Falcons Fall 4-2 To Northern Michigan In Series Opener

Friday, February 10

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:05 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Northern Michigan

Photo by: Todd Pavlack / BGSUHockey.com

February 10, 2012 | Ice Hockey

By: John Enright-Athletic Communications

BOXSCORE | Photo Gallery (Todd Pavlack)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio. – The Bowling Green State University ice hockey team dropped a 4-2 decision to Northern Michigan Friday night, after allowing three-straight Wildcat goals in the first ten minutes of play. Junior Bobby Shea and senior Cameron Sinclair scored for the Falcons, while junior Andrew Hammond stopped 23-of-27 shots in the loss.

Sophomore Stephen Vigier scored the first of three-straight Northern Michigan goals at the 2:14 mark of the period, netting his eleventh goal of the season on the power play.

Senior Andrew Cherniwchan scored his sixth goal of the season just over three minutes later, just as the Falcons returned to full strength. The goal marked Cherniwchan's thirty-first career goal, and gave Northern Michigan the 2-0 advantage.

The Wildcats scored their final goal of the period at the 9:29 mark, on a shot from junior Scott Macaulay on the power play. The goal marked Macaulay's third of the season, and gave Northern Michigan the 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

With just over 12 minutes remaining in the second stanza, the Falcons finally broke thorough Northern Michigan goaltender Jared Coreau. Shea accepted a pass in the high slot from Sophomore Cam Wojtala, before burying his fourth goal of the season. Shea's even-strength tally cut the lead to 3-1, and gave The Falcons a boost of momentum.

Northern Michigan answered back however, as the Wildcat's Justin Florek barreled into Hammond with just under two minutes to play in the second period. The puck snuck by Hammond, giving Florek his fifteenth goal of the season, and third point of the game.

Bowling Green mounted a comeback in the third period, scoring an even-strength goal at the 5:58 mark of the frame. The puck took a Falcon bounce in the slot before finding the stick of Sinclair, who buried his fifth goal of the season. The goal cut the Northern lead to 4-2, but the Falcons we're unable to light the lamp again, securing the victory for the Wildcats.

The loss marks only the third time this season the Falcons have outshot their opponent and failed to come away with a victory.

With their assists Friday night, Wojtala and sophomore Bryce Williamson are riding a two-game point streak. They have both also secured a point in three of their last four games.

Shea's goal marks his first point since the Falcons defeated Alaska-Fairbanks 3-1 (Jan. 20) on the road, snapping a personal five-game point drought.

The loss drops the Falcons' overall record to 9-17-5, with a record of 4-15-4-3 in conference play. The win improves Northern Michigan's record to 13-10-6 overall, with a record of 8-9-6-3 in CCHA action.

Bowling Green takes the ice again Saturday night, for an encore game with Northern Michigan. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.