Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons Look To Snap Eight-Game Losing Steak, Travel To Alaska
December 05, 2006 | Ice Hockey
Dec. 5, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
GAME #17-18
BGSU vs. Alaska
Dec. 8-9, 2006 BG Ice Arena, 7:05 p.m.
RECORDS: BGSU 3-12-1, 1-9-0 CCHA // Alaska 6-4-4, 4-3-3 CCHA
RADIO: WBGU-FM (88.1) - Andy Evans--pre-game starts 30 mins. prior.
SERIES: Tied 16-16-4
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The Bowling Green State University hockey team travels to the Great Northwest for a two-game series with the Nanooks of Alaska this weekend as they look to snap an eight-game losing streak. The Falcons will also look for their first win in Fairbanks, Alaska, since January 23, 2004.
Series with Alaska
In 36 career contests the two teams share a 16-16-4 all-time series record. Last season the Nanooks skated away with wins of 4-3 and 3-1 last season (Feb. 10-11) in Alaska. BGSU head coach Scott Paluch is 3-6-1 all-time versus UA, and is 1-3-0 in Fairbanks, Alaska for his career. Overall the Falcons are just 7-9-2 in Fairbanks.
Recap of the Past Weekend
BGSU 1, UNO 4
BGSU 1, UNO 7
The Falcons dropped a pair of games this past weekend with scores of 4-1 and 7-1 to Nebraska-Omaha. On Friday freshman Kai Kantola scored his second goal of the season, while sophomore Jimmy Spratt made 31 saves. The following night, Derek Whitmore notched his team-leading 10th goal of the season, with just seven seconds remaining in the first period. Freshman Eddie Neville made 38 saves in the loss.
"Rough"ing Weekend
Prior to this past weekend's series with the Mavericks the Falcons were averaging 13.6 penalty minutes and just 6.4 penalties per game. Following the 27 penalty, 70 penalty minute weekend with UNO the Orange and Brown are now averaging 16.3 minutes and 7.3 penalties per game. Through the first five games this season the Falcons had just 25 penalties and 50 PIM. Their previous weekend-high in penalties were 17 penalties versus Notre Dame and 41 penalty minutes versus Ohio State.
Freshman Impact
BGSU welcomed 13 new players to the 2006-07 squad and 12 of them have already seen action. Tomas Petruska (4g, 4a), Todd McIlrath (1g, 5a) , Tim Maxwell (0g, 5a), Kai Kantola (2g, 2a), James Perkin (1g, 2a) and Kyle Page (0g, 2a) have all recorded points this season. Tommy Dee (9 games), Brian Moore (4 games), Josh Boyd (1 game), Brett Molnar (1 game) along with goaltenders Eddie Neville (1-6-1, 4.24, .863) and Phil Greer have also dressed. Overall the newcomer class owns 32% (9 of 28) of the team's goals, 39% (20 of 51) of the team's assists and 37% (29 of 79) of the team's total points.
Young Guns
As stated before, 12 newcomers have seen playing time this season (with five playing in every game), but combine that with five sophomores that have been regularly dressed the Falcons are dressing just eight or nine upper-classmen per game (Derek Whitmore, Jonathan Matsumoto, Ben Geelan (who is out with an injury), Rich Meloche, John Mazzei, Jon Erickson, Mike Nesdill, Jeremy Bronson and Michael Hodgson).
Last Year At Alaska
In game one versus Alaska last season the Falcons scored two goals in just the first 1:59 of the contest, with the two goals coming off the Falcons first four shots of the night. The Jonathan Matsumoto and Michael Hodgson goals chased Wylie Rodgers from the UA net, after he captured the CCHA Goalie of the Week honors the previous week. Alaska's Chad Johnson stopped 38 of the Falcons next 39 shots, en route to securing a 4-3 come-from-behind Nanook win.
The following night Brett Pilkington put the Falcons ahead at the 6:08 mark of the second period, 1-0, but three unanswered goals (one empty net) gave UA their second straight come-from-behind victory. In the loss Jimmy Spratt made 36 saves.
Spratt Shines In Alaska
Last February when BGSU traveled to Alaska there was roughly just seven hours of sunlight, but despite the darkness, the then freshman Jimmy Spratt still shined bright. In fact, you can point to the Alaska trip as the turning point in Jimmy Spratt's career. Prior to the trip, Spratt was holding a 4.78 gaa and an .845 save percentage. In the Feb. 11 contest alone Spratt recorded a 2.02 GAA and a .947 save percentage. From that point on Spratt posted a 2.49 GAA and a .918 save percentage for the rest of the 05-06 campaign. Including his last four starts in the 2005-06 season and his 10 games this year Spratt owns a 3.43 GAA and an .889 save %.
Unbalanced Scheduling?
Last week the Falcons completed games 13 and 14 versus UNO, and will play games 15 and 16 since the 2002-03 season later this year. Since that same time span the Falcons have played 10 games with Alaska and will play them four times this season, giving the Falcons 30 games in the last five years with the two farthest travel teams in the league.
Hodgson's Consecutive Game Streak Snapped
Junior captain Michael Hodgson sat out last Saturday's game, snapping his consecutive game streak at 89 straight games. Saturday's game was the first game missed in his Falcon career. New active leader now becomes Brandon Svendsen, who has played in 54 straight games.
Falcons In Non-Conference
With three-fourths of the non-conference schedule complete, the Falcons are 2-3-1 in those six games. In terms of non-conference action remaining the Falcons will play Miami and either Ohio State or Minnesota-Duluth at the Christmas tournament in Columbus, Ohio. Derek Whitmore (5g, 1a), Jonathan Matsumoto (3g, 3a) and Michael Hodgson (0g, 4a) are the top point-getters in non-conference action this season.
