Falcons 7-4 Loss To Ferris State Pushes Series To Final Game

Saturday, March 10

Big Rapids, Mich. (CCHA Second Round)

7:05 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

Ferris State

Photo by: Todd Pavlack / BGSUHockey.com

March 10, 2012 | Ice Hockey

By: John Enright-Athletic Communications

BOXSCORE | Coach Bergeron Audio | Jake Sloat Audio | Connor Kucera Audio

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Bowling Green State University ice hockey team lost to Ferris State Saturday night, falling to the Bulldogs 7-4 at the Ewigleben Ice Arena. Freshman Dan DeSalvo scored twice for the Falcons, while defensemen Connor Kucera and Jake Sloat scored their first goals of the season. Junior Andrew Hammond stopped 34-of-36 shots in the loss. Hammond was pulled in favor of sophomore Scott Zacharias with 4:21 remaining in the contest. Zacharias allowed one goal on two shots.

Bowling Green and Ferris State exchanged several scoring chances in the opening frame, with the Bulldogs holding a 12-7 shot advantage. Despite Ferris State's lead in shots, the Falcons were able to make the most of their opportunities, scoring the game's first goal at the 13:55 mark of the opening period. Freshman Ryan Carpenter won an offensive-zone draw, sending the puck directly back to blue line. Kucera collected the puck and fired it on net, beating Ferris State goaltender Taylor Nelson down low. Kucera's tally marked his first career goal, and gave Bowling Green the 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission.

Ferris State responded with a power-play tally just 1:28 into the second period. Ferris State sent a shot on the Bowling Green cage, before the defense attempted to clear. The Falcons' clearing attempt was intercepted by Ferris State senior Derek Graham in the slot. Graham buried the shot for his fifth goal of the season, evening the tilt 1-1.

The Bulldogs scored another goal midway through the second frame, pushing the score to 2-1 in favor of Ferris State. Junior Eric Alexander accepted a pass near the Falcons' blue line, before skating in wide on the Bowling Green net. Alexander carried the puck in on his backhand, before switching to the forehand, and sneaking his sixth goal of the year past Hammond.

The Falcons answered right back just 1:33 later, evening the contest 2-2 at the 12:01 mark of the second period. DeSalvo carried the puck down the right side of the Ferris State zone, before sending a perfect saucer pass in the slot. Sloat joined the offensive rush and split the defense, tipping the puck past Nelson for his first goal of the season, and second of his career.

The Bulldogs scored the final goal of the second period at 15:35, pulling ahead of Bowling Green 3-2. Junior Kyle Bonis fired a shot on net from between the circle and goal line, beating Hammond for his 17^th goal of the season.

The Falcons refused to bow to the No. 2 ranked Bulldogs however, and tied the contest just 21 seconds into the third period. DeSalvo took advantage of a Bulldog turnover, and broke ahead of the Ferris State defense at the red line. DeSalvo skated in alone on the Ferris State net, and fired the puck past Nelson for his 10^th goal of the year.

With the game tied 3-3, Ferris State recorded four straight goals, pushing the score to 7-3 in favor of the Bulldogs. Bonis scored the first Bulldog tally of the period, netting his second goal of the contest on a bank shot from behind the net at the 6:09 mark of the period.

Junior Matthew Kirzinger pushed the score to 5-3 just two minutes later, netting a goal on a short-handed breakaway. Kirzinger stole the puck from the Bowling Green defense at the blue line, before going in on Hammond and scoring his tenth goal of the season.

Ferris State scored their sixth goal of the contest and final goal on Hammond after a scramble in front at the 15:39 mark of the third period. Hammond made the initial save in front, before sophomore Andy Huff jammed home his sixth goal of the season, putting the score at 6-3 in favor of the Bulldogs.

Each team would add a final goal in the contest, including DeSalvo's second of the game, and 11^th of the season to cap the score at 7-4 in favor of Ferris State.

The Bulldog win evens the best-of-3 series at 1-1. Bowling Green and Ferris State face off Sunday night in the deciding game of the series. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m.