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Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
Windsor
Special Teams Lead Falcons To 7-1 Win Over Windsor
October 05, 2006 | Ice Hockey
Oct. 5, 2006
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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University hockey team opened their 2006-07 season with a 7-1 win over the University of Windsor with the help of five special teams' goals Thursday night. The exhibition contest, which was held inside the BG Ice Arena, was the final tune-up before hosting Connecticut and Alabama-Huntsville next weekend (Oct. 13 &15).
The Falcons, who have 13 newcomers this year, posted a total of 20 points (7g, 13a), with the newcomers walking away with five of the goals and eight total points, including three power-play goals and a short-handed mark.
Freshman Todd McIlrath opened the scoring just over five minutes into the contest after picking up a loose puck in front of the net and sliding it under the pads on Windsor goaltender Reese Kalleitner. Fellow freshman Tomas Petruska and junior Jonathan Matsumoto assisted on the goal.
Just two minutes later, while killing off a power play, junior captain Michael Hodgson intercepted a pass between the circles and threw the puck forward off the glass to Derek Whitmore. Whitmore skated in on the Windsor net and found Brandon Svendsen all alone for an easy goal to put the Falcons up 2-0.
Three minutes later McIlrath redirected a shot by Matsumoto to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead just 10 minutes into the contest. John Mazzei also picked up a helper on the McIlrath goal, the final tally of the first period.
At the 8:49 mark of the second period a scrum was directly in front of Jeff Cutter, Windsor's second netminder of the night. Eventually sophomore Brian Bales found himself wide open and Svendsen found him at the left circle for a one-timer to hand the Falcons a 4-0 advantage. Senior assistant captain Rich Meloche also picked up an assist.
Windsor cut the score to 4-1 following a 5-3 power-play goal at the 9:58 mark for the only blemish of the night for the Orange and Brown, but the Falcons would respond moments later.
Just 50 seconds after the Windsor tally, freshman Kai Kantola got on the score sheet with the help of fellow classmate James Perkin. Perkin intercepted a pass at the blueline, forcing the puck up to Kantola who skated in all alone for a breakaway lamp-lighter.
Two more newcomers, Tim Maxwell and Petruska, added the final two goals of the night. Maxwell's goal game off a rocket from the blueline on the power play, while Petruska's goal came between the circles as he was hailed to the ground.
For the night Five Falcons recorded at least two points: Matsumoto (0g, 4a), McIlrath (2g, 1a), Svendsen (1g, 1a), Petruska (1g, 1a) and Mazzei (0g, 2a)
The Falcons went 3-for-9 on the power play, while Windsor was just 1-for-10.
Sophomore Jimmy Spratt stopped 8-of-9 shots and freshman Eddie Neville stopped all 12 shots he faced in the third period.
Up next for the Falcons are a pair of home contests with Connecticut (Oct. 13 @ 7:05 p.m.) and Alabama-Huntsville (Oct. 15 @ 2:05 p.m.).
