Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcons, Irish Battle For Playoff Seeding This Weekend
February 14, 2006 | Ice Hockey
Feb. 14, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -
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GAME #33-34
BGSU vs. Notre Dame
Feb. 17-18, 2006 (BGSU Ice Arena, 7:05 p.m.)
RECORDS: BGSU 13-18-1, 8-15-1 CCHA // Notre Dame 11-16-3, 9-12-3 CCHA
RADIO: WBGU-FM (88.1) - Andy Evans
SERIES: Tied at 34-34-5 LAST MEETING: NOTRE DAME 4-2, NOV. 11, 2005
With the BGSU hockey team only five points out of seventh-place in the CCHA standings, as well as a first-round home playoff game, this weekend's series (Feb. 17-18) with Notre Dame may have a major impact on both teams come March. Both contests are set for 7:05 p.m. inside the Ice Arena.
The Series With Notre Dame
In 73 contests the all-time series with Notre Dame is tied 34-34-5 after the Irish swept the Falcons earlier this season back on Nov. 10-11 by scores of 9-4 and 4-2 in South Bend, Indiana. BGSU gave up a season-high four power-play goals in the 9-4 loss. The Falcons have won the last four contests inside the BGSU Ice Arena.
Take Me To Your Leader
Sophomore Alex Foster is currently first in the country with 36 assists and is third in the nation with 44 points. He also ranks third with 1.12 helpers per game and ninth with 1.38 points per contest. Foster was named CCHA Offensive Player of the month in November (4g, 14a) and has scored a point in every game but seven this season. He also has 14 multiple point games this year.
Recap of Last Weekend
BGSU 3, UAF 4
BGSU 1, UAF 3
On Friday the Falcons scored two goals in the first 1:59 of the game for their fastest two goals this season to begin a game, but surrendered four goals in the second period for a 4-3 loss to the Nanooks. The Following night freshman Jimmy Spratt recorded a career-best 36 saves in a 3-1 loss to UAF. BGSU once again scored the first goal of the game, but allowed a goal in the second and third period before having to pull Spratt for an extra attacker. The Nanooks then scored an empty-net goal with just 11 seconds remaining.
These Boots Are Made For Walking...
The past 16 days (Jan. 27-Feb.11) the Falcons hockey team has traveled 8,302 miles. On Jan. 27-28 BGSU drove 401 miles to Saulte Ste. Marie, Mich. Then back to Bowling Green, Ohio, for one game with RIT (Feb. 4). They then traveled 3,750 miles to Fairbanks, Alaska for a weekend series (Feb. 10-11) with the Nanooks and returned home late Sunday night. While the team did fly to Fairbanks, according to mapquest.com the estimate drive time to the land of the midnight sun from BG, Ohio is a mere 64 hours and 43 minutes behind the wheel.
What A Long Strange Trip It's Been
On Wednesday (Feb. 8) the Falcons spent 1,320 minutes (22 hours) traveling to Fairbanks, Alaska. They took less then two minutes to score the first two goals of Friday's game with UAF. The two goals in 1:59 was the fastest start for the Falcons this season. Their previous fastest start was in a 9-2 win over UConn back on 12/30/05 when Derek Whitmore and Don Morrison scored two goals in the first 6:36.
BGSU's PK Is On A Role
In their last four contests the Falcons penalty kill is 20-of-22 (.909). In their last three games they are 16-of-17 (.941) including a 7-for-7 effort versus RIT and stopped 9-of-10 UAF power-play attempts this past weekend with the Nanooks.
Power Playing
The Falcons power play, which ranks 25th in the country and fifth in the CCHA, has scored 38 goals on 217 attempts (.175). BGSU is led by Jonathan Matsumoto (9), who ranks 11th in the country, while sophomore Derek Whitmore ranks 17th in the country with his eight power-play goals. James Unger (6), Mike Falk (5) and Alex Foster (3) round out the top five Falcons with the man-advantage.
Falcons Are A Second Day Team
In CCHA action this season the Orange and Brown are a combined 6-4-1 on day two of a weekend conference series, but are only 2-9-0 in the opening contest. In fact the total goals scored/allowed on day two of the series is 38-31, while on day one they have scored only 29 goals and have allowed 57. Note: The Ferris State series was ignored in these numbers due to the large delay between games.
