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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
OHIO STATE
Falcons Drop Heartbreaker to #15 Buckeyes, 4-3
January 31, 2004 | Ice Hockey
Jan. 31, 2004
Bowling Green, Ohio - Two third period goals by Bowling Green weren't enough as #15 Ohio State defeated the Falcons, 4-3, in front of 4,210 in attendance at the BGSU Ice Arena. Bowling Green was forced to play the final 50 minutes of the game without starting goalie Jordan Sigalet who left the game at 10:05 due to an injury.
Leading goal scorer Brett Pilkington was also escorted off the ice in the first period and did not return.
"The game was really reminiscent of a lot of Bowling Green-Ohio State games in the past; good crowd in the building, good atmosphere," BGSU Coach Scott Paluch said.. "I'm really proud of the way our guys hung in there the first 10 minutes of the game when you lose your most valuable player in goal and Brett Pilkington, one of our top offensive players. They really competed hard and stayed with things."
Senior Mark Wires got the Falcons on the board first at just 1:13 of the first period with assists from Pilkington and Meloche. OSU answered with a goal from Dave Steckel at 2:49 of the first period and then went up 2-1 after Andrew Schembri's goal at 19:08. Despite a fast-paced, up-and-down first period, OSU held just a 6-3 lead in shots on goal.
OSU's Chris Olsgard added to the lead at 7:42 of the second period for a 3-1 Buckeye lead.
A third period goal by freshman Rich Meloche at 9:36 brought BGSU to within one, 3-2. Bryan Dobek assisted on the goal. Then Thomas Welsh scored at 14:49 to build the lead back up to two goals, 4-2. Junior Steve Brudzewski gave the Falcons life again at 16:39 when he scored his ninth of the season to bring BGSU back to within one. D'Arcy McConvey and Jonathan Sigalet earned helpers on the goal.
Sophomore Bob Frazee appeared in his first varsity contest of the Brown and Orange when Sigalet was injured. The Colorado Springs, Colo. native made several key saves and kept the Falcons in the contest. Frazee ended with 25 saves on 28 shots faced in 48:49 minutes of action.
Bobby Frazee came in and did an outstanding job of giving us an opportunity to win the game," said Paluch. "What a situation to jump into, not having played any times of regulation hockey...to make the saves he made is real encouraging. He looked extremely quick. There were some shots that looked like they had him beat, and he got to them."
Although not the ideal situation to be playing, Frazee thought it helped him that he entered the game while the Buckeyes were on the power play.
"It was real nice to get a few shots and make a few saves," said Frazee. "My main worry was not letting one of the first, two, three shots go in. Going in on the power play worked in my favor. "
OSU ended with a 30-17 shot advantage while neither team excelled on the power play (OSU 1-for-7, BGSU 1-for-9). OSU was whistled for 14 penalties while 12 were called on the Falcons.
BGSU drops to 7-14-6 overall and 5-11-3 in the CCHA. OSU improves to 16-12-0 and 11-9-0 in the CCHA. The crowd of 4,210 was the largest at the BGSU Ice Arena since Dec. 3, 1999 when the Falcons defeated Michigan, 4-2.
The Falcons take to the road to battle Nebraska-Omaha next weekend (Feb. 6-7) with faceoffs scheduled for 8:05 EST.
