a very good team. He gave us a chance to get into the game early tonight when Western Michigan came out flying,” said BGSU coach Ty Eigner.
Moore has shined in his first three games as a Falcon, saving 26 in his debut and 30 last night in a loss to Western Michigan at the Slater Family Ice Arena on Friday. Moore is still looking for his first win but Eigner says he has demonstrated talent in his early NCAA career.
The Broncos came out of the gate like rockets, scoring at the one-minute mark of the first period. Matteo Constantini receives a perfectly dished cross-ice pass through traffic from WMU alternate captain Chad Hillebrand, erupting the Lawson Lunatics fan base at the arena.
The Broncos dominated the first eight minutes of the game, not allowing the Falcons a shot on goal.
That changed in the Falcons’ defensive zone when BG sophomore forward Jaden Grant drew a cross-checking call, sending Western Michigan graduate transfer Joe Cassetti to the box for two minutes.
Cassetti did not sit for two minutes as on the Falcon’s second shot of the game, freshman Brandon Santa Juana earned his first point as a Falcon, assisting transfer senior Spencer Kersten’s second goal of the second, tying the game at one with 10:56 left in the first period.
That power play ended an 11-period 12-power play scoring drought for the Falcons, who improved to 2-for-14 on the power play this season. The last Bowling Green power play goal came from Dalton Norris at Robert Morris in the first period of the season.
Both teams traded chances the rest of the first period until WMU senior Sam Colangelo got a breakaway goal to regain the lead for Western Michigan, beating Cole Moore top shelf with 1:26 left in the first.
The Falcons then were back on the power play as Western’s Alex Bump was called for a slash in his own defensive zone, but the Falcons could not convert this time.
Three minutes later, the Broncos had their first chance on the power play, which also failed as the Falcons improved to an impressive 85% penalty kill in the early campaign.
The Falcons tied it once again, this time at even strength, 2-2, as Ryan O’Hara passed the puck to a waiting Gustav Stjernberg.
The 6-4 freshman defenseman fired the puck on the right side of the blue line, scoring his first collegiate goal of his career at the 9:13 point of the second.
After WMU goalie Cameron Rowe made a phenomenal save, both teams on the ice got into a scrum, resulting in Western Michigan graduate player Zak Galambos going to the box for a cross-check and BGSU junior O’Hara being sent for a slash with 6:42 left in the second.
The Broncos took the lead on the ensuing 4-on-4 as Detroit Red Wings prospect Ethan Phillips shot a puck that rang off the post and passed Moore, putting the Broncos up 3-2 with 4:51 left in the middle period.
The Broncos struck first in third, too. With 7:37 left in regulation, Colangelo’s shot on Moore would be called on the ice as a save but then reversed by replay review as a goal, giving Colangelo his second score of the night.
Colangelo was not done, however. With 2:29 left in the game, he finished off the hat trick with an empty net goal, his fifth goal of the season and his fourth point of the night.
Bowling Green will return to action Friday, November 3 for a two home-game series against the Mercyhurst Lakers, puck-drop set for 7:07 p.m. and will serve as Youth Hockey Night.
