Conference-Leading Falcons Host Nationally-Ranked Mavericks

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons (8-8-0, 7-5-0 CCHA) host the No. 16 Minnesota State Mavericks (8-7-1, 5-4-1 CCHA) for a crucial CCHA series on Dec. 9-10. The Falcons currently lead the conference with 23 points, with the Mavericks sitting in third with 17 points. MSU is the highest-ranked team in the conference, with the Falcons receiving one vote in the Dec. 5 USCHO poll. Both games begin at 7:07 p.m. ET in Slater Family Ice Arena.

How to Follow
Both games will be streamed on FloHockey, found HERE. The games will also be broadcast on 88.1 FM by BGRSO, which can be found online HERE. Use the WBGU Listen Now link, which is found on the right side of the desktop site and the bottom of the mobile site. Live stats for the games can be found HERE. The games will also have live updates on Bowling Green Hockey's official Twitter page, @BGFalconHockey.

Tickets, Parking, and Attendance Information
Tickets for Friday's game are available for purchase HERE. This game will be a White Out, with fans encourage to wear white in support of the Falcons. Select white items in the Newlove Pro Shop will be 15% off on Friday. After the game, BGSU students are invited to a White Out Skate. Admission is free and skates are available for rental for just $2. This event is exclusive to BGSU students only.

Please note that BGSU Commencement will be taking place at the Stroh Center at 7 p.m. ET on Friday. Due to increased traffic in the area, fans are recommended to take Poe Road to Mercer Road in order to access the Slater Family Ice Arena parking lots. It is also recommended to purchase parking online before the games. Tickets for Saturday's game are available for purchase HERE.

Falcon Facts

Taylor Schneider was named CCHA Forward of the Week after totaling five points in a series sweep of Lake Superior State, including his second three-point game of the season. The senior has five goals and seven assists for 12 points this season, including a team-best two shorthanded goals. He also leads the Falcons in plus/minus at +4. He is the active NCAA leader in games played at 162 and has 38 goals and 57 assists for 95 career points. He is the sixth Falcon to earn a weekly award from the CCHA this season and fourth in the last four weekends of competition.
Alex Barber notched a goal and assist in each game against the Lakers, bringing his season line to four goals and six assists for 10 points. He and Schneider share the team lead with 22 career multi-point efforts. Barber scored the game-winning goal on Saturday, the 10^th of his career. This ranks second among active players. In his career, the captain has 39 goals and 56 assists for 95 points.
Austen Swankler recorded a career-best three assists on Saturday, giving him a team-high 10 on the year. The sophomore also leads the Falcons in goals (8), points (18), and game-winning goals (2). He has tallied a point in the last seven games, totaling three goals and eight assists for 11 points during this span.
Also riding a scoring streak are Nathan Burke and Chase Gresock. Burke registered his first multi-assist game as a Falcon on Friday, then scored a power play goal on Saturday. He has scored in the last five games, totaling five goals and three assists for eight points. Gresock had a goal and an assist over the weekend, marking four consecutive scoring games. He has two goals and three assists for five points. The senior has 39 goals and 47 assists for 86 points in his career.
Zack Rose made his first appearance since Oct. 13, making 23 saves and earning a win to move to 3-1-0 on the year. Christian Stoever played the second game, making 33 saves and allowing one goal. Stoever averages a conference-high 31.67 saves per game and ranks second in the CCHA with a .922 save percentage. He has not allowed a power play goal since Nov. 4, saving all 39 attempts in 25 power play chances. The sophomore has a .954 save percentage and 1.51 GAA in his last six appearances.
The Falcons rank ninth in the NCAA and second in the CCHA with a 24.6% success rate on the power play. Ethan Scardina leads the way with four power play goals, including one on Friday. Austen Swankler has a team-best seven power play points, coming on two goals and five assists.
Bowling Green has an 83.9% success rate on the penalty kill, ranking 15th in the NCAA and third in the CCHA. In the last 31 opportunities, they have allowed just one power play goal. They are one of two teams in the conference to rate in the country's top 15 on the power play and penalty kill, with the other being Minnesota State. In total, only five teams in the NCAA rank in the top 15 of each category, with the CCHA foes being joined by RIT, St. Cloud State, and Harvard.

Opponent Outlook
Minnesota State will play a conference series for the fourth consecutive weekend, holding a 1-4-1 record over the previous three weeks. MSU is led by David Silye and Jake Livingstone, who have each been named CCHA Player of the Month. Silye leads the conference with 12 goals on the season, while Livingstone is tied for second in the CCHA with 12 assists. The Mavericks are looking to rebound from their home series against Ferris State, which saw the Bulldogs sweep MSU. The Mavericks, who are currently third in the CCHA with 17 points, have had a conference-best nine players of the week. The Falcons lead the CCHA in goals per game (3.31), while the Mavericks rank second in goals allowed per game (2.31). BGSU and MSU are the only CCHA teams ranking top-15 nationally on the power play and penalty kill.

Series Info
The all-time series favors Minnesota State, 24-10-3. Minnesota State took both games of the series against the Falcons in October, but Bowling Green earned a point in the CCHA standings by taking the first game to overtime. In the series, Cade Borchardt led the Mavericks with three assists, while Brendan Furry scored two goals. Lucas Sowder and Jake Livingstone had a pair of assists as well. Adam Pitters had a goal and assist for the Falcons, with Max Coyle adding two assists. Quinn Emerson scored a shorthanded goal, his first collegiate tally.

Chalk Talk
On Friday, Dec. 9, Falcon Club members and season ticket holders are invited to a Chalk Talk with Head Coach Ty Eigner. The talk will begin at 6:15 p.m. in the Slater Family Ice Arena Center Ice Lounge.

Ty's Take
"We know they're (Minnesota State) going to be ready. Whether they won two, lost two, or split, they're well-coached and they're a good team. We expect them to come down here and be prepared. We're not quite halfway through the conference season, but we're close. This is the last time the two of us will see each other in the regular season, so these points are important."

Coach Eigner's full press conference from Dec. 6 can be found HERE.

Up Next
The Falcons play in-state rival Ohio State in a home-and-home series on Dec. 16-17. The Friday, Dec. 16, contest will be played at 7:07 p.m. ET in Slater Family Ice Arena. It will be an Orange Out, tickets are available HERE. Fans are encouraged to purchase soon, as there are less than 1,000 tickets remaining. The series finale begins at 7 p.m. ET in Value City Arena in Columbus on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Follow the Falcons
Be sure to follow the Falcons hockey team on social media
Twitter - @BGAthletics and @BGFalconHockey
Instagram - 'bgfalcons' and 'bgfalconhockey'
Facebook - 'BGSU Athletics'
YouTube - 'Falcon Athletics'

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