Kruse Scores Shootout Goal To Grant Falcons Second WCHA Point In Tie Against Alaska

Saturday, February 15

Fairbanks, Alaska

11:07 PM

Bowling Green State University

15-13-4,10-10-4-3WCH

Alaska

14-13-5,12-9-4-2WCHA

OT 1

Bowling Green

Alaska Fairbanks

Kruse Scores Shootout Goal To Grant Falcons Second WCHA Point In Tie Against Alaska

February 16, 2020 | Ice Hockey

Box Score

By: by Kyle Edmond, BGSU Athletics

FAIRBANKS, Alaska - The Bowling Green State University hockey team picked up two WCHA points on Saturday night (Feb. 15) against Alaska Fairbanks in a 3-3 tie. The game went to a sudden death shootout to decide the third league point after two scoreless overtime periods. After two missed attempts by each team in the shootout, Brandon Kruse was able to move the puck past the Alaska goalie to claim the second point for Bowling Green. Also tying on Friday night (Feb. 14), both teams exit the weekend with a trio of WCHA points. The Orange and Brown will move to 15-13-4 on the season while being 10-10-4-3 in WCHA play.

Next Home Game: The Falcons return to Slater Family Ice Arena on Feb. 21 to host Ferris State for a weekend series with both Friday and Saturday set for 7:07 p.m. puck drops. The second game of the series, on Feb. 22, will be Senior Night for the Falcons while the team will also recognize the program's 50th Anniversary.

Scoring Plays

Alex Barber got the scoring going for the night, netting the puck less than five minutes into the game for his seventh goal of the season. Barber was assisted by T.J. Lloyd and Sam Craggs on the score.
Not long after the Falcons added to their lead with a goal from Casey Linkenheld seeing assists from Frederic Letourneau and Connor Ford.
In the second period, Llyod added a goal to his line, being the third score of the night for the Falcons. He was assisted by Taylor Schneider and Kruse on the goal.
The Nanooks answered with 6:37 remaining in the second period. Didrik Henbrandt knocked the puck in coming from Caleb Hite and Colin Doyle.
Early in the third period the Nanooks scored a power play goal to pull the score to a one-goal game. The goal was scored by Kylar Hope with assists from Chris Jandric and goalie Anton Martinsson.
With 7:30 remaining in regulation, Steven Jandric tied the game up for Alaska with assists from Markus Komuls and Jordan Muzzillo.
In the third round of the sudden death shootout, Kruse flashed his handles to put the puck past the Alaska goalie, claiming the second WCHA point of the night, and third of the weekend, for the Falcons.

Other Key Plays

Less than a minute after the first Falcon goal of the night, the Nanooks nearly tied it up, but Eric Dop fended off a trio of attempts to keep the lead for Bowling Green.
After the second Falcon goal, the Nanooks made a change at goalie, putting in Martinsson.
Around the nine minute mark in the second period, Tristan Thompson for Alaska was helped off the ice after going down with an injury.
In overtime, Alaska had a breakaway attempt, but Cameron Wright skated in to knock the puck away and regain control for Bowling Green, securing the tie.
In the first two rounds of the shootout, the Falcons sent out Schneider and Ford who both came up just shy before Kruse was able to capitalize.

Falcon Stat Facts

Registering his seventh and eighth points of the season, Llyod extended his lead among freshmen for points on the season, now having an assist in both games this weekend as well as a goal.
Scoring the second goal of the night, Linkenheld matched his career-highs for goals and points in the season with four goals and eight points, both marks he set last season.
With an assist on Linkenheld's goal, Ford tied his career-high for assists in a season with 17, matching his mark from last season.
Assisting on Lloyd's goal, Kruse moved just one point shy of the 100 career point mark, now standing at 99 with four games left in the regular season.
The shootout victory marks the first for the Falcons since beating Ferris State via shootout last season on Dec. 7. Schneider was the one to net the game-winner in that game.

Up Next

Bowling Green will return to the Slater Family Ice Arena for their regular season home finale next weekend (Feb. 21-22) to host Ferris State. Both nights will be 7:07 p.m. puck drops with Saturday's game being the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Falcon Hockey as well as Senior Night and SicSic Reveal.

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