Night Full of Excitement Ends in 5-3 Falcon Loss

Saturday, November 14

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:35 PM

Bowling Green State University

Alaska

Photo by: Todd Pavlack / BGSUHockey.com

November 14, 2009 | Ice Hockey

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

Box score
Dennis Williams post game audio
Jordan Samuels-Thomas post game audio
Photo Gallery

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Bowling Green took to the ice against the Nanooks of Alaska looking for a weekend sweep after Friday night's 3-1 victory. However the Falcons came up short losing 5-3 in a night filled with excitement both on the ice and with off-ice news.

Bowling Green came out of the gates slow and committed three costly penalties that gave UAF prime scoring opportunities in the first period. The first Falcon mistake by way of a penalty called on freshman Marc Rodriguez cost BGSU a Nanook score. After a high-sticking call put Rodriguez in the box for two minutes at 4:14, Jarret Granberg and the Nanook offense took flight. Though Bowling Green killed the penalty following a pair of saves by Falcon goaltender Nick Eno, the second that Rodriguez stepped back onto the ice, Granberg put a shot past goaltender Nick Eno to take a 1-0 advantage six minutes into the contest. The goal breaks a three-game streak in which the Falcons had scored first in a match.

It only took two minutes following Granberg's goal for the Nanooks to double up the count as Carlo Finucci put his first goal of the season home, with Dustin Sather and Dustin Molle on the helpers. Four minutes later, the Nanooks cashed in on their first successful power play effort when assistant captain Dion Knelsen scored in the twelfth minute of the first period. Three unanswered, first period goals put the Nanooks up 3-0 through one period.

The Falcons would not be counted out. Bowling Green freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas, fresh off scoring in the previous night's action, hit the back of the net at 1:14 of the second period while BG was on a power play chance. Bryant Molle was called for an offensive hooking penalty at less than thirty seconds into the period leading to a pair of missed BGSU power play shots before Samuels-Thomas made his mark. Following Tomas Petruska and senior captain Kyle Page setting up the offense between the circles, Page put a shot on net that was deflected in front of net where the aggressive freshman smashed the puck past UAF's Scott Greenham.

Three minutes later, David Solway scored one of his two goals on the night. Set up by a pair of freshmen, Solway from out in front of the net, blasted a rocket into the UAF net sending off the horns in the BGSU Ice Arena for the second time making the score 3-2.

Alaska regained their composure and increased their lead to two when they converted their second power play goal at 8:40 in the second period. On the scoring end was Granberg for the second time in the game. With that power play goal, the Falcons have now given up two or more power play scores five times this season.
The Nanooks, now up on the Falcons 4-2, were then kept quiet until the last thirty seconds of the game.

Responding late in the third period was Solway, who finished the night with two of the Falcons three goals. Though the crowd was reenergized and confident the Falcons could complete the comeback, the cheers fell silent after Knelsen put on a shot that traveled the full length of the ice and hit the back of cage of an open Falcon net, icing a Nanook 5-3 victory.

The Falcons outshot their opponent for the second time this season, this time by their widest margin (+5) against Alaska. After mustering only six shots on goal in the first period, BG put 13 on net in both the second and third periods to finish with 32 total. Bowling Green scored on 1-of-2 of their power play attempts, but allowed similar success to the Nanooks special teamers who went 2-for-5 on power play chances.

Standing out from the Falcon pack was Samuels-Thomas, who finished with three points on the night following a goal and two assists. He finishes the weekend with four points after adding a goal from Friday night. Fellow freshman Max Grover registered his first collegiate point on a second-hand helper on Solway's first goal of the night.

The Nanooks featured five players who scored multiple points on Saturday night. Dion Knelsen (2-0), Cody Butcher (0-2), Dustin Sather (0-2), Jarret Granberg (2-0), Carlo Finucci (1-1) and Andy Taranto (0-2) all had two points apiece in the game.

Alaska goaltender Scott Greenham rebounded from Friday night's loss by earning his seventh win of the season, while BG's Nick Eno falls to 1-2-0 after making 22-of-26 saves on the night. Greenham finished with 29 saves, twelve of which coming in the third period alone.

The Falcons fall to a 1-8-1 (1-4-1-1) record before heading out to Ann Arbor, Mich. to face the Michigan Wolverines in a home-and-home series next weekend. Alaska improves to 7-2-1 (4-2-0-0) on the season and will continue their road trip by venturing to Lake Superior State University.

The excitement off the ice occurred during the first intermission when Bowling Green State University Marketing and Communications Department announced that Jack Vivian, the first head coach of BGSU hockey, had made a generous donation towards the hockey program and the “Bring Back the Glory” campaign. In an effort to raise $5 million for scholarship endowment and arena enhancement, the Vivian family donated $250,000 towards the cause. Vivian, who coached the Falcons for six years and compiled a 112-62-10 record, was honored with his wife Elaine on the ice for their generosity. In addition, members of the 1969 Falcon squad and 1984 National Championship team were also recognized for their success and dedication to Falcon hockey.

Statistical correction for Friday night's game (Nov. 13): On the Falcons' first goal against UAF on Friday night, #27 Tommy Dee was inaccurately credited with an assist. #14 Kai Kantola stands as having the first assist, while the second assist will be credited to #5 David Solway.