ERIE, Pa. — The Bowling Green State University hockey team opened the season with an impressive performance, defeating Mercyhurst (0-1), 2-1, Friday.
BGSU junior Jaden Grant opened the scoring for the season with his seventh career goal at 11:38 in the first period. With tonight’s, win the Falcon’s gain their first win under new coach Dennis Williams.
Graduate Ville Immonen played in his 100th career game and his first as a Falcon, along with senior Jackson Niedermayer, sophomore Matvei Kabanov and freshman Maxwell Martin who all appeared in their first game in a Falcon uniform.
Sophomore Brody Waters scored his seventh career goal and first game-winning goal of his career at 5:07 in the second period.
Multiple falcons recorded firsts: Freshman Maxwell Martin (first career assist) and sophomore Matvei Kavanov (1st point at BGSU).
BGSU went 43-25 on faceoffs, with graduate students, Immonen and Ethan Scardina going 16-8 and 15-6, respectively.
Grant opened the scoring for the Falcons with off a shot from sophomore Breck McKinley from the blue line. Goalkeeper Simon Bucheler ended up saving the initial shot but was then tapped in behind Bucheler by Grant at 11:28 in the first period
Sophomore Cole Moore made a spectacular break-away save on Mercyhurt’s Borris Skalos with 36 seconds left in the first period to keep the Falcons ahead 1-0 going into the first break
At 5:07 left in the second period, Waters doubled the Falcon’s lead off the rush into the offensive zone. Kabanov took the puck into the zone and passed it to O’Hara on the left-hand side who found Waters on the right-hand side of the net to extend the lead, 2-0.
The Lakers were able to get one back in the second period at 8:30 from Boris Skalos to cut the lead to 2-1.
The Falcons will be back in action tomorrow night, Oct. 5 at 7:05 p.m. for the second game of the series against Mercyhurst at Mercyhurst Ice Center.
