Bowling Green State University Athletics
Falcon Hockey Welcome the Nanooks This Weekend
November 10, 2009 | Ice Hockey
Bowling Green Falcons
vs.
#9 Alaska Nanooks
Nov. 13-14, 2009
BGSU Ice Arena (Bowling Green, Ohio)
7:05/7:35 p.m. EST
BGSU Media Notes (.pdf)
Dennis Williams press conference audio
THIS WEEK
Falcon hockey returns to the BGSU Ice Arena this weekend as the Brown and Orange host the Alaska Nanooks for a weekend series Nov. 13-14. Bowling Green will play Friday at 7:05 p.m. EST and on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. EST.
MEDIA COVERAGE
All games this season can be heard on the radio by tuning into 88.1 WGBU-FM. Everett Fitzhugh and Kevin McGraw will bring you the live action, shot-for-shot. The pregame show will air 30 minutes prior to the opening face-off. The broadcast can be heard globally on both www.bgsufalcons.com and www.bgrso.org.
Live stats for all BGSU home games are available on the BGSU web site - www.bgsufalcons.com - via Live Scoring. The stats can be accessed from the schedule page in the hockey section of the website by clicking on the “details” icon on the right hand side of the page, then by clicking “live scoring”.
The Buckeye Cable Network will be broadcasting the Friday game action live from the BGSU Ice Arena on BCSN. Saturday night's contest can be seen on tape delay on BCSN following the Toledo Walleye game. Greg Franke and Scott Paluch will bring fans the play-by-play and color analysis for both games.
LAST TIME OUT
The Falcons fell to the Ferris State Bulldogs twice over the weekend by scored of 5-1 and 3-2 on Friday and Saturday. Bowling Green began the scoring on both nights, doing so for the first time in consecutive nights this season. Freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas put a loose puck off of a Kai Kantola shot past the FSU goaltender Taylor Nelson on Friday night, good for his third goal of the season. However, that would be the only time during game one action BG would see the back of the net. Ferris State responded with three consecutive power play goals, all coming inside a five minute span. The Bulldogs would tack on another power play and an even-strength goal to finish out Friday night's scoring and leave with a 5-1 win over the Falcons.
Bowling Green committed 12 penalties and Ferris State went 4-for-11 on the power play for the night.
Saturday night displayed a far more competitive showing from the Falcons on both sides of the puck. Again, Kantola would be involved with the game's first score. Receiving a feed from fellow senior Tomas Petruska, Kantola took advantage of the BGSU power play and snagged a 1-0 lead early in the first period. Ferris State scored three unanswered goals during the first two periods following the Kantola strike. Petruska would get back into the act by trimming the FSU lead to one with a late goal in the third, but it was too little, too late as the Falcons fell again, 3-2.
ALL EYES ON BG!
Despite a slow start, Bowling Green hockey can be seen among the nations leaders in a
variety of categories.
Jordan Samuels-Thomas - Fr. - Foward - Windsor, Conn.
• Tied-sixth in conference scoring among freshmen (3-0--3)
• Tied-third in overall scoring among conference leaders (0.75 GPG)
• Fifth among CCHA freshmen in overall scoring (2-3--5)
Andrew Hammond - Fr. - Goaltender - Surrey, British Columbia
• Third among CCHA goaltenders in overall saves with 172
• Tied-sixth among conference goaltenders in saves (CCHA) with 87
POWER PLAY CITY
To date the Falcons have struggled while on either side of the power play this season. Ferris State
exposed the BG special teams on Nov. 6 when the Bulldogs scored four power play goals in a 5-1 win.
Three of those power play goals were scored in a five-minute span during the game's second period.
On the flip side, BGSU went 0-for-5 on the power play that evening. The Falcons improved the following
night, scoring its first power play goal in the team's last 11 attempts, as well as only committing
three power play inducing penalties. BG killed all three FSU power plays, the first time the Falcons
held a conference opponent scoreless on the power play (opponents were 7-for-23 in three game prior
to Nov. 7).
