Craggs Goal in Final Minute Preserves Point in 3-3 Tie Against Beavers

Saturday, December 2

Bowling Green, Ohio

7:07PM

Bowling Green State University

7-5-5 (6-2-4-2WCHA)

Bemidji State

5-6-3 (2-4-1-2WCHA)

OT 1

Bemidji State

Bowling Green

Craggs Goal in Final Minute Preserves Point in 3-3 Tie Against Beavers

December 02, 2017 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communicationis Assistant

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Lukas Craggs scored with 53 seconds left in regulation to preserve a critical WCHA point, as the Bowling Green State University hockey team skated to a 3-3 tie with the Bemidji State Beavers on Saturday night (Dec. 2). After two scoreless overtime periods, the Beavers captured the extra point in the conference standings with a 1-0 victory in the sudden-death shootout. The tie extends BGSU's unbeaten streak in Saturday games to seven (3-0-4). The team's record now stands at 7-5-5 overall (6-2-4-2 WCHA), and the Falcons end the weekend in first place with a three-point lead on Minnesota State.

Box Score
D'Andrea Goal Call 1-0
S. Craggs Goal Call 2-1
L. Craggs Goal Call 3-3

Three different Falcons scored. Brett D'Andrea helped the Falcons dent the scoreboard first for the second straight night with his third goal of the season. The final two BGSU goals of the evening were provided by the Craggs brothers. Sam scored his first collegiate goal to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead in the second period, then Lukas sent the contest to overtime with a goal in the final minute of regulation. Three other Falcons provided a total of four assists, while netminder Ryan Bednard saved 29 of 32 shots by the Beavers.

Scoring Plays

Bowling Green broke through with the opening goal for the second straight night. Connor McDonald sent the puck across the ice to Alec Rauhauser, who was waiting in the back of the zone towards the blue line. He took a shot, and Brett D'Andrea flashed in front of the goal to tip the puck past Michael Bitzer. The score gave BGSU a 1-0 lead with 7:21 left in the first period.
Bemidji State evened the game late in the first period, and the score remained tied through much of the second. Finally, BGSU reclaimed the lead 3:25 before the second intermission. Sam Craggs scooped up the puck near the corner boards and skated behind the Beavers' net. Bitzer saved a wrap-around shot attempt, but Craggs poked home a rebound to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead.
Down 3-2, the Falcons pulled goaltender Ryan Bednard for the final 90 seconds. The extra attacker pays off when Connor Ford digs a puck out of the corner, and Lukas Craggs picks off the loose puck. He sends a wrist shot past Bitzer to tie the game 3-3 with only 53 seconds left in regulation.

Shootout Results

Bemidji State: Dickman (GOOD)
Bowling Green: Baylis (MISSED)

Statistical Standouts

Sam Craggs is the 16th different player to score a goal for the Falcons this year. His goal was the Falcons' fourth unassisted score of the season.
Craggs is the seventh Falcon to score his first career goal this season.
D'Andrea and Lukas Craggs each scored their third goals of the season and gave BGSU eight players with at least three goals.
D'Andrea has two goals and an assist in his last three games.
Alec Rauhauser provided two assists for his second multi-point and first multi-assist game of the season.
Rauhauser now has five career multi-point games.
Rauhauser improved his points per game mark to 0.82; he entered the weekend ranked 22nd nationally and first in the WCHA among defensemen.
Connor Ford and Connor McDonald each earned their fifth points of the season with assists. Ford finished with two wassists in the series.
Bednard made 29 saves in 32 attempts and now has a GAA of 2.02 and a save percentage of .927.
Bednard entered the weekend at the top of the WCHA and in the top ten nationally in both categories.
BGSU is 4-0-4 now when scoring first and 6-0-4 when leading after two periods.
Bemidji out-shot the Falcons 32-28. McDonald led Bowling Green with six.
On special teams, the Falcons were 3-for-4 on the penalty kill and 0-for-3 on the power play.
BGSU posted ten blocks, led by two apiece from Baylis and Rauhauser.
BGSU was 42-28 on faceoffs; D'Andrea and McLain led the way with 11 faceoff wins each.

Postgame Interviews

Coach Bergeron

Sam Craggs

Up Next

Bowling Green will return to the Slater Family Ice Arena for more home WCHA action next weekend. The Falcons will host the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers on Dec. 8 and Dec. 9, with game times set for 7:37 p.m. on Friday and 7:07 p.m. on Saturday. BGSU owns a 21-4-1 edge in the all-time series against the Chargers. That series record includes an 11-1-1 mark at home and a 19-2-0 mark under head coach Chris Bergeron.

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.