Bowling Green State University Athletics
BGSU Icers Return Home to Face Findlay
October 22, 2002 | Ice Hockey
Oct. 22, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio -
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Falcons Host Findlay In Non-Conference Action (Oct. 25)
Bowling Green returns to the BGSU Ice Arena for a non-CCHA game with visiting Findlay. Face-off is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. It will be the first meeting between the two schools on the ice.
Bowling Green (1-5-0 overall) vs. Findlay (2-0-0 overall)
Bowling Green comes into Friday night's game with Findlay trying to snap a five-game losing streak. The Falcons opened the season with a 4-1 decision over Niagara at the Lefty McFadden Invitational. UF enters the game having won its first two games of the year, both coming at Canisius (5-0 & 8-1). Findlay is a member of College Hockey America while BGSU is a charter member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
Oct. 19 - FSU 5, BGSU 1 - FSU senior Chris Kunitz scored the game's first two goals in the first period as the Bulldogs went on to post a 5-1 win over BGSU. JR captain D'Arcy McConvey scored his first goal of the season early in the third period and lone goal of the game for the Falcons. FSU was 3-for-6 on the power play while BGSU was 0-for-4. Bulldog goalie Mike Brown made 26 saves on 27 shots while BGSU goalie Jordan Sigalet tied a career-high with 48 saves.
Oct. 18 - FSU 10, BGSU 1 - FSU netted its first goal of the game just 24 seconds in and went on to post a 10-1 victory over BGSU. FR Mike Falk's first-career goal later in the first period (7:30) cut the Falcon deficit to 2-1. But the Bulldogs added another goal in the first, three in the second period and four in the third period. Bulldog Chris Kunitz had two goals and four assists in the game while FSU outshot BGSU 43-33. FSU goalie Mike Brown had 32 saves on 33 shots while SR Tyler Masters was in goal for 60 minutes for the Falcons.
Oct. 12 - WMU 3, BGSU 2 - Western Michigan scored two power-play goals in the first period before the Falcons fought back with two goals of their own in the second period. JR Mark Wires and SO Ryan Minnabarriet each netted goals to tie the game at 2-2 heading into the third period. However, Vince Bellisimo scored the game-winner for the second-straight night, this time at 2:40 in the third period for WMU. SO Jordan Sigalet received his first action of the season in net for BGSU, recording 24 saves on 27 shots faced.
Oct. 11 - WMU 6, BGSU 5 (OT) - The Falcons held a 5-3 lead at 8:40 of the third period but gave up three unanswered goals. Four of the five goals, though, for BGSU came on its special teams. Three power-play goals and a short-hander were scored by Falcons, including a PPG and the shortie by SO Steve Brudzewski. It was his first two-goal game of his career and first short-hander. SR Tyler Masters made 44 saves on 50 shots faced. BGSU was 3-for-6 on the power play while the Broncos were held to 0-for-7.
Bowling Green Finishes Second at Lefty McFadden Invitational
The Falcons lost 2-1 to Miami (OH) on Oct. 5 in the championship game of the first annual Lefty McFadden Invitational in Dayton, Ohio. The tournament was held at the E.J. Nutter Center. JR forward Mark Wires scored his second power-play goal of the tournament in the loss while SR Tyler Masters had 38 saves on 40 shots faced. It was the first-ever meeting between the two schools at a neutral site.
Scott Paluch Wins Coaching Debut
First-year head coach Scott Paluch (BGSU '91) won his coaching debut in the season-opener (Oct. 4) with a 4-1 BGSU decision over Niagara at the Lefty McFadden Invitational. Paluch became the fourth coach in BGSU's 33-year-history to win his Falcon debut behind the bench.
Falcons Win First Season Opener in Four Years
BGSU won its season opener for the first time in four years with a 4-1 victory against Niagara on Oct. 4. Bowling Green finished with two PPGs, one from JR Mark Wires and another from SO Steve Brudzewski. SR Tyler Masters stopped 23 of 24 shots faced in net while the Falcon special teams killed off all four Niagara power plays. BGSU finished 2-for-4 on the power play. Also collecting goals for the Falcons were JR Roger Leonard and SO Ryan Minnabarriet. The last season-opening victory for BGSU was on Oct. 9, 1998 (4-2 over Miami).