NO SENIORITIS HERE
Saturday's (Nov. 7) contest versus Ferris State featured a scoring display put on by the BGSU senior
class. All five points were recorded by members of the Falcon senior class, including Tomas Petruska's
sixth career multi-point game. Kai Kantola scored a power play goal, breaking an eleven power play
scoreless streak, with the lone assist being given to Petruska. Attempting a late BG comeback, Petruska
scored a goal with 3:05 remaining in the third period before succumbing to a 3-2 defeat at the hand of
the Ferris State Bulldogs. Petruska was fed by Josh Boyd and Kyle Page on the score. The BGSU senior
class now accounts for more than sixty percent of Falcon scoring having scored eight of the team's 13
goals and recording nine of their 15 assists.
STATISTICAL TRENDS TOWARDS SUCCESS
When looking at games where the Falcons have provided the most excitement and competition, a few
trends emerge to the amateur statistician:
In the two least penalized games the Falcons have played in, (Oct. 24 vs. Providence, 4 and Nov. 7
at Ferris State, 5) the Falcons lost or were losing by one goal with less than a minute remaining in
the contest.
In both games decided by one goal this season, the Falcons kept the opponent scoreless on the power
play. Bowling Green held Minnesota State (Oct. 9) and Ferris State (Nov. 7) a combined 0-for-10
on the power play in those games.
SCOUTING THE ALASKA NANOOKS - (6-1-1, 3-1-0-0)
Last weekend: The Nanooks overtook the number nine spot in the USCHO polls from former No. 9 seat holder, Notre Dame after splitting a pair with the Fighting Irish last weekend in Fairbanks, Alaska. Notre Dame and Alaska alternated goals for the duration of the game but the final goal scored by Notre Dame All-CCHA Preseason selection Kyle Lawson put the Irish on top for good. The 3-2 Nanook loss in game one gave UAF their first defeat of the season after winning six of their first seven, and first two conference contests. Game two featured an offensive outburst by the Nanooks after the Irish scored the game's opening goal early in the second period. Beginning at the 2:33 mark, UAF scored three unanswered
goals to win by a final of 3-1. Derek Klassen posted two of the three Alaska goals in their win against ND. Alaska goaltender Scott Greenham saved a total of 40 shots on 44 attempts over the weekend series and 26-of-27 on Saturday's series finale.
Players to watch: Dion Knelsen, Andy Taranto and Derek Klassen have joined Joe Sova for a share of the team lead in goals scored after all three players scored goals during the weekend series versus Notre Dame. Knelsen leads the team in points (9) after recording his sixth assist on Klassen's second goal of the game on Saturday (Nov. 7). Taranto trails Knelsen by a single point with eight of his own (3-5). Sova has a line of 3-4--7 but also leads the team in on-ice rating (+6) and shot-percentage (.188). Between the posts, Scott Greenham works his pads off and is among the top goaltenders in the nation. He is third in the nation in overall GAA (1.35), sixth nationally in save-percentage (.939), fourth in the CCHA in total saves (170), second in the national in minutes played (488:34) and owns one of the league's six ecorded shutouts.
Statistically Speaking: This Nanooks team has not allowed a third period or overtime goal yet this season and has allowed the fewest goals in conference play (7) and overall (11). They are second in the nation in goals per game with 1.38 allowed. Only two players on the entire UAF roster have a negative on-ice rating. Alaska is also one of the least penalized teams in the conference having only spent a combined 64 minutes in the penalty box this season, nearly 30 fewer minutes than the next team (LSSU, 92 mins.).
A NIGHT OF FIRSTS
Friday (Oct. 30) marked a night where three Bowling Green players scored their first goal in their Falcon careers. Brian Potacco (So., F), Nathan Pageau (Fr., F) and Jordan Samuels-Thomas (Fr., F) netted goals against the Nebraska Omaha Mavericks, accounting for all the BG scoring in the game. Pageau also tallied his first career assist on Samuels- Thomas' goal prior to scoring his own goal.
The night also marked the first time Bowling Green participated in a shootout during conference regular season play. Samuels-Thomas scored the only goal during the shootout, beating UNO goalie John Faulkner stick-side for the win.
