Bowling Green State University
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WESTERN MICHIGAN
Falcons Battle Back for 3-3 Tie on the Road vs. WMU
February 21, 2003 | Ice Hockey
Feb. 21, 2003
Kalamazoo, Mich. - Bowling Green fought back from a 2-0 deficit in the first period to score two goals in the second and another in the third period to finish in a 3-3 tie at Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich. The 3-3 tie broke a five-game losing streak to the Broncos for BGSU, including four by one goal.
"Obviously it's good to come in here and get a tie," said BGSU coach Scott Paluch. "I think both teams played hard for 65 minutes. I thought even though we were down 2-0 we were still getting some chances."
WMU's Ben Gagnon got the home team on the board first at 3:53 in the first period for a 1-0 lead. Later in the first period, Shaun Rose gave the Broncos a 2-0 lead when he scored at 14:28 of the first period. WMU outshot the Falcons 13-7 in the first period.
BGSU got things rolling in the second period with back-to-back power-play goals within a span of 1:04 to knot the game at 2-2. The first PPG came when Kevin Bieksa got the puck at the point and fluttered a slapshot top-shelf past WMU goalie Scott Foster at 4:41. Captain D'Arcy McConvey and Mark Wires assisted on the goal.
Senior Tyler Knight scored a PPG just 1:04 later when WMU won a faceoff in the Falcon zone, a Bronco player cleared the puck towards the crease, and Knight pushed the puck past Foster. The unassisted goal was Knight's fourth power-play goal of the year, a new personal-best, and eighth overall, also a new personal-best. BGSU held a 10-7 shot advantage in the second period.
In the third period Knight gave the Falcons a 3-2 lead at 5:50 on a four-on-four goal, his second goal of the game and ninth of the season. McConvey and Bieksa assisted on the goal.
Less than two minutes later the Broncos evened the game up at 3-3 with a power-play goal from Dana Lattery (7:33). Both teams battled the rest of the way scoreless for the tie.
Senior Tyler Masters ended with a game-high 31 saves and made several timely saves in the game to preserve the tie for BGSU. The tie broke a seven-game losing streak for Masters while it improved the Falcons road record to 2-10-1 overall and 1-10-1 in CCHA play.
"He made some terrific saves in some key situations to help us try and win the hockey game," Paluch said about Masters. Foster ended with 27 saves for WMU.
Despite WMU holding a 34-30 advantage in shots for the game, BGSU held a 20-16 lead over the final two periods. BGSU finished 2-for-3 on the power play while WMU was 1-for-3.
BGSU (7-19-3 overall, 4-16-3 in CCHA) plays WMU for the final time this season on Saturday at the BGSU Ice Arena. Faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
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