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Bowling Green State University Athletics
BG Icers Face Western Michigan This Weekend
February 18, 2001 | Ice Hockey
Feb. 18, 2001
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Western Michigan (17-9-6, 10-8-6 CCHA) at Bowling Green (10-17-5, 5-14-5 CCHA)
7:05 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Feb. 23-24
Series Record: BGSU leads 65-38-3
Last Meetings: at WMU 2-1/BG 5-4, Oct. 22-23, 1999
Friday Radio: WBVI-FM (96.7)
Saturday Radio: WBGU-FM (88.1)
SERIES HISTORY
Bowling Green leads the all-time series versus Western Michigan with a 65-38-3 record. The Falcons have a 37-12-0 home record against the Broncos. WMU took home a 4-1 win the last time the two teams met at the BGSU Ice Arena (Feb. 6, 1999). Buddy Powers has a record of 9-9-2 against WMU, including a 4-3-0 mark at BG.
SERIES NOTES
Bowling Green is eighth in league scoring (2.62), while Western Michigan sits at third (3.42). BG is eighth in defense (3.17), with the Broncos at 12th (3.50). The Falcons are second in power-play percentage (.200), while Western ranks fourth (.195). BG is third in penalty killing (.843) and WMU is ninth (.821).
PREVIEWING WESTERN MICHIGAN
Western Michigan played one contest last weekend, upsetting the #1 ranked Michigan State Spartans by a 4-2 margin on Friday night at Lawson Arena. The Broncos currently occupy the sixth position in the CCHA playoff race with 26 points.
Western Michigan is led in scoring by senior forward David Gove (21-33--54, 10 ppg, 3 shg), junior forward Mike Bishai (15-37--52, 6 ppg, 4 gwg), senior forward Steve Rymsha (20-23--43, 9 ppg, 5 gwg), and freshman blueliner Mike Jarmuth (2-16--18).
Second-year head coach Jim Culhane has used junior Jeff Reynaert (16-8-6, 2.99, .903) and sophomore J.J. Weaks (1-1-0, 3.92, .867) in net this season. Western Michigan's power play has scored on 44 of 215 opportunities (20.5%), while the penalty killing unit has stopped 170 of its opponents 206 chances (82.5%).
REVIEWING THE FERRIS STATE SERIES
Bowling Green tied (2-2) and lost (3-0) at Ferris State last weekend. BG is currently tied with Notre Dame for the 10th and final playoff spot in the CCHA with 15 points.
After a scoreless first period in Friday's match, freshman Simon Mangos scored early into the middle frame to put the Bulldogs up 1-0. Mere seconds after both teams returned a man from the penalty box to end four-on-four play, Scott Lewis fed the puck to a breaking Mangos, who aimed high over the glove of Falcon netminder Tyler Masters for his first collegiate goal.
BG would answer, however, with Greg Day netting a power-play marker to tie the game at one all. D'Arcy McConvey took a slapshot from the point that was off target and Day was there to pick up the loose puck and slide it past FSU goaltender Phil Osaer for his 18th of the year. Ryan Murphy was also awarded an assist.
FSU's Lewis picked up his second point of the night early in the third when he beat Masters for his fifth goal of the season just 24 seconds in. Rob Collins and Jim Dube garnered helpers on the play.
The Falcons would fight back to tie the game a second time. It was Greg Day scoring again for BG, this time at even strength. Day took a centering pass from behind the FSU net from Murphy, who was being knocked down by a Bulldog defender. Day's 19th of the season ties him with Murphy for the team lead in goals scored.
Masters made 28 saves in net for the Falcons, while Osaer stopped 25 shots for Ferris State. BG's power play scored once in eight opportunities and FSU was successful once in four chances.
On Saturday night Ferris State's Jason Basile and Rob Lightfoot each scored goals in the second period. The Bulldogs added an empty net marker in the waning seconds of the game to seal the win.
Masters made 33 saves for the Falcons, while his counterpart Osaer stopped 23 shots to earn the shutout against BG.
THE LAST TIME
Western Michigan and Bowling Green split their last series, with WMU winning 2-1 Friday night and BG victorious 5-4 Saturday night, October 22-23, 1999, at Lawson Arena.
Mike Bishai led the charge for the Broncos Friday night with one goal and one assist. Jeff Reynaert made 20 saves in net for Western Michigan, to Tyler Masters' 22 for the Falcons.
Craig Desjarlais' four points (1-3) helped the Falcons edge Western Michigan Saturday night and ensure the split for BG. Masters made 31 saves for BG to earn the win, while Reynaert halted 28 Falcon shots.
FALCON TIDBITS
Bowling Green has not split a series since the December 8-9 meetings with Nebraska-Omaha.
BG has won five consecutive home games, dating back to the December 9th match with Nebraska-Omaha.
The Falcon power play has scored at least one goal in 15 of the last 17 contests. BG has successfully converted 25 of their last 109 chances (22.9%) on the man-advantage.
Over the past 13 games, the Falcons have given up a seven goals in the last 78 opponent chances on the man-advantage for a penalty kill percentage of 89.7%.
Ryan Murphy has scored a point in 15 of his last 18 games. Murphy has 15-8--23 in that span. Murphy is currently tied for 17th in league scoring with 22 points (13-9--22), tied for sixth in power play goals with six, and tied for ninth in goals with 13.
Greg Day has a point in nine of the last 11 matches, and 14 of the last 17. Day has 10 goals, 15 assists (25 points) in his last 17 contests. Day is currently tied for 11th in the league in scoring, with 27 points (15-12--27), tied for sixth in power play goals with six, and tied for third in goals with 15.
Scott Hewson is tied for sixth in the CCHA in power play goals with six.
Tyler Masters leads the CCHA in saves with 685 (29.78 per game). Masters is 10th in the league with a goals against average of 2.98.
D'Arcy McConvey has scored a point in four of his last six matches (0-6--6). The freshman center leads BG rookie scorers with four goals and 14 assists for 18 points.
Only five players have seen action in all 32 contests this year with BG's losing 51 man-games to injuries.
