Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
MICHIGAN STATE
Falcons Record 4-2 Victory Over Michigan State
December 03, 2005 | Ice Hockey
Dec. 3, 2005
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University hockey team played a complete game Saturday night, downing the Michigan State Spartans 4-2 at the BGSU Ice Arena. The Falcons got goals from four different players and Jimmy Spratt stopped 22-of-24 shots en route to being named the Perani Cup #1 Star on the night.
"A lot of different guys chipped in," said head coach Scott Paluch. "A lot of guys played extremely well. We rolled all four lines up until the final three minutes of the game. We were never in a situation where we had to shorten the bench. Everyone played well. It was a real consistent effort."
"I thought is was another game, somewhat like last nights," said Scott Paluch. "It was an evenly tested game and both teams competed hard. The only difference tonight was we were able to score some goals, especially early, which gave a lift to our team. As the game went on we got smarter and kept the puck in safe areas.
 JR Rich Meloche picked up his second goal of the season tonight.  |
|
MSU tied the score at 1-1 just 1:23 later, after Jim McKenzie deflected a shot from the point on the power play to conclude the scoring for the first period.
James Unger regained the lead for the Falcons after receiving a long pass from sophomore Alex Foster on the power play. Unger drove towards the net and slide the puck through Michigan State's Dominic Vicari's five-hole. The Unger goal came on BGSU's first shot of the second period.
On the night Vicari stopped 20-of-24 BGSU shots.
The Spartans once again tied the score, this time 2-2, following a Bryan Lerg goal, his fourth of the series, but that would be the last of the MSU scoring.
Spratt shutdown the Spartan attack the final 30 minutes, stopping the final nine MSU shots. For the game he turned-away 22-of-24 shots, picking up his third victory of the year (3-4-0).
"I thought he stayed up extremely well," said Paluch. "He really looked big in there the entire game. He was almost like a less is more type of game for him. He kept himself square and was not going down to early. He was just really clean and really solid tonight."
After sitting the last two games, senior Brett Pilkington picked up the game-winner at the 14:23 mark of the second. Sophomore Derek Whitmore not only deflected a waist high shot towards the ice, but he also slid it between the pads of Vicari. With the puck parked just short of the MSU goal line Pilkington jammed the net and put the puck into the back of the net for a 3-2 BGSU lead.
 SO John Mazzei was one of four different Falcons to record goals Saturday night. |
|
BGSU out shot the Spartans 28-24 on the night, while the Falcons were 1-for-5 on the power play and the Spartans were 2-for-5.
Up next for the Falcons is a pair of non-conference games before Christmas break. BGSU will host Clarkson (Dec. 9) and St. Lawrence (Dec. 10) next weekend. Both contests will begin at 7:05.
