Falcons To Play Two With Ferris State This Weekend (Feb. 16-17)

Feb. 13, 2007

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -

GAME #33-34
Bowling Green vs. Ferris State

Feb. 16-17, 2007  Robert L. Ewigleben Ice Arena, 7:05/5:05 p.m.

RECORDS: BGSU 6-24-2, 4-19-1 CCHA // Ferris State 9-19-3, 6-15-2 CCHA
RADIO: WBGU-FM (88.1)--Friday  WFAL (1610)--Saturday - Andy Evans--pre-game starts 30 mins. prior.
TV: None

Game Notes vs. Ferris State (33 pages)
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Following a five-game home stand the past three weeks, the Bowling Green State University hockey team gets back to the road with a pair of contests versus the Ferris State Bulldogs in Big Rapids, Michigan this weekend (Feb. 16-17). Friday's game, which begins at 7:05 p.m., can be heard on 88.1 FM as usual, but Saturday's contest will be broadcast on WFAL (1610) at 5:05 p.m.
Series with Ferris State
This upcoming weekend will be the 99th and 100th career contest between the Falcons and Bulldogs, with the Orange and Brown leading the all-time series 48-39-11. The 11 ties are the most among any other Falcon opponent. BGSU head coach Scott Paluch is 1-7-2 in 10 career games versus the Bulldogs. James Unger (2-2-4, 6 games) and Jonathan Matsumoto (3-1-4, 4 games) are the top career point-getters versus FSU.
Falcons Beat #9 Michigan
BGSU 3, UM 2
Bowling Green won their second straight home contest versus the Michigan Wolverines with a 3-2 win last Friday night inside the BGSU Ice Arena. Freshman Tomas Petruska scored his first career power-play goal with just 35 seconds remaining in the contest for the game-winner. Not only was it the Falcons' first win versus a top-10 team this season, but it was also their first win over a ranked opponent since Jan. 21, 2006, in a 5-2 win over then #6 Michigan.
Michigan took a 2-1 lead entering the third period, but a goal by Derek Whitmore at 13:25, and Petruska's goal at 19:25 of the third gave the Falcons their first win of the season when trailing after two periods.
BGSU held Michigan scoreless on all three of their power-play attempts, while the Falcons were 1-for-4 with the man advantage. Jimmy Spratt made 29 saves for his first career win over UM.
Persistency Pays Off
This past weekend versus Michigan the Falcons entered the weekend 0-20-0 when trailing after two periods, and trailed UM 2-1 after 40 minutes of action on Friday. Two goals in the final seven minutes of action gave the Falcons their first win of the season when trailing after two periods. In fact, the four games prior to the contest with UM, BGSU was either tied or trailed by one in all four contests, but finished those four games 0-3-1. For the fifth straight game BG was within one goal, entering the third, but this time was different, handing the Falcons a 3-2 win.
Game....................Score After Two Periods..........Final Score
vs. Alaska (Jan. 26)................2-2......................L, 5-2
vs. Alaska (Jan. 27)................1-1......................T, 2-2 (OT)
vs. #2 Notre Dame (Feb. 2)......3-2 (trailing)..........L, 3-2
vs. #2 Notre Dame (Feb. 3)......2-1 (trailing)..........L, 2-1
vs. #9 Michigan (Feb. 9)...........2-1 (trailing)..........W, 3-2

A Few Notes On The Falcon PK
After allowing four power-play goals on Jan. 26 to Alaska on nine attempts (55.6%) in a 5-2 loss, the BGSU penalty kill unit had arguably their finest effort of the season the following night, allowing just one power-play goal on 12 attempts (91.7%). In fact, Saturday night's (Jan. 27) contest included three 5-on-3 man advantages (all lasting more than a minute in length, and they scored on none). Also in game two Alaska did not score until their 11th power-play attempt (going 0-10 in the first two periods), finishing the night with 22 shots on the power play.
The following weekend Notre Dame converted on 3-of-12 (25%) power-play attempts, scoring a 5-on-3 goal at the 4:45 mark and added a 5-on-4 goal a minute later. It was the Falcons first two penalties of the game. From that point on Notre Dame was just 1-for-10 the rest of the weekend versus the Falcon PK.
This past weekend, while facing the top offense in the country, BGSU held Michigan scoreless on all three of their attempts. Excluding that one minute where Notre Dame scored twice, the BGSU PK is 23-of-25 (.920) in their last four games and overall in their last four they
Staying Out Of The Sin Bin A Must
In games this season where the Falcons commit fewer penalties than their opponent they are 4-10-1 and are 1-2-2 in games where they have an equal amount of whistles blown. On the other hand they are just 1-12-0 in games where they commit more penalties than their opponent.
107 And Counting
Junior Jonathan Matsumoto scored his 100th career point versus Western Michigan back on Jan. 5. He became the 68th Falcon in school history to accomplish this feat and is also just the eighth Falcon in the last 10 years to score at least 100 points in their careers. He added a goal versus UNO and added two assists versus NMU, as well as a goal versus UAF and an assist versus #2 Notre Dame. This past weekend he had two helpers in a 3-2 win over #9 Michigan for 107 career points. Matsumoto, who averages 1.03 points/game for his career is just one of 45 players in school history to have 100 points and average at least one point per game for their career.
As Matsumoto Goes, So Do The Falcons
Jonathan Matsumoto has recorded multiple point games eight times this season, and in those eight games the Falcons are 6-2-0. In games where the junior records a goal the Orange and Brown are 4-4-1.
Whitmore Posts Career Numbers
With a goal and an assist last Friday versus #9 Michigan, Derek Whitmore now has 22 points this season, breaking last year's total of 20 points (13g, 7a). Whitmore, who has 13 goals, which matches last season, also has a career-best nine assists this year.
Spratt Sets Career Mark
Versus Alaska (Jan. 26-27) Jimmy Spratt made 74 saves on 81 (.914) shots faced, recording 37 saves on both nights. The 74 saves in a weekend were a career-high. His previous-best was 66 saves in back-to-back games versus Alaska back on Dec. 8-9.
Spratt Hitting on All Cylinders
In his last four starts Jimmy Spratt has posted a 2.23 goals-against average and a .927 save percentage, while posting a 1-2-1 record, allowing just nine goals in 242:32 minutes of action. Not to mention he has faced some of the best offensive power in the nation, shutting down Alaska, Notre Dame (twice) and Michigan.
More Notes On Spratt
 Of the nine goals allowed(in his last four starts), four having come on the power play.
 Has at least a .905 save percentage in his last four starts.
 Has six 30-plus save performances this season.
 Has played in 878:13 minutes of a possible 965:00 minutes since Dec. 8 (Last 16 games).

And When You Thought You Knew It All On Spratt
In his last five starts he has allowed 14 goals with eight of those goals coming via the power play. That gives Spratt just six goals against in his last five games at even strength. Overall the sophomore has stopped 104-of-110 (.945) shots while at even strength in his last five games.