NMU Rallies Past Falcons, 4-3

Saturday, February 21

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:07 P.M.

Bowling Green State University

18-9-5, 14-7-3

Northern Michigan

13-13-6, 10-10-4

Northern Michigan

Bowling Green

Photo by: Todd Pavlack / BGSUHockey.com

February 21, 2015 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: by James Nahikian

Boxscore

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Northern Michigan University completed a weekend sweep of the Bowling Green State University ice hockey team by picking up a 4-3 victory Saturday (Feb. 21) night at the BGSU Ice Arena. The Falcons – who took a 3-0 lead – received goals from Mitchell McLain, Brent Tate and Mark Cooper, while freshman goaltender Chris Nell turned away 18-of-22 shots.

The Orange and Brown held a 3-1 advantage entering the third period, but the Wildcats scored three straight goals to claim the victory. With 7:57 remaining in the game, Northern Michigan tied the contest at 3-3. And with just 4:22 left in regulation, Justin Rose netted the game-winning tally after a mad scramble in front of the cage.

"I do think we competed really hard, at least in the first 35 minutes of the game," BGSU Head Coach Chris Bergeron said. "You make your bounces and we didn't get any over the last 25 minutes."

With the loss, Bowling Green falls to 18-9-5 (14-7-3 WCHA), while Northern Michigan improves to 13-13-6 (10-10-4 WCHA).

Unlike Friday night, the Falcons' hard work resulted in a two-goal advantage. Bowling Green dominated the first period, and skated into the second with a 2-0 lead. Less than a minute into the game – on a three-on-one rush – captain Dan DeSalvo fired a wrist shot off the crossbar.

Moments later, however, the Falcons beat goaltender Michael Doan. After Matt Pohlkamp won a puck battle, Mark Friedman gained control of the puck on the right half wall. He directed a shot on target, and Mitchell McLain guided it into the back of the net at the 3:31 mark. Pohlkamp and Friedman earned their team-high 15th assists of the season on the play. (Listen to Evan Pivnick's goal call by CLICKING HERE)

With the opening period winding down, the Orange and Brown struck again – this time, on the power play. Pierre-Luc Mercier held onto the puck below the circles on the right side of the zone, and eventually fired a shot on goal. Doan made the pad save, but an unmarked Brent Tate was there to bang home the rebound. (Listen to Evan Pivnick's goal call by CLICKING HERE) The Falcons had gone scoreless over their last 28 power-play opportunities before Tate's tally. Nell – who made seven saves during the period – made his biggest with less than a minute remaining in the frame. Nell made a stop on a three-on-one rush, and also blocked a rebound opportunity to send the Falcons into the locker room with their 2-0 lead intact.

After two periods, Bowling Green still owned a two-goal advantage, as both school's scored a goal apiece in the second stanza. The Falcons, for the second time on the night, scored on the power play to take a 3-0 lead. NMU's captain, Jake Baker, was kicked out of the game for a hit from behind and BGSU went on a five-minute power play. And at the 9:19 mark of the frame, Mark Cooper registered his third goal of the season. Mercier picked up his second assist of the evening in similar fashion, as he put a wrist shot on frame from the right side of the zone. Cooper – who was on the opposite side of the zone – slotted home the juicy rebound that Doan kicked out. (Listen to Evan Pivnick's goal call by CLICKING HERE)

Northern Michigan's Gerald Hanson finished a bang-bang play to pull the Wildcats within two at 3-1 with 5:05 remaining in the period, but it could have been worse. With less than 10 seconds left on the clock, NMU cleared the Bowling Green zone by lofting a puck high into the air. Reed Seckel skated under it, but Friedman chased him down and poked the puck away from behind before Seckel could record a shot on the breakaway.

But it was Seckel who had the last laugh. Just 1:03 into the final frame, the senior was sprung on a breakaway after a nice pass in the neutral zone. Seckel's wrist shot sailed over Nell's blocker and into the top-left corner of the cage. The Wildcats used that momentum, and went on to score two more across the final 10 minutes of the game to earn the come-from-behind win.

"Four shots in the third period with a two-goal lead is obviously not very good," Bergeron said. "I didn't like how we folded tent and the way we played in the last 25 minutes."

The Orange and Brown will trek to Anchorage, Alaska next weekend to take on the Seawolves over Feb. 27-28. Both games are scheduled to begin at 11:07 p.m. ET. The Falcons will then wrap up the regular season across March 6-7 inside of the BGSU Ice Arena against Alabama Huntsville. ?