Hockey Opens Season with Exhibition Win Over Wilfrid Laurier

Sunday, October 1

Bowling Green, Ohio

3:07PM

Bowling Green State University

Wilfrid Laurier

October 01, 2017 | Ice Hockey

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- The Bowling Green State University hockey team made their 2017-18 debut with a 3-1 exhibition victory over the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Sunday afternoon (Oct. 1). The contest took place at the Slater Family Ice Arena and was the first of two exhibitions for the Falcons. Mitch McLain scored the final two goals for BGSU, including an empty-netter in the final minute. Both goals occurred on BGSU power plays, and the Falcons were 2-for-9 overall with an extra man. Sophomore forward Casey Linkenheld scored the opening goal. The Falcons benefitted from 49 shot attempts that resulted in 30 shots on goal. Wilfrid Laurier was limited to 19 shots on goal.

Box Score

PERIOD-BY-PERIOD MOMENTS
FIRST PERIOD (BGSU 1, Wilfrid-Laurier 0)
0:00-1:52: Falcons put on heavy offensive pressure, with two wide shots and a Carson Musser shot on goal
1:52: Pressure led to interference call in Golden Hawks' Mac Clutsam
1:52-3:49: Falcons get five shots on goal during the initial power play but cannot score
3:49: Danny Hanlon called for slashing for Wilfrid Laurier, Falcons get another PP
3:49-5:49: BGSU could get no more shots on goal during man advantage, score remained 0-0
10:00: Chris Pohlkamp shot from the point but saved by Colin Furlong
14:20: Connor McDonald takes a shot form the point that is tipped in by Casey Linkenheld for 1-0 BGSU lead
-- Cameron Wright added a second assist
18:06: Nike Coffman sent to the box for tripping for BGSU's first penalty kill opportunity
18:06-20:00: Ryan Bednard makes two saves and Falcons get one short-handed SOG during penalty

SECOND PERIOD (BGSU 2, Wilfrid-Laurier 1)
0:06: Wilfrid Laurier gets a quick shot at Bednard, but the Coffman penalty ends with no goals
1:55-3:55: Brett D'Andrea sent to the box for interference, but Falcons allow no shots on goal during penalty kill
7:56: WLU's Alex Annecchiarico handed five-minute major + game misconduct for hitting from behind
9:02: Mitch McLain scores on a tip-in from the slot to give BGSU a 2-0 lead (assists to Adam Smith, Jacob Dalton)
12:25: Jacob Dalton called for hooking to end BGSU's power play and create a 31-second 4-on-4
14:25: Falcons allow just one shot on goal during Dalton penalty for third PK of the game
15:34: Eric Dop enters at goalie for BGSU for unofficial collegiate debut
17:36: Danny Hanlon gets puck past Dop on wrap-around for WLU goal
18:14-20:00: Three successive penalties on the Golden Hawks, Falcons, and Golden Hawks again create 4x3 to end period

THIRD PERIOD (BGSU 3, Wilfrid-Laurier 1)
5)03: BGSU completes its final penalty kill of the game; the Falcons faced 3:43 of short-handed time early in the third period
7:56: After Eric Dop makes three key saves to help BGSU retain their one-goal lead, WLU's Jacob Heatherington is called for roughing
18:06: Jarryd Leung is booked for slashing, which gives the Falcons a ninth power play for the final 1:54
19:18: After WLU empties the net, Mitch McLain gets free and buries the puck in the back of the net for the final goal in the 3-1 win

FINAL NUMBERS
-- Mitch McLain and Frederic Letourneau led BGSU with four shots apiece
-- Eight Falcons made their unofficial collegiate debuts in the game (Musser, Johnson, Wells, Wright, Ford, Craggs, Kruse, Dop)
-- Cameron Wright and Brandon Kruse each had an assist in their debut
-- Mitch McLain (2) and Casey Linkenfeld scored BGSU's goals
-- Connor McDonald, Adam Smith, Jacob Dalton, and Letourneau added assists
-- BGSU out-shot WLU 30-19 and had the advantge in each period (13-8; 9-6; 8-5)
-- BGSU won 43 of 60 face-offs, including 15 of 24 by Mitch McLain and 8 of 10 by Brett D'Andrea
-- BGSU converted two of nine power plays and took 13 total shots during those chances
-- The BGSU penalty kill was a perfect 6-for-6 and limited WLU to only six shots with a man advantage

POSTGAME INTERVIEWS
--Coach Bergeron

--Mitch McLain

UP NEXT
Bowling Green's final exhibition contest takes place at Slater Family Ice Arena next Friday (7:37 p.m.) against the U.S. National Development Team. The Falcons then begin the regular season on Tuesday, Oct. 10 in Kalamazoo, Mich. against the Western Michigan Broncos. BGSU opens regular season play at home on Friday, Oct. 13 when they face the Spartans of Michigan State.

FOLLOW THE FALCONS
For more information on the hockey program, follow the Falcons on Twitter (@BGFalconHockey and @BGAthletics) and Instagram (bgfalconhockey) as well as on the web right here at BGSUFalcons.com.