By Ben Shanahan
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
Bowling Green State University goalie Cole Moore, who recorded his second shutout of his career, saved all 29 shots on net as the Falcons defeated Ferris State University, 2-0, at the Slater Family Ice Arena to open Central Collegiate Hockey League play Friday.
“It is always a good personal milestone to get a shutout, especially happy to do it on a Friday night in CCHA play. Big win for the fellas tonight,” said Moore.
There were not many stoppages in the first ten minutes of the game as both teams battled back and forth with nothing to show, until BGSU sophomore Gustav Stjernberg headed to the box for an elbow with 7:49 left.
The Falcons killed off that powerplay and headed on their own two and a half minutes later as Ferris State freshman extra skater Conner Brown headed to the box with 5:15 left.
BGSU also failed to score on their powerplay, leaving the scoreboard blank until 1:24 left in the opening frame, when a puck fired from the point would hit BGSU sophomore Ben Doran’s stick to freshman Maxwell Martin and hit the back of the net, giving the Falcons the 1-0 lead for the rest of the first.
“It is awesome to score my first CCHA goal. It is awesome to play in such a cool place and make an impact in the game,” said Martin.
Bowling Green would be back to the powerplay early in the second thanks to a hook with 18:24 remaining, but the Bulldogs kept BGSU out of the net and both teams went back to even strength.
Ferris got their second chance on the powerplay next. With 12:30 left, Bowling Green senior Ben Wozney headed to the box for interference, and the Falcons power play unit held off the Bulldogs.
Seven minutes later, Ferris State headed back to the power play because of a hold, but the powerplay did not last the full two minutes as Ferris’ Gavin Best was whistled for a penalty, opening up four on four hockey for 37 seconds. Both teams got their guy back with the scoreboard still reading 1-0 with 2:07 remaining in the middle period.
The Bulldogs ended the second period and started the third on the powerplay as BG transfer Jackson Niedermayer was called for interference with 1:21 left in the second period.
The Falcons killed off the penalty to start the third period as both teams went to full strength with Bowling Green up 1-0.
BG lit up the scoreboard again just over four minutes into the period as fifth-year senior Ethan Scardina skated the puck right in front of Ferris State goalie Noah West before quickly passing it to sophomore Matvei Kabanov for his first goal as a Falcon.
A minute and a half later, Ferris would hurt the comeback chance by going on the penalty kill thanks to freshman Matt Corbet, who headed to the box for boarding. Again, the Bulldogs kept the Falcons off the board, who have been struggling on the powerplay, this one making them 0-for-4 on the game despite some solid opportunities.
“We say powerplay goals are like cats; they come and go. Dogs are like the defense. We had much better looks tonight than last weekend,” said BGSU coach Dennis Williams.
BG got yet another chance on the powerplay as Ferris State’s Logan Heroux was caught for a trip, but again the Bulldogs converted a perfect penalty kill, keeping it 2-0.
Both teams played four-on-four with 4:18 left in regulation as Jaden Grant and Xavier Jean-Louis both get called for roughing and sat for two minutes. With 27 seconds left on that four-on-four it went to four-on-three in favor of the Falcons because FSU alternate captain Kaleb Ergang was called for a cross-check with 2:44 left in the game. If nothing else, that sealed the game for the Falcons.