THE PERANI CUP
The Perani Cup Three Star Award is given to the player from each school who earns the most points throughout the season each time they are named a “star of the game” in a conference game (5 points for first star, 3 points for second star and 1 point for third star).
PLAYER ...................... SCHOOL ................... POINTS
1. Cody Reichard.............. MIA .................................. 17
2. Drew Palmisano ........... MSU .................................. 11
3. Mike Johnson ................ ND ................................... 10
4. Sergio Somma .............. OSU .................................... 9
5. Kyle Lawson .................. ND ..................................... 8
Tommy Wingels ........... MIA .................................... 8
7. Nine tied at six points
Andrew Hammond ........... BG ...................................... 5
Nathan Pageau .................. BG ...................................... 3
Jordan Samuels-Thomas .... BG ...................................... 1
Tomas Petruska ................. BG ...................................... 1
GYMNAST OR GOALIE?
On the same night three Falcons, including two freshmen, scored their first career goals at the college
level, freshman goaltender Andrew Hammond 'stood on his head' and posted a career night in
net. Against UNO on Friday (Oct. 30), Hammond made a career-high 43 saves on 46 Maverick
shots over 65:00, allowing only three goals to Nebraska Omaha. Nineteen of those saves came in
the second period alone. He then took his position between the posts for the overtime shootout
and saved all three UNO attempts to solidify the BGSU shootout win.
TALK ABOUT REBOUNDS
Freshman goaltender Andrew Hammond (Surrey, B.C.) had one of the biggest turnarounds in
Falcon goaltending history in just a matter of 24 hours. After relieving junior Nick Eno against
Providence on Oct. 23 and giving up four goals in 33:39 of play, Hammond returned between
the posts for game two of the Falcons-Friars series and played a large role in giving the Falcons a
chance to win that game. In a 3-1 loss to PC, Hammond made his second collegiate start making
29 of 31 saves and kept the Friars scoreless for 31:51 before allowing the game-winning goal with
less than five minutes remaining in the contest.
THEY COME IN PAIRS
In their latest series of action, senior forwards Tommy Dee and James Perkin were the sole sources
of offense for the Falcons and sported multiple point weekends. Tommy Dee had a hand in all
the weekend action beginning by scoring both Falcon goals in the team's 8-2 loss on Oct. 23.
Perkin assisted on Dee's first goal Friday night, but waited until the following day to score a goal
of his own against the Friars. Dee returned the favor by assisting on Perkin's goal. Dee finished
the weekend with three points (2-1--3) and Perkin with two (1-1--2).
DYNAMIC DUO
Junior Nick Eno and freshman Andrew Hammond may be battling each other for playing time
but together they make for a great one-two punch at the goaltender position. Each goalie had
the chance to start at Minnesota State (Oct 9-10). Despite the two losses, Hammond and Eno
combined for 69 saves on 76 shots against and both finished saving more than 90 percent of the
shots they faced. Head coach Dennis Williams said of Eno, “Five or six of his saves were highlight
reel saves that could of went the other direction and really put us in a hole.” As for Hammond,
Williams said, “Andrew Hammond was the best player for us out there tonight [Saturday]. He
kept us in the game and we just got to find more ways to provide more offense.”
'JuST' A GREAT START
In his debut as a Falcon, freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas (nicknamed “JST”) shot out of the
gate by scoring a team-leading three points in his first weekend of play. Samuels-Thomas received
assists on three goals, two in the first game of his career, against Minnesota State (Oct. 9-10).
The last Falcon freshman to score a point in the team's season opener was Kevin Schmidt (2005-
2009) when he scored a power-play goal versus Merrimack on Oct. 14, 2005. The last freshman
to score multiple points in his debut in brown and orange was Jonathan Matumoto on Oct. 22,
2004 when he scored a goal and two assists at Union College. Samuels-Thomas is only the sixth
freshman to score in a BG season opener.
BG Hockey Postgame 3.6
Saturday, March 07
BG Hockey Press Conference : CCHA QuarterFinals
Tuesday, March 03
BG Hockey Press Conference 2.23
Tuesday, February 24
BG Hockey Postgame 2.21
Sunday, February 22