Falcon Penalty Killing Unit Takes a Hit
BGSU's penalty killing percentage took a hit at Ferris State over the weekend, allowing four PPGs on 10 Bulldog attempts. The Falcons now have a penalty-kill percentage of .813 (26 of 32), 6th in the CCHA. Heading into the weekend the Falcons were second in the CCHA with a .909 pct. (20 of 22). The Falcons began the season killing off its opponents' first 17 power plays.
BGSU Power Play Powerful
BGSU's power-play units have scored nearly half of the team's goals this season. Out of the 14 goals scored in six games, six have come with the man-advantage for the Brown and Orange. BGSU is 6-for-24 (.250 pct.) on the power play, tying it for second in the league.
SO Steve Brudzewski Brewing...
Forward Steve Brudzewski leads the Falcons in points with 3-2--5 in the first six games of the season. The Dearborn, Mich. native scored only six points (4-2) all of last season (35 games) and it took him eight games before he notched his first collegiate goal. His best four-game span last year was 2-1--3. Also, his two PPGs and one short-hander in 2002-03 are the first of his career.
BGSU Kicked off 2002-03 College Hockey Season
BGSU's game vs. Niagara was the season opener for all of College Hockey in the 2002-03 season. On Oct. 1, BGSU had the first exhibition game of the year, as well, with a 5-2 win over Windsor. It was the earliest beginning for BGSU in its 33 years of varsity action.
Falk Nets First Career Goal
FR Mike Falk netted his first collegiate goal in a 10-1 BGSU loss at Ferris State on Oct. 18. Falk had assisted on three goals in four games heading into the FSU series and is now tied for second on the team in points (1-3--4).
Minnabarriet "Storms" Out of the Gates, Again
SO Stormy (Ryan) Minnabarriet is having a good start for the second-consecutive season at BGSU. He began his collegiate career on a high note last season, recording all six of his goals in the first 11 games of the year. This season, he has 2-1--3 in the first six games of the season.
Wires Starts the Season Off Right at the Lefty
JR forward Mark Wires had a successful opening weekend at the Lefty McFadden Invitational (Oct. 4-5). The Ontario native had two goals (both PPG) and an assist to help the Falcons to a second-place finish. Wires netted the game-winner in a 4-1 victory over Niagara. The two PPGs equal his entire amount in 38 games last season and the three points in the two games sets a new personal-best. He was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Masters Earns Spot On All-Lefty Team
SR goalie Tyler Masters registered a .953 save pct. (61 of 64) in two games last weekend, including 38 saves (on 40 shot attempts) against Miami in a 2-1 loss. He registered 23 saves (24 shots) the previous night vs. Niagara. With the 61 saves, Masters (2,819 career saves) is 100 saves behind Wally Charko (1977-81) for second place all-time at BGSU. The Miami contest marked Masters' 100th career game in the Brown and Orange.
Falcons Name Captains for 2002-03 Season
The captains for the 2002-03 BGSU hockey season will include junior forward D'Arcy McConvey (captain) and junior defenseman Kevin Bieksa and senior forward Tyler Knight (assistant captains).
McConvey is the top returning scorer from a year ago, recording 11-18--29 in 40 games (36 PIM). He finished with seven multiple-point games. He is a native of Richmond Hill, Ontario.
Bieksa played in all 40 games last season, amassing 5-10--15 with 68 PIM. In the final nine games of last season, Bieksa had 3-3--6, including a goal and assist at Michigan State in the first round of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Playoffs. He is a native of Grimsby, Ontario.
Knight is one of two seniors on this year's squad and is a three-time letterwinner. He tallied 6-11--17 last year in 40 games (18 PIM). The Kelowna, British Columbia, native had two game-winners a year ago and ended the season on a two-game scoring streak (0-2--2). He registered a goal and assist in 4-2 BGSU win at Michigan on Jan. 25.
Masters Moving Up the Ladder
Tyler Masters enters his senior campaign with a chance to own three all-time goaltending records at Bowling Green. The Calgary native is first all-time at BGSU in career save pct. (.910), second in career goals-against-avg. (2.95), and third in career saves (2,896). Only Gary Kruzich (3,580) and Wally Charko (2,919) stand ahead of Masters. He is 23 saves away from tying Charko for second place.
BGSU's Top-Five goalies
1) Gary Kruzich (1983-87) 3,580 2) Wally Charko (1977-81) 2,919 3) Tyler Masters (99-SA) 2,896 4) Paul Connell (1986-90) 2,442 5) Mike Liut (1973-77) 2,204
