Bowling Green Surges Late and Forces Tie at Ohio State

Friday, January 2

Columbus, Ohio

6:30 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

8-5-4

Ohio State

6-10-1

OT 1

OT 2

Bowling Green

Ohio State

January 02, 2026 | Ice Hockey

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By: by Vincent Briedis, BGSU Strategic Communications

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Bowling Green (8-5-4) ice hockey team entered the third period trailing the Ohio State Buckeyes (6-10-1) by two goals, 2-0, before scoring two-straight of its own to force overtime. Neither team was able to score as Friday's game ended in a 2-2 tie, inside Value City Arena.

With 15:19 left in the game, Breck McKinley took a cross-ice pass from Tyler Hotson and deposited for BGSU's first goal of the game. Ben Doran was credited with the second assist.
With 11:07 left to play Brett Pfoh and Doran played a little give-and-go in transition with Pfoh finding nylon to knot the game at 2-2.

BGSU and Ohio State traded blows for the remaining of regulation, but both defenses held firm. Doran was tagged with a penalty at the end of regulation, forcing BGSU to be a man-down heading into overtime. The Falcons killed the OSU power play, but neither team could get anything going in the extra period. Both BGSU and OSU each only had one shot on goal in overtime and the tie was preserved. There was a shootout, which Ohio State won, but had no bearing on the final score.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• BGSU spent a lot of the first period in attack mode, but it was Ohio State who scored first with 4:00 left in the first period. Jake Dunlap squeaked a shot by on transition to give the Buckeyes the first lead of the game.
• BGSU committed two quick penalties towards the end of the first period and the Falcons were able to kill the OSU 5-on-3 power play opportunity early in the second period.
• After Dalton Norris was called for holding, OSU scored a power play goal with 12:44 left in the second period when Jake Dunlap pushed a carom in from in front of the crease, giving OSU the 2-0 advantage.
• BGSU got on the board when Breck McKinley scored with 15:19 left in the game. Tyler Hotson in transition picked up the first assist with his cross-ice pass to McKinley. Ben Doran was credited with the second assisted.
• The Falcons tied the game with 11:07 left to play when Brett Pfoh found nylon off a Ben Doran helper.

Fee-fi-PFOH---TIED

Brett Pfoh ties the game on a little give-and-go with Ben Doran and we are knotted at 2-2.

🖥️: B1G+ pic.twitter.com/4387DQeB7w
— BGSU Hockey (@BGSUHKY) January 3, 2026

FALCON NOTES
• The tie is the first in the series since Oct. 27, 2018 when these teams met at Slater Family Ice Arena. That game also ended 2-2.
• Ty Higgins made his collegiate debut.
• Cole Moore made his first start between the pipes since Nov. 7 at Minnesota State, which ended in a 4-4 tie.
• Moore finished with 29 saves, his most since stopping 31 shots against Bemidji State on Feb. 22, 2025.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"I really like our mindset and mentality in the third period. It led to some really nice goals, really good play. If you looked in the first few periods, we weren't getting to the inside. I think we had five set shots in the first period, all perimeter. It was difficult to get in there. As the game went on, I thought we started doing a better job on the inside. You know it is going to be a battle tomorrow, and we are going to have to hit the reset button." – Dennis Williams, BGSU Hockey Head Coach

NEXT UP
• BGSU concludes the season series with Ohio State on Saturday at a sold out Slater Family Ice Arena. Puck drop is at 6:07 p.m. and the game will be streamed on CCHA TV via Midco Sports.