Turn Back The Clock: BGSU Hockey In The 1990s

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of Bowling Green State University hockey at the varsity level, the BGSU Department of Athletics will take a look back at the history of the program. This is the third of a five-part series looking back at each decade of the program. Today we review the era from 1990-99. BGSU will celebrate the 50th anniversary on Feb. 22 as the Falcons host Ferris State.

PART ONE: 1969-79
PART TWO: 1980-89

1990-99

Overall Record: 179-185-26 (.492)

After the most successful decade in program history, the Bowling Green State University hockey team had even higher standards to reach. Under Jerry York, they were able to open the 1989-99 campaign with yet another NCAA Tournament berth, their fourth consecutive appearance. After a few losing seasons, York was able to lead the Falcons back to their winning ways, finishing 19-17-2 in 1993-94. Although York departed for Boston College, the Orange and Brown kept winning, thanks to a star-studded lineup and an experienced head coach.

Buddy Powers, an assistant on the 1984 National Championship team, took over for York in 1994. He led the Falcons to 25 wins in his first season and 26 victories in his second. A common theme on both teams was the leadership on the ice. Jason Clark and Curtis Fry were captains on both squads, combining for a 51-25-3 record in two years. Clark finished his career with 140 points and Fry finished with 194. Fry ranks 20^th with 68 career goals and 10^th with 126 career assists.

Also playing during that stretch was Brian Holzinger, Bowling Green's second Hobey Baker Award winner. A captain on the 1994-95 team, Holzinger netted 35 goals in 38 games, helping the Falcons finish second in the CCHA. Holzinger also served as captain during the 1993-94 season, Jerry York's final season behind the BGSU bench.

There were several other notable Falcon captains in the 1990s. Ty Eigner, the current head coach of the Bowling Green hockey team, wore the "C" in 1992-93. Jeff Wells, an All-American defenseman and father of current Falcon Justin Wells, served from 1992-94. Mike Johnson, an Academic All-American who scored 162 career points, was a captain from 1995-97.

Another important leader for the Falcons was Terry Flanagan, who spent seven years as an assistant for Jerry York. At age 35, Flanagan tragically passed away from cancer during the 1991-92 season. His dedication to the program and love for the great game remains an inspiration, and he is the namesake of two major awards. The Terry Flanagan Memorial Award was presented to the CCHA player who demonstrated courage, dedication, and perseverance while overcoming severe adversity. Two Falcons, Doug Schueller and Jordan Sigalet, have received the award. The Terry Flanagan Award is presented to an assistant coach in the ACHA to honor the career body of work.

Notable Win Streak – 6 in 1994-95
In their first season under Buddy Powers, the Falcons entered the final stretch of the regular season with a 19-10-2 record. With just four games remaining, they needed a late push to gain a favorable spot in the conference tournament. They hosted Ohio State on Friday night, winning an impressive 7-5 matchup. After a day off, they returned for a Sunday showdown with the Buckeyes that was played at the Ohio Expo Center Coliseum. The Falcons delivered another convincing win, topping OSU 6-1. The following weekend, BGSU won a 3-2 decision over Lake Superior and a 3-1 decision over Ferris State to climb to second in the CCHA standings.

Riding a four-game win streak into the conference tournament, the Falcons flexed their muscles in an opening-round sweep of Notre Dame. A decisive 7-2 victory put BGSU just 60 minutes from returning the CCHA Semifinals for the first time since 1990. The Orange and Brown outlasted the Fighting Irish, winning 5-4 to advance to the semifinals and extend their win streak to six. The streak ended the next weekend with an overtime loss to Michigan State, but the Falcons were able to end the season with 25 wins and a berth in the CCHA semifinals in Buddy Powers' first season.

Notable Performance
In the early parts of the 1995-96 season, Mike Hall was one of the most efficient scorers in the country. After scoring a goal in each of the last three games of the 1994-95 season, Hall lit the lamp in Bowling Green's first eight games of the 1995-96 campaign. His streak of 11 consecutive games with a goal remains the program record, but he had another impressive accomplishment two weeks later. On opening night (Nov. 23, 1995) of a three-game series against Alaska Fairbanks, the Falcons won 8-6. Hall not only recorded a hat trick but assisted on the other five goals as well. His single-game total of eight points is the program record, and his 11-point weekend is tied for the most in school history. For his efforts, the career 100-point scorer was recognized as CCHA Offensive Player of the Week.

Notable Players
Brian Holzinger (C/RW): Bowling Green hockey's second Hobey Baker Award winner, Brian Holzinger ranks seventh in program history with 102 career goals. 35 of those scores came during his historic 1994-95 campaign, when he helped the Falcons win 25 games and finish second in the CCHA. He tallied 69 total points that season, helping him conclude his BGSU career with 185 points. That season, Holzinger was named CCHA Player of the Year and was recognized as national player of the year by College Sports Magazine, Hockey Digest, The Hockey News, and The Sporting News.

The Parma, Ohio native spent two seasons as a captain for the Falcons, leading the Orange and Brown to 44 wins in those two seasons. Along with winning the Hobey Baker Award, he was selected Titan West All-America First Team and Academic All-America First Team. Less than a year after his final game, Holzinger had his number 19 jersey jointly retired with Falcon legend Nelson Emerson. He spent ten years in the NHL, tallying 238 career regular-season points and 29 points in the postseason. In 2005, Holzinger was inducted into the BGSU Hall of Fame.

