by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green Falcon hockey team drew much excitement at the BGSU Ice Arena in the series finale against Providence Saturday night, yet lost 3-1 after a late surge by the Friars.
The Falcons stormed out of the gate offensively by taking the game’s first three shots, one of which would strike the PC pipe off of the stick of senior forward James Perkin. Freshman goaltender Andrew Hammond got the start for the Falcons in the net and rebounded from the 8-2 loss from a night ago by making his first six saves.
The Falcons took physicality to a new level by bodying up on the Friars and limiting them to nine shots in the opening period. Most notably, freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas and senior Kai Kantola would step up their game on the power play when on two chances, the Friars could only muster one shot on goal in the period.
Bowling Green scored the opening goal for the first time this season to take an early 1-0 lead when Perkin struck the back of the net on a wide open slap shot from the top of the right circle at the 13:15 mark. Tommy Dee was credited with the assist, making good for his third point of the weekend series.
Despite the quick start, the Falcon lead would stand only 1:08 before PC tied it up at the 14:23 mark of the first period. Providence junior Matt Germain scored his first goal of the season after taking the puck around the back of the BG cage and wrapping it around the post past Hammond to tie the game at one.
The last half of the first period and the entire second frame would be filled with terrific defense and more hard hitting by both teams while both teams held the other scoreless for the next 15:51. Bowling Green’s physical and disciplined defense only allowed one power play opportunity to the Friars in the last two periods of regulation and two shots during that time. Bowling Green would outshoot Providence in the second period 15 shots to ten.
Hammond stepped up his game in the third by making two key kick saves off of the stick of Matt Bergland before snagging the loose puck out of the air, killing a the scoring chance for Providence.
Bowling Green responded with a prime chance to take the lead after two Providence penalties a minute apart put BGSU on a two-man advantage. The Falcons put six shots on goal; all saved by PC sophomore goalie Justin Gates. The Friars returned one man to the ice and for the next minute of the Bowling Green power play, allowed only one shot on goal to kill both BG power plays.
The Friars returned to the power play for the third time of the evening after Ian Ruel was charged with cross-checking, yet the Falcon defense would stay strong and kill the PC power play.
Less than 45-seconds later, Providence would take the lead when junior Eric Baier took a hard slap shot from the top of the left circle and beat Hammond top-shelf. Providence 2, Bowling Green 1.
The Falcons attempted a surge with a minute remaining by pulling Hammond out of the net to give them a man advantage, but the Friars' Ian O'Connor tossed the puck from center ice into the empty net with 0:47 to go. The 3-1 lead would be all Providence would need to complete the sweep of the Falcons, who begin the season 0-4-0.
Bowling Green outshot the opposition for the first time this season, 34-32. Neither team would score on the power play as Bowling Green went 0-4 on the night while Providence finished 0-3.
Hammond, despite the loss, had the best game of his young Falcon career stopping 29 of 31 Friar shots, including 11 in the third period alone. “Andrew played very well,” said interim head coach Dennis Williams. “He has the calmness and composure in net out there. He did a great job with his rebound control. He was aggressive. We just have to find a way to score now.”
“They deserve way more than a loss out there tonight,” said Williams. “This one hurts way more than last night. If we can play like that every night and get a bit better, watch out.”
The Falcons fall to 0-4-0 to begin the 2009-10 season and will take the week to prepare for its first conference action when the team travels to Omaha, Neb. to play the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.
The Falcons stormed out of the gate offensively by taking the game’s first three shots, one of which would strike the PC pipe off of the stick of senior forward James Perkin. Freshman goaltender Andrew Hammond got the start for the Falcons in the net and rebounded from the 8-2 loss from a night ago by making his first six saves.
The Falcons took physicality to a new level by bodying up on the Friars and limiting them to nine shots in the opening period. Most notably, freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas and senior Kai Kantola would step up their game on the power play when on two chances, the Friars could only muster one shot on goal in the period.
Bowling Green scored the opening goal for the first time this season to take an early 1-0 lead when Perkin struck the back of the net on a wide open slap shot from the top of the right circle at the 13:15 mark. Tommy Dee was credited with the assist, making good for his third point of the weekend series.
Despite the quick start, the Falcon lead would stand only 1:08 before PC tied it up at the 14:23 mark of the first period. Providence junior Matt Germain scored his first goal of the season after taking the puck around the back of the BG cage and wrapping it around the post past Hammond to tie the game at one.
The last half of the first period and the entire second frame would be filled with terrific defense and more hard hitting by both teams while both teams held the other scoreless for the next 15:51. Bowling Green’s physical and disciplined defense only allowed one power play opportunity to the Friars in the last two periods of regulation and two shots during that time. Bowling Green would outshoot Providence in the second period 15 shots to ten.
Hammond stepped up his game in the third by making two key kick saves off of the stick of Matt Bergland before snagging the loose puck out of the air, killing a the scoring chance for Providence.
Bowling Green responded with a prime chance to take the lead after two Providence penalties a minute apart put BGSU on a two-man advantage. The Falcons put six shots on goal; all saved by PC sophomore goalie Justin Gates. The Friars returned one man to the ice and for the next minute of the Bowling Green power play, allowed only one shot on goal to kill both BG power plays.
The Friars returned to the power play for the third time of the evening after Ian Ruel was charged with cross-checking, yet the Falcon defense would stay strong and kill the PC power play.
Less than 45-seconds later, Providence would take the lead when junior Eric Baier took a hard slap shot from the top of the left circle and beat Hammond top-shelf. Providence 2, Bowling Green 1.
The Falcons attempted a surge with a minute remaining by pulling Hammond out of the net to give them a man advantage, but the Friars' Ian O'Connor tossed the puck from center ice into the empty net with 0:47 to go. The 3-1 lead would be all Providence would need to complete the sweep of the Falcons, who begin the season 0-4-0.
Bowling Green outshot the opposition for the first time this season, 34-32. Neither team would score on the power play as Bowling Green went 0-4 on the night while Providence finished 0-3.
Hammond, despite the loss, had the best game of his young Falcon career stopping 29 of 31 Friar shots, including 11 in the third period alone. “Andrew played very well,” said interim head coach Dennis Williams. “He has the calmness and composure in net out there. He did a great job with his rebound control. He was aggressive. We just have to find a way to score now.”
“They deserve way more than a loss out there tonight,” said Williams. “This one hurts way more than last night. If we can play like that every night and get a bit better, watch out.”
The Falcons fall to 0-4-0 to begin the 2009-10 season and will take the week to prepare for its first conference action when the team travels to Omaha, Neb. to play the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.
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