Despite a Johnson Power Play Goal, Hockey Falls to Northern Michigan

Friday, March 9

Marquette, Mich.

7:07PM

Bowling Green State University

22-11-6, 17-6-5-2

Northern Michigan

24-13-3, 19-7-2-2

Bowling Green

Northern Mich.

Despite a Johnson Power Play Goal, Hockey Falls to Northern Michigan

March 09, 2018 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: Jenna Jorgensen (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)

MARQUETTE, Mich. – Despite a quick power play goal early in the game by freshman Max Johnson, the Bowling Green hockey program (22-11-6, 17-6-5-2 WCHA) dropped a 6-1 final on Friday evening at Northern Michigan (24-13-3, 19-7-2-2 WCHA) in the first game of the WCHA Semifinals. The Falcons will look to rebound tomorrow to keep the season alive in the best-of-three playoff series.

Box Score
Johnson Goal Call 1-0

Scoring Play

Period 1 | 01:49 – The Falcons earned an early power play opportunity as the Wildcats captain was sent off with an interference call. Bowling Green didn't need much time as freshman Max Johnson was able to get the puck past the goal line before a Wildcat was able to flip it out of the net. Johnson's 12th goal of the season was assisted by junior Stephen Baylis and sophomore Alec Rauhauser to get the Falcons on the board early in the game.

Statistical Standouts

Three Falcons currently extend active point streaks, including freshman Max Johnson (two games), junior Stephen Baylis (two games), and sophomore Alec Rauhauser (two games). Baylis and Rauhauser have also both appeared on the box score in four of the last five games.
The Falcons goal marked Johnson's team-leading ninth power play goal of the season, as well as his 12th overall, the most of the Bowling Green freshman class. Prior to the night, Johnson's eight goals on the man advantage ranked 11th in the nation of all Division I players.
Rauhauser's 38 points on the season marks the most by a single Falcon since 39 by Dan Sexton in the 2008-09 campaign. Now on a two-game point streak, the Bismarck, N.D. native has only been held off the box score in 12 of the Falcons 39 games this season.
Between the pipes, sophomore goaltender Ryan Bednard posted 23 saves, including a game-high of 10 in the opening period of play.
Overall, Northern Michigan outshot the Falcons 29-20 on the night, and although the Falcons went 1-for-2 on the power play, they went 2-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Previously, the Falcons have won all three best-of-three playoff series against Northern Michigan under Coach Bergeron. While the Falcons picked up the sweep with two wins at home in 2014-15, Bowling Green rebounded from first game losses to advance in both the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns and will look to do the same Saturday evening.

Coach Bergeron's Take

"Going into tomorrow's game, we're not going to look to do a whole lot differently. Against Northern Michigan, you need to be disciplined with your actions, and we weren't tonight. You can't give their power play second opportunities in the zone, which we did. The momentum that their power play created cost us the rest of the game. So nothing will change in terms of the message. I thought our first period was pretty good, other than the fact that we should have gotten a kill and we didn't, but at this point we're not going to change a whole lot, but we need to play a lot better than we did tonight."

Up Next

The Bowling Green hockey program will look to even the series at one game apiece tomorrow March 10 in a 7:07 p.m. puck drop in Marquette, Mich. Should the Falcons earn the victory, they will force a third game in the best-of-three series for a chance to advance to the WCHA Championship.

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.