Bowling Green State University Athletics
Final Hockey Wrap-Up for 2001-2002
March 28, 2002 | Ice Hockey
March 28, 2002
Bowling Green, Ohio -
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Falcons Fall In First Round of CCHA Playoffs
No. 11-seeded Bowling Green lost in the first round of the 2002 Central Collegiate Hockey Association Tournament to No. 2-seeded Michigan State in two games (March 8-9) by the scores of 4-3 OT and 4-2. In game one, BGSU held a 3-1 lead as late as the third period before two Spartan goals, including the game-tying goal with just 50 seconds left, sent the game into overtime. In game two, it was MSU that jumped out to the early lead, including a 4-0 advantage in the third period. The Falcons scored two late goals within a span of 2:17 in the final period but it wasn't enough.
Playoff Scoring by Falcons
BGSU defensemen paced the offensive attack at Munn Ice Arena in the playoffs. The top three point scorers for the Falcons were defensemen Marc Barlow (1-2--3), Kevin Bieksa (1-1--2) and Grady Moore (1-1--2). Bieksa is the active point leader in the playoffs for Bowling Green with 3-1--4. FR Steve Brudzewski scored his first playoff goal and first of the series in the 4-3 OT loss. JR Tyler Knight had an assist each game to finish with two points. JR Tyler Masters was in net for both games and finished with 63 saves on 71 shots faced (.887 pct.).
Bowling Green and CCHA Tournament History
Despite the two losses at Michigan State, the Falcons remain the only team in CCHA playoff history to have a winning road record (16-15-2, .515 pct.). BGSU has won seven of nine first-round series in the last 11 years. The Falcons missed the playoffs in 1992 and 1998. Five of the first-round wins have come against a higher seed. Bowling Green has won a first-round playoff series at Michigan, Western Michigan, Lake Superior and Miami. It marked the first time MSU/BGSU met in the first round of the CCHA playoffs.
Current Falcons & the Playoffs
SR Greg Day finished his career with 1-7--8 in 11 CCHA Playoff games, tops among all Falcons. Senior defensemen Marc Barlow and Grady Moore finished with six points each in 11 playoff contests. Netminder Tyler Masters has posted a goals-against-average of 2.44, save percentage of .931 and a 5-4 record in nine playoff contests.
Current Point Streaks
Seniors Marc Barlow and Grady Moore finished their Falcon career on a two-game point streak while JR Tyler Knight and SO D'Arcy McConvey ended the season with two-game points streaks as well.
Tale of Two Halves
After recording just 3-5--8 in the first 19 games of the season, SO D'Arcy McConvey moved from center to left wing on Dec. 15 at Alaska Fairbanks. After the move to Greg Day's line, McConvey accumulated 8-13--21 and registered six multiple-point games in the final 21 contests to finish with a career-high 11-18--29 on the year
Falcons Win Battle of Ohio
BGSU won this year's Ohio Cup, sponsored by the Buckeye Sports Bulletin, after splitting its series against Miami and Ohio State. The Ohio Cup goes to the winner of head-to-head competition between Bowling Green, Miami and Ohio State. BSB has sponsored the Ohio Cup since 1983. Miami claimed the cup last year for the fifth time. BG has now won it 12 times, including eight straight years from 1984-91. OSU has won it three times, most recently in 2000.
Falcons Pitch Second Shutout of Season in Home Finale
The No. 1 (Chad Theuer) and No. 4 (Bryce Cockburn) scorers in the CCHA were held to just two points (both assists) by Bowling Green in two games on Feb. 22-23. Theuer ended with 11 shots while Cockburn had just four on net. BGSU used a great penalty killing unit and outstanding play by goalie Tyler Masters to keep NMU 0-for-10 on the power play in the two games. Masters had 36 saves in the Feb. 23 shutout of NMU, 6-0.
Falcons Face Tough Schedule
Eight of the opponents Bowling Green faced this season were ranked in the final USU Today/American Hockey Top-15 Poll. Included in the list were #3 Maine, #4 Michigan, #5 Denver, #7 Michigan State, #11 Northern Michigan, #12 Alaska Fairbanks, #13 Harvard and #15 Ohio State. Those teams were a combined 195-92-31 (.662 pct.), including Michigan and Maine who advanced to the Frozen Four.