Jeff Wells (D): One of Bowling Green's most prolific defensemen, Jeff Wells led the Falcons to success in the early 90s. A captain on two teams, Wells helped the Falcons win 19 games in consecutive seasons after winning just 23 in the previous two. With 105 career points, he is one of 72 Falcons and 13 true defensemen to eclipse the century mark. In 1994, Wells was selected Titan West All-America Second Team, one of just eight Falcon defensemen to be recognized as All-American.

During his All-American campaign, Wells led the team with 29 assists and tied for the team lead with 37 points. That same season, he was a First Team All-CCHA selection and played in the AHCA Senior All-Star Game. He is the father of Justin Wells, who is currently a junior defenseman for BGSU.

Kelly Perrault (D): The most recent Falcon to earn First Team All-American honors, Kelly Perrault was a consistent factor on and off the ice for BGSU. Perrault's career started fast, as he earned Honorable Mention on the 1993-94 CCHA All-Rookie team. That year, the Falcons won 19 games, their first winning season of the decade. Perrault developed even more quickly as a sophomore, earning Titan West All-America First Team honors, First Team All-CCHA honors, and Honorable Mention CCHA All-Academic honors. The Falcons finished 25-11-2 that season, their first season with over 20 wins since 1989-90.

As a senior, Perrault was named Special Mention CCHA All-Academic. When his career concluded in 1997, Perrault had 148 total points. This currently ranks 29^th in program history and fourth among defensemen. His career assist total of 103 is 20^th in school history and fifth among BGSU backliners. Perrault also ranks tenth in program history in penalty minutes, serving 288 minutes in the box.

Brett Harkins (C/W): From 1989-99, no Falcon skater scored more points than Brett Harkins. The captain tallied 208 career points, tied for tenth in program history. He is one of just 11 BGSU players to accumulate over 200 points in his career. Much of his scoring came as a passer, finishing his career with 148 assists, fifth in program history. Harkins was also effective in conference play, scoring 172 points, which is fifth all-time. 125 of those points were assists, giving him the second-highest total in school history. He led the Falcons in assists three consecutive seasons and led them in points in 1990-91.

As a freshman, Harkins was named to the CCHA All-Rookie team. He tallied 54 points, the sixth-most among Falcon freshmen. Harkins was the teammate of Falcons legends Rob Blake, Dan Bylsma, and Nelson Emerson, helping the 1989-90 squad win 25 games and earn an NCAA Tournament berth. The following season, Harkins led the team in total points. He was named alternate captain as a senior, when he helped the Orange and Brown improve by 11 wins. He holds the BGSU record for career penalty shots (3) and penalty shot goals (2). Harkins spent four seasons in the NHL, tallying 30 assists in 78 games.

Notable Coach
Buddy Powers (1994-2002): Filling the shoes of BGSU coaching legend Jerry York is no small task, but Buddy Powers opened his Falcon coaching career with a bang. In the 1994 season opener, Powers led the Falcons to a convincing 11-2 home win over Guelph. That victory set the tone for the 1994-95 season, with the Falcons winning 25 games and finishing second in the CCHA. Two BGSU skaters were named Titan West All-America First Team, including Hobey Baker Award winner Brian Holzinger. For his efforts, Powers was named 1994-95 CCHA Coach of the Year.

Despite the graduation of Hobey Baker Award winner Brian Holzinger, Powers helped the Orange and Brown to 26 wins the following season. Early that season, the Falcons claimed a 6-4 victory over Rensselaer to earn the program's 600^th win. Powers spent eight years as the head coach for BGSU, winning 92 CCHA contests and 135 total games. He ranks second in CCHA victories among Falcon coaches, trailing only Jerry York. Powers was also behind the BGSU bench from 1982-88, spending time as an assistant on Jerry York's staff. He was an integral part of the 1984 NCAA Championship team, and he currently assists York at Boston University.

NCAA Tournament Appearances
1989-90

Year	Overall Record	CCHA Record	Head Coach	Team Captain(s)
1989-90	25-17-2	20-10-2, NCAA Tournament Participants	Jerry York	Kevin Dahl, Joe Quinn
1990-91	15-23-2	13-17-2	Jerry York	Braden Shavchook (C), Peter Holmes (A), Matt Ruchty (A)
1991-92	8-21-5	7-20-5	Jerry York	Peter Holmes, Otis Plageman
1992-93	19-21-1	12-17-1	Jerry York	Ty Eigner (C), Brett Harkins (A), Jeff Wells (A)
1993-94	19-17-2	15-13-2	Jerry York	Brian Holzinger, Sean Pronger, Jeff Wells
1994-95	25-11-2	18-7-2	Buddy Powers	Jason Clark, Curtis Fry, Brian Holzinger
1995-96	26-14-1	18-11-1	Buddy Powers	Jason Clark (C), Curtis Fry (A), Mike Johnson (A)
1996-97	17-16-5	10-12-5	Buddy Powers	Curtis Fry, Mike Johnson
1997-98	8-27-3	6-21-3	Buddy Powers	Brad Holzinger (C), Dave Faulkner (A), Adam Lamarre (A)
1998-99	17-18-3	13-14-3	Buddy Powers	Dan Price (C), Zach Ham (A), Doug Schueller (A)

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