Falcons Top Nanooks 2-1 Behind Dop's 25 Saves

Friday, October 27

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:37PM

Bowling Green State University

3-3-0 (2-1-0WCHA)

Alaska

2-4-1 (0-1-0WCHA)

Alaska Fairbanks

Bowling Green

October 27, 2017 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Mitch McLain and Alec Rauhauser scored their first goals of the season to lead the Bowling Green State University hockey team to a 2-1 victory over the University of Alaska Nanooks in the opener of a two-game series. The Falcons improved their record to .500 (3-3-0) in the young season and moved to 2-1-0 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association games. Alaska's loss ends a two-game winning streak and drops their record to 2-4-1. The game was held in front of 1,910 fans at the Slater Family Ice Arena on Friday night (Oct. 27).

Box Score
McLain Goal Call 1-1
Rauhauser Goal Call 2-1

Scoring Plays

Down 1-0 midway through the second period, the Falcons finally found the equalizer thanks to Mitch McLain. Carson Musser took a shot from the point, and McLain redirected it into the net from just in front of Alaska netminder Anton Martinsson. The goal came at 11:06 of the second period and was McLain's first of the 2017-18 season. Musser's assist was his second.
Bowling Green wasted no time taking the lead at the start of the third period. Seconds after the Falcons killed off a Mitch McLain penalty, the defense created a two-on-one rush. Martinsson saved one shot, but Alec Rauhauser skated around the back of the net and poked home the rebound inside the left corner. Rauhauser scored his first goal of the season 55 seconds into the third. Lukas Craggs provided an assist on the play, his first of the season.

Statistical Standouts

McLain's goal in the second period gives him a career total of 36 in his 126th career game. The senior from Baxter, Minn. now has a goal and an assist in six games this season and 71 career points.
McLain also tied for the team lead with three shots on goal during the game, and he led the Falcons with nine faceoffs won.
Rauhauser's game-winner was his first goal of the season and the sixth of his career. The Falcons are now 5-0-1 when the sophomore defenseman scores.
In six games this year, Rauhauser has a goal and four assists. He has one point in five of the six games.
Craggs' game-winning assist was his first of 2017-18 and the fourth of the sophomore's career. He has three points in his last two games.
Freshman defenseman Carson Musser has assists in back-to-back games.
Sixteen Falcons took at least one of the team's 27 shots on goal. McLain, Rauhauser and Brett D'Andrea led with three.
Connor McDonald (3) and Justin Wells (2) combined for five of BGSU's eight blocks.
Freshman netminder Eric Dop improved to 2-1-0 in three Friday starts with a 25-save effort.
Dop has 82 saves against 88 shots for a 2.00 goals against average and a save percentage of .932.
The Falcons were 0-for-2 on the power play but 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The Falcons out-shot Alaska 27-26.

Postgame Interviews

Coach Bergeron

Eric Dop

Up Next

Bowling Green returns to the ice tomorrow night for the back end of their two-game series against Alaska. The puck will drop at 7:07 p.m. at the Slater Family Ice Arena on Saturday evening (Oct. 28). BGSU is looking for their firat two-game sweep of the Nanooks since Nov. 7-8, 2014 in Alaska and their first home sweep in the series since Jan. 7-8, 2005. Following tomorrow night's game, the Falcons will head to Houghton, Mich. for a two-game series with Michigan Tech on Nov. 3-4, then return home for a series with Lake Superior State on Nov. 10-11.

Follow the Falcons

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