Falcons Three-Goal Second Period Clinches Playoff Berth

Friday, January 26

Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.

7:07PM

Bowling Green State University

15-8-6,12-4-5WCHA

Lake Superior State

6-19-4,4-14-3WCHA

Bowling Green

Lake Superior State

January 26, 2018 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: Jenna Jorgensen (Assistant Director of Athletic Communications)

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. – The Bowling Green hockey program's (15-8-6, 12-4-5 WCHA) explosive second period lifted them to a 5-3 victory over Lake Superior State (6-19-4, 4-14-3 WCHA) Friday evening on the road, clinching the Falcons spot in the 2018 WCHA Playoffs.

Box Score

Scoring Plays

Period 1 | 2:51 – After the Lakers took an early lead, sophomore defenseman Alec Rauhauser wasted no time responding to even the score at 1-1 in the opening minutes of the game. The defenseman carried the puck into the zone and his near side snipe earned him his seventh goal of the season.
Period 1 | 10:21 – As junior Stephen Baylis wrapped it around the back of the net, he pumped the puck out front of the goal. Freshman forward Max Johnson was ready at the crease with a one-timer to tie the game at 2-2, earning his team-leading sixth power play goal of the season.
Period 2 | 8:45 – The Falcons saw its first lead of the night as sophomore forward Lukas Craggs picked up his eighth goal of the season midway through the game. The goal kickstarted a three-goal second period for the Falcons, as he was assisted by freshman Justin Wells and sophomore John Schilling for the go-ahead goal.
Period 2 | 12:13 – The Falcons flew into the offensive zone with a 3x2 chance and were able to extend their lead to 4-2 with a goal by freshman Brandon Kruse. The Saline, Mich. native swooped into the zone and passed off to senior Tyler Spezia, before being fed the pass in the slot. As Kruse lifted the puck over a low goalie, he earned his sixth of the season.
Period 2 | 17:53 – As the Falcons entered the Laker zone with another 3x2 chance, Spezia was able to take a shot from the faceoff circle. A native of Clinton Township, Mich., Spezia was able to beat the goalie to the top shelf with his sixth goal of the season to increase the Falcons lead to 5-2 in the final minutes of the second period with four straight goals.

Statistical Standouts

A well-rounded performance, 11 different Falcons appeared on the box score with a point, while Rauhauser (1-1–2), Spezia (1-1–2) and Linkenheld (0-2–2) earned multi-point nights.
With his pair of assists, sophomore Casey Linkenheld earned his first career multi-point game.
Players with active point streaks include Max Johnson (four games), Alec Rauhauser (four games), Brandon Kruse (three games), Casey Linkenheld (two games) and Chris Pohlkamp (two games).
Johnson's four-game scoring streak is a career-best for the Lakeville, Minn. native, and longest of a Bowling Green player this season.
While on his four-game point streak, Rauhauser has tallied eight points by one goal and seven assists. His one-and-one tally in tonight's game marks his seventh multi-point night of the season.
With his sixth goal of the season and 22nd point on the year, freshman Brandon Kruse extended his point streak to three games, and scoring streak to two after also earning the game-winning goal in last Saturday's victory over Alaska Anchorage.
In his first multi-point night of the season, ninth of his career, senior Tyler Spezia tallied one goal and an assist on Kruse's game-winner. It marked the second goal scored by Spezia in the last three games.
Between the pipes was sophomore goaltender Ryan Bednard. In his 24 save performance, Bednard improves his record to 8-4-4 on the season, and withstood a game-high of 17 saves in the narrow third period of action.
In the second period, the Falcons held Lake Superior State to just two shots on goal, a new season-best for the team. It is also the fewest shots on goal allowed in a period since Bowling Green sacrificed just three to Alabama Huntsville on Dec. 9, 2017.
The Falcon remain undefeated this season when scoring four or more goals (9-0-0) as well as when they lead after two periods (12-0-4).
Overall, shots on goal were square between the teams at 27-27, with senior captain Mitch McLain leading the Bowling Green squad with five on net.
In special teams action, Bowling Green went 1-for-2 on the power play while racking up eight shots on goal with the man advantage, as well as 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.

Coach Bergeron's Take

"We had a great second period. I really liked it, and I liked how we skated, created plays, and defended. We made good plays off the rush, and our offensive zone play was great. We played the game how we want to play it, and the second period showed a lot of that. In the third, I liked the way we killed penalties, but we shouldn't have been in that situation."
"Overall for tomorrow, we need to get off to a good start, and be on the positive side of the special teams. We need to get out of our end cleaner. I think at times we were pretty good at that, but we need to make clean plays out of our end and spend more time in their zone."

Up Next

The Falcons will look to seal the series sweep of Lake Superior State and extend its win streak to four-straight games tomorrow night (Jan. 27) in another 7:07 p.m. puck drop.

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.