Offense, Offense and More Offense
The Falcon offense ranks ninth in the country and third in the CCHA with 3.44 goals/game. Already this season they have put up six goals versus Boston College and St. Lawrence, seven goals against Nebraska-Omaha, eight tallies versus Northern Michigan and nine lamp lighters in the win over UConn back on Dec. 30. They have also scored five goals three other times this season. In terms of goals scored the Falcons are led by Jonathan Matsumoto (17), Derek Whitmore (13), Mike Falk (12), James Unger (11), Brandon Svendsen (10) and Alex Foster (8).
Falcons Have Played A Tough Schedule
Sixteen of the 32 games (50%) the Falcons have played this season have been against team's ranked in the top-20 of the USCHO.com poll at the time they faced them. BGSU has already faced #4 Boston College, two games with #2 Ohio State, two games with #9 Miami, two with #20 Northern Michigan, two more games with #16 Ohio State, #6 Michigan and #19 Lake Superior. They also have one game apiece with #14 Clarkson, #12 St. Lawrence and #12 Colgate. In those 16 games the Falcons are 6-9-1.
Whit-More Goals The Falcons Win
Since December 10, sophomore Derek Whitmore has recorded 10 goals in the past 16 games, most among the team. Since the St. Lawrence contest the Falcons are 6-2 in games where Whitmore has scored. He has 13 points (10g, 3a) in that span including multiple goal games versus St. Lawrence and Michigan. He has 18 points (12g, 6a) in his last 21 games, after posting only one point in his first seven games this year.
Defense Wins Games
With the 3-2 win over RIT back on Feb. 4, the Falcons improved to 9-1-1 on the year when they surrender two goals or fewer this season. Their lone loss was a 2-1 defeat to Ferris State.
Quality, Not Quantity?
By firing 43 shots last Friday versus UAF the Falcons are now 1-4-0 on the season when they fire 40-plus shots this season. They had 47 shots in a 3-2 loss to Merrimack, 41 in a 6-4 loss to Clarkson, 40 in a 6-5 loss to Ferris State and 43 shots in a 4-3 loss to UAF. The Falcons lone win with 40-plus shots is a 5-2 win over Michigan after firing 49 shots.
Fast Starts = Falcon Wins
That first goal of the game has been a major factor this season for the BGSU hockey team. In games where the Falcons score first they are 10-6-0, but when they surrender the opening goal they are only 3-12-1. In fact, they are 5-5 in the CCHA when they score first, but only 3-10-1 when a fellow CCHA opponent scores first. This past weekend with UAF the Falcons scored the first goal of both games, but dropped both contests.
Paluch Knows How To Play With A Lead
Continuing with the fast start theme, when the Falcons claim a 2-0 advantage this season they are 8-2 on the year. Their wins include UNO (7-3), Northern Michigan (8-4), St. Lawrence (6-4), UMass (3-2), UConn (9-2), Clarkson (4-0), Ohio State (2-0) and Michigan (5-2). Their two defeats came versus Clarkson (6-4) a game they at one point led 3-0 and a 4-3 loss to UAF after claiming a 2-0 advantage just 1:59 into the contest. In games where the Falcons claim that 2-0 advantage they have scored a total of 51 goals (5.10 per game), while surrendering only 27 goals (2.70 per game).
The Captain Is Leading The Way
Senior captain Don Morrison is tops among the Falcon defensemen with 20 points (5g, 15a) and ranks 35th in the nation among defensemen with those 20 points. His 20 points and 15 assists are both career-bests for the captain after establishing 16 points (2g, 14a) last season as a junior.
The Morrison highlights do not stop there. He was named captain of the Falcon squad at the start of the season, and followed that up by scoring the Falcons first goal of the year back on Oct. 14 versus Merrimack. Morrison is the lone captain this season. The last time BGSU had a lone captain was back during the 1987-88 season when now head coach Scott Paluch wore the "C". Morrison will join Paluch (1987-88), George Roll (1984-85), Mike Bartley (1973-74), Chuck Gyles (1972-73), and Glen Shirton (1971-72) as lone season captains.
