Strong Play Late Not Enough in 4-2 Falcon Loss

Saturday, October 9

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:05 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Michigan

October 09, 2010 | Ice Hockey

The Falcons played well late, but three first period goals doomed BGSU in a 4-2 loss.

By: by Ryan Gasser, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Bowling Green forward Chad Sumsion (Woodstock, Ontario) earned his first collegiate goal Saturday night while Jordan Samuels-Thomas scored in his second consecutive game but it was not enough to overcome an early three-goal deficit, The Falcons lost, 4-2, to the No. 4/5 Michigan Wolverines in a weekend sweep.

Box score (.html) | Box score (.pdf)
Post game audio - Chad Sumsion (.mp3) | Chris Bergeron (.mp3)
Post game video with Chad Sumsion and Chris Bergeron - click here
Weekend photo gallery - click here

Falcon goaltender Andrew Hammond (Surrey, British Columbia) struggled early in his first start of the season. The sophomore allowed three goals in the first period, including two scores in a 2:40 span.

David Wohlberg took a turnover in the BG zone and beat the defense to the net and went stick-side on Hammond with a backhander that found the back of the net at 9:11 in the first period. Less than three minutes later, Michigan's Jon Merrill tipped a shot past Hammond while on a Wolverine power play off of a Louie Caporusso show from inside the blue line. Michigan's third goal came at even strength on a sharp liner from Brandon Burlon from beyond the top of the far faceoff circle in the 18th minute of the game.

Sumsion notched his first collegiate goal and put Bowling Green on the board after reeping the benefit of a scrum in front of the net. After Luke Glendening was whistled for obstruction shortly after Michigan's third goal, Camden Wojtala (Trenton, Mich.) started the play by sending in a shot on Michigan goaltender Bryan Hogan. Following the save on Wojtala's shot, Samuels-Thomas pushed the puck back to Sumsion waiting between the circles. The Woodstock, Ontario native pounded away in front of the net and punched home his first goal as a Falcon to bring the Brown and Orange within two goals, 3-1.

Bowling Green settled into a defensive comfort zone in the second period at the five-minute mark. After the Falcons surrendered Michigan's fourth goal to Caporusso, marking the Wolverines' first shot on goal of the period and short-handed, Bowling Green held U-M to only four additional shots on goal for the period and 11 more for the rest of the game.

Samuels-Thomas halved the lead with a shot that rang the bell after Andrew Krelove's (Thunder Bay, Ontario) shot bounced off Hogans padding. The sophomore forward swooped in from the near side and slid the puck through an open hole to make the score 4-2. Credited with assists on the play were Krelove and Brennan Vargas (Coon Rapids, Minn.), their firsts of the season.

Despite a late run and Michigan committing a major penalty with 3:52 remaining to give the Falcons a man advantage for the duration of the game, the Falcons could not capitalize and the Wolverines took a weekend sweep from the Falcons.

Samuels-Thomas marked his second score of the weekend, keeping pace with his start last season in points when he opened the season with three assists over the first weekend at Minnesota State. He now resides with two goals and an assist on the season.

Hammond finished the game with 16 saves on 20 U-M shots in 59:28 of play. Wojtala was also featured on the scoresheet for the first time as a Falcon with a second assist on the Sumsion score.

Bowling Green's penalty-kill may have helped put them behind early but overall was a significant improvement from Friday night's game. The Falcons held U-M 1-for-5 on their power play and recorded only three shots on goal while maintaining the man advantage. Bowling Green blocked five Michigan power-play shots of the total of ten that were taken against the Falcons.

Bowling Green (0-2-0, 0-2-0-0) now prepares for a trip to Potsdam, N.Y. to take on Clarkson University (1-1-0) next Friday and Saturday (Oct. 15-16). The Golden Knights come off of a weekend split at the Mutual of Omaha Stampede Tournament with Nebraska-Omaha and St. Cloud State. Clarkson most recently defeated St. Cloud State (ranked fourth by USCHO.com), 6-2, on last night.