No. 8 Falcons Sweep Ferris State 3-2

Saturday, February 7

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:07 P.M.

Bowling Green State University

17-6-5, 13-4-3

Ferris State

11-17-1, 8-12-0

Team	1	2	3	F
Ferris State	1	1	0	2
Bowling Green	1	0	2	3

Photo by: Todd Pavlack / BGSUHockey.com

February 07, 2015 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: by James Nahikian, BGSU Athletic Communications

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The No. 8-ranked Bowling Green State University ice hockey team – after topping Ferris State, 2-1, Friday night – earned a weekend sweep by defeating the Bulldogs, 3-2, Saturday night at the BGSU Ice Arena in front of 3,381 Falcon fans. The Orange and Brown trailed, 2-1, heading into the third period, but received goals from Ben Murphy and Pierre-Luc Mercier to clinch the come-from-behind victory. Tommy Burke turned away 21-of-23 shots to move to 8-3-3 on the season.

"The work ethic was there," BGSU head coach Chris Bergeron said. "In the third period, it felt like we were the team we want to be. We were much better with our decisions and our actions in the third period. There seemed to be a calm focus. There was no panic. Everybody stuck to the game plan and believed in it."

With the victory, the Falcons improve to 17-6-5 (13-4-3 WCHA), while the Bulldogs drop to 11-17-1 (8-12-0 WCHA).

Just 5:49 into the third, Bowling Green tallied the equalizer. Brandon Hawkins gained possession of the puck in the Bulldog zone, and eventually found Connor Kucera at the right point. Kucera fired a shot that was denied by CJ Motte, who stopped 16-of-19 shots. However, Murphy was in the right place at the right time and banged home the rebound. The goal was Murphy's 10th of the season.

(Listen to Ben Murphy's goal by CLICKING HERE)

The Orange and Brown then continued to apply the pressure, and scored again just 1:20 later. Bowling Green quickly entered the Ferris State zone with Matt Pohlkamp in control of the puck. The sophomore found ice on the right side of the zone, and dished it to an open Mercier in the slot as he was nearing the back of the net. Mercier one-timed the puck pass Motte for what stood as the game-winning goal.

(Listen to Pierre-Luc Mercier's goal by CLICKING HERE)

Ferris State elected to send out an extra attacker with just over a minute to play. The Bulldogs did earn a lot of zone time, but the majority of it was spent battling for fifty-fifty pucks along the boards. The Falcons' Pohlkamp exited the zone with the puck, and had a great chance to make it a 4-2 game, but his shot on the empty net sailed inches wide. The Orange and Brown held off the Bulldogs for the remaining seconds to record the victory.

The first two periods, however, were much more of a struggle for the hosts. The Falcons battled penalty problems, and had a difficult time generating shots. In total, Bowling Green was called for four penalties – all of which were committed across the first two periods. One of penalties was a five-minute major and another was a four-minute double minor. But the No. 1-ranked penalty kill unit was up the challenge all night long, and limited the Bulldogs to just five total power-play shots.

Ferris State struck first with 6:42 on the clock in the first, but captain Dan DeSalvo answered less than two minutes later to knot the contest at 1-1. DeSalvo found space in the slot without the puck, and Murphy found his line mate with lots of room. DeSalvo then fired a wrist shot in the bottom-right hand corner. The goal was DeSalvo's second on the year, and furthermore, stands as his 96th career point.

(Listen to Dan DeSalvo's goal by CLICKING HERE)

Ferris State scored the only goal in the second frame, after out-shooting BGSU, 11-5, across the period. But, it was Bowling Green who would own the final 20 minutes of play.

Murphy earned a team-high on-ice rating of plus-two, while Mercier led the Falcons in shots with three. Adam Berkle blocked a team-best three shots, as the team blocked a total of eight would-be shots. Bowling Green was out-shot, 23-19, and finished 0-for-3 on the man advantage.

The two teams will meet again next weekend in Big Rapids, Mich. for another two-game set Feb. 13-14. Both games are scheduled to begin at 7:07 p.m.