Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Falcons Back In the Win Column With 3-2 Win over Northern Michigan
January 10, 2003 | Ice Hockey
Jan. 10, 2003
Bowling Green, Ohio - Bowling Green snapped a six-game winless streak on Friday night with a league victory over visiting Northern Michigan at the BGSU Ice Arena, 3-2. The Falcons, and goalie Jordan Sigalet, held off a late flurry by NMU to preserve the Central Collegiate Hockey Association win.
The game-winning goal for BGSU came via freshman Ryan Barnett at 13:03 of the third period. Barnett followed up shots by fellow frosh Mike Falk and sophomore Ryan Minnabarriet for his fourth goal of the season and first game-winner of his career.
"I thought it was a tremendous hockey game played by both teams," said BGSU coach Scott Paluch. "I loved the tempo of the game. We had a lot of guys going to the net. (Craig) Kowalski is a very good goalie and you've got to get traffic in front of him."
From then on, Sigalet stood strong between the pipes for BGSU, shutting out the Wildcats in the third period with 15 saves, including the final 1:14 when NMU pulled goalie Craig Kowalski for the extra attacker. Sigalet earned Perani Cup first-star honors by finishing with 34 saves on the night and recording his second career CCHA victory.
"We got a lot of good saves by Siggy late in the game," said Paluch. "Jordan made some terrific saves down the stretch."
BGSU jumped on the board first for the first time in three games when Minnbarriet shot past Kowalski at 6:45 of the first period. It was the forward's fifth goal of the season and was assisted by Falk. BGSU took its 1-0 lead into the second period after being outshot 11-7 in the first 20 minutes.
The next three goals of the game came over a span of 1:31 in the second period. First, NMU's Peter Michelutti scored a short-handed goal at 13:34 of the second to knot the game at 1-1. Then, 59 seconds later, junior Mark Wires scored his seventh goal of the season on the BGSU power play to re-take the lead, 2-1 (14:33). Freshman Don Morrison assisted on the goal. The lead lasted just 30 seconds, though, when NMU's Mike Stutzel scored his 14th goal of the year (15:03) to tie the game at 2-2. The Wildcats held a 10-6 shot advantage in the second period.
The scored stayed tied at 2-2 until midway in the third period when Barnett connected for the Falcons. The line of Barnett, Minnabarriet and Falk accounted for five of the seven points for BGSU in the game.
"With all the things that have been going on the last couple of weeks we've been trying to get some different combinations...we've been kind of forced into some different combinations, and I thought they were smart with the puck and made some pretty smart plays," said Paluch.
NMU held a 36-20 shot advantage over BGSU, but were 0-for-3 on their power play compared to BGSU's 1-for-3.
The win moves BGSU's record to 4-13-2 overall, 2-10-2 in the CCHA. NMU drops to 10-8-1 overall and 8-5-0 in CCHA. The two teams meet again tomorrow night, Saturday, Jan. 11, at 7:05 in the BGSU Ice Arena.
