Hockey Extends Win Streak to Four With Sweep of Lake Superior State

Saturday, January 27

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

7:07PM

Bowling Green State University

16-8-6,13-4-5WCHA

Lake Superior State

6-20-4,4-15-3WCHA

Bowling Green

Lake Superior State

Hockey Extends Win Streak to Four With Sweep of Lake Superior State

January 27, 2018 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: Jenna Jorgensen (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Bowling Green hockey program (16-8-6, 13-4-5 WCHA) extended its win streak to four straight Saturday evening as they sealed the series sweep of Lake Superior State (6-20-4, 4-15-3 WCHA) in a 3-2 victory. The Falcons three-goal first period held out for the win, as Tyler Spezia notched his second career multi-goal game and Mitch McLain tallied his team-leading 13th goal of the season.

Box Score
Spezia Goal Call 1-0
McLain Goal Call 2-0
Spezia Goal Call 3-0

Scoring Plays

Period 1 | 03:07 – Senior Tyler Spezia held the puck narrow along the boards before he was able to break free and swivel towards the front of the net. The Clinton Township, Mich. native was able to beat the goaltender with his sixth of the season to put Bowling Green up 1-0.
Period 1 | 08:57 – As the Falcons saw one of its three power play chances of the night, senior captain Mitch McLain was able to capitalize with the man advantage as he was fed a pass from freshman Brandon Kruse. The Baxter, Minn. native was waiting at the crease, before he tucked it right under Lake Superior State's goaltender to put them up 2-0 midway through the first period with his team-leading 13th goal of the season.
Period 1 | 18:11 – To extend the Falcons lead to 3-0 in the final minutes of the opening stanza, Spezia was ready out front for a quick shot that fired under the glove of the Lakers goalie inside the near side pipe for his seventh of the season.

Statistical Standouts

Players with active point streaks include Alec Rauhauser (five games), Brandon Kruse (four games), and Tyler Spezia (two games).
With a pair of goals in the 3-2 victory, Spezia totaled four points on the weekend by three goals and one assist. It marked the forward's second multi-goal night in his career, while he has now tallied four goals in the last four games.
With a trio of assists, freshman Brandon Kruse had a hand in all three of the Falcons goals on the evening. The three-point night ties his career-best, set two games back against Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 20. In his four game point streak, the Saline, Mich. native has totaled eight points by two goals and six assists.
Another multi-point performance came from senior captain Mitch McLain as he tallied two by one goal and one assist. It marks the forward's fifth multi-point night of the season and 18th of his career.
Between the pipes sophomore goaltender Ryan Bednard withstood 17 saves with just two goals against on the night. The win improves Bednard's record to 9-4-4 on the season.
Overall, the Falcons went 1-for-3 on the power play, and killed all three of its penalties on the night. After tallying 14 shots on goal in the opening period, the Falcons ultimately earned 36 on the night to Lake Superior State's 19.

Coach Bergeron's Take

"I'm extremely happy with the first period. I felt like we were in a really good spot going into the second period because of it. We played two good periods and one poor period in the middle tonight. We didn't score in the third, but we played well. We knew Lake Superior State would push back, and I think we handled it pretty well."
"The combination of McLain, Spezia and Kruse was what I thought our best line all weekend. Those guys know that as seniors, we need them to be really good at this point in the season, and Brandon Kruse plays well with that line. He's a guy that has offense to him and they all had a great weekend."

Up Next

The Bowling Green hockey program will now return home to the Slater Family Ice Arena as it hosts WCHA foe Michigan Tech next weekend Feb. 2-3, 2018. It marks the final home series of the regular season for the Falcons, as they will honor their four-player senior class on Saturday, Feb. 3.

Follow the Falcons

For more information on the hockey program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGFalconHockey and @BGAthletics) and now on Instagram (bgfalconhockey) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.