Bowling Green State University
FERRIS STATE
Hockey Stays Hot With 6-3 Win At Ferris State
November 09, 2007 | Ice Hockey
Nov. 9, 2007
BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - Sophomore forward James Perkin tallied a new career-game high three points on two goals and an assist, as the Bowling Green State University hockey team picked up their third-straight victory with a 6-3 win at Ferris State on Friday evening. The Friday night tilt was held at FSU's Ewigleben Ice Arena.
With the victory BG improves to 4-2-0 overall and 3-1-0 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. With the loss the Bulldogs fell to 4-4-1 and 3-2-0, respectively.
A total of nine different Falcons tallied points on the evening with seven recording multiple-point games, as the victory marked the first time BG has won three games in a row since January of 2006 when they won six-games in a row from Dec. 9 to Jan. 7.
Freshman goaltender Nick Eno improved to 3-0-0 in his collegiate career, as he made 27 saves on 30 FSU shots to earn third-star honors on the evening.
Eno's six first period saves helped BG grab an early 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission, as the Falcon power play struck with its' first of four power play markers on the evening. That marker would come from senior forward Derek Whitmore, who tallied his fourth goal of the season just 1:49 into the game. After a hard shot from the point by Todd McIlrath, Whitmore would get just enough of his stick on the puck to send it over Bulldog goaltender Pat Nagle's right shoulder, as Kevin Schmidt picked up his first of two assists on the evening.
It wouldn't take long for the Bulldogs to respond in the second period however, as they'd strike with three unanswered goals in just a 2:41 span to take a 3-1 lead at the 8:30 mark of the period. Brendan Connolly started things off on the power play, while Justin Lewandowski and Cody Chupp picked up even strength markers, as the Bulldogs out-shot the Falcons 21-8 in the period.
Eno would hold tough though to keep the Falcons in the game. After David Solway picked up his second goal of the season at the 12:40 mark of the second, Eno made a big save on a breakaway chance by FSU forward Matt Frank to keep BG within one at 3-2.
That's when Perkin would start his big night. He would reward Eno's strong efforts by giving him and the Falcons two quick power play goals in just 22 seconds to tie the game and then move his team ahead at 4-3. The first of the markers came on a 5-on-3 power play as Solway and Brandon Svendsen found him alone on the right-side of the crease to even the game at 3-3.
Just as the Bulldogs tried to regroup, Perkin whose previous career game-high was two points, positioned himself perfectly in front of net again to tip in pass from Mike Nesdill to move BG ahead with just 1:22 remaining in the period. Tim Maxwell also picked up an assist on the play, as he had two on the evening.
BG would ride their new found momentum throughout the final 20 minutes then, as they added two more goals to gain a three-goal cushion. Whitmore would go to tally his second goal of the evening on the power play once again at the 5:25 mark, while freshman Jacob Cepis picked up his third marker of the season at 11:09 to push the Falcon lead to 6-3.
The Falcons would end the evening 4-9 with the man-advantage, while FSU finished 1-6. It was the first win for BG on the season when being out-shot, as the Bulldogs held an overall 30-25 advantage in shots on goal in a game that saw a combined 67 minutes in penalties.
The two teams will return to action tomorrow when they conclude their two-game set with a 5:05 p.m. face-off. All the action can be heard once again on WBGU 88.1 FM with Danny Nieves bringing you all the play-by-play.
