Bowling Green State University Athletics
Bowling Green State University
NORTHERN MICHIGAN
Wildcats Clip Falcons 4-1
January 19, 2007 | Ice Hockey
Jan. 19, 2007
MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Bowling Green State University hockey team had several quality scoring chances throughout the night, but walked away with just one goal, dropping a 4-1 loss to the Wildcats of Northern Michigan in Marquette, Michigan.
The Wildcats scored two goals in the first 8:10 of the contest, one coming via the power play to spot NMU an early 2-0 advantage.
BGSU looked to have cut the lead in half, but junior Jonathan Matsumoto's wrister rang off the crossbar at the 6:53 mark in an attempt to get the Orange and Brown on the scoreboard.
The Falcons continued to get quality scoring chances in the second period, but once again had nothing to show for it. Derek Whitmore fired a power play shot off the near post four minutes into the second period. Kai Kantola had his breakaway attempt denied by NMU's Bill Zaniboni four minutes later. Lastly, Matsumoto's slap shot between the circles was gloved down by Zaniboni with just 9.7 seconds remaining in the middle period.
The final stanza began how the second ended. While on the power play, freshman Tomas Petruska fired a shot that Derek Whitmore tipped, a shot that hit the top of Zaniboni's glove, and crawled over the NMU cage.
Just a minute later the Wildcats fired a shot off a BG defender that then hit a Wildcat skate and slipped between the pads of Jimmy Spratt for a 3-0 NMU lead.
Once again the Falcons cycled the puck deep in the NMU zone, with Whitmore working free at the right circle. James Perkin fed Whitmore for the one-timer, but Zaniboni once again stole the show.
The Orange and Brown finally solved Zaniboni as Jonathan Matsumoto won a face-off in the NMU zone back to Mike Nesdill. Nesdill passed the puck to Petruska, who wristed a shot over the shoulder of Zaniboni.
NMU added one final goal with five minutes to play to push the score to 4-1.
For the night NMU held a 26-22 shot advantage with Spratt recording 22 saves and NMU's Zaniboni stopping 21 in the win.
Bowling Green was 0-for-10 on the power play, while the Wildcats scored once on eight attempts.
These same two teams will do it again tomorrow night at 7:35 p.m.
