Falcons Pick Up Key CCHA Win to Open Weekend Series at Bemidji State, 3-1

Friday, January 23

Bemidji, Minn.

8:07 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

13-6-4, 10-4-3

Bemidji State

9-13-3, 7-7-3

Bowling Green

Bemidji St.

Falcons Pick Up Key CCHA Win to Open Weekend Series at Bemidji State, 3-1

January 23, 2026 | Ice Hockey

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: by Vincent Briedis, BGSU Strategic Communications

BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bowling Green Falcons (13-6-4, 10-4-3 CCHA) earned three key points in the CCHA standings with a 3-1 victory over the homestanding Bemidji State Beavers (9-13-3, 7-7-3 CCHA) on Friday night inside the Sanford Center.

Ben Doran scored two goals, including an empty-net tally with 11 seconds remaining, to lead the Falcons to their first win in the series since Jan. 10, 2025, when BGSU posted a 4-3 overtime victory. It marked the first multi-goal performance by a player in the series since Bemidji State's 5-2 win on Dec. 15, 2023, also in Bemidji.
The regulation win snapped a three-game series streak that had been decided in overtime and/or a shootout. Earlier this season at Slater Family Ice Arena, the Beavers won in overtime and claimed the extra point in a shootout.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Bowling Green and Bemidji State played a scoreless first period. The Falcons outshot the Beavers 21-14 overall and held a 9-5 edge in shots on goal during the opening frame.
• BGSU broke through at the 15:01 mark of the second period when Ben Doran scored a power-play goal. Brody Waters found Doran on the doorstep, with Breck McKinley earning the second assist. Maxon Vig was serving a tripping minor for Bemidji State.
• Just 1:11 later, the Falcons doubled their lead as Maxwell Martin scored on a breakaway to make it 2-0. The Beavers were in the offensive zone when Brett Pfoh blocked a shot from Mitch Wolfe. Pfoh moved the puck to Jake Sloan, who hit Martin in stride near mid-ice, springing him in alone on BSU goaltender Max Hildebrand for the transition goal.
• Bemidji State cut the deficit to one with 13 minutes remaining when Maxon Vig fired a shot from the top of the faceoff circle that found its way through traffic in front of the net, making it 2-1 in favor of BGSU.
• Doran sealed the win with an empty-net goal with 11 seconds left, his second tally of the night.

Max Martin quickly extended the lead to 2!

📺: https://t.co/d65d1ItNIU pic.twitter.com/Lk992aC5j2
— BGSU Hockey (@BGSUHKY) January 24, 2026

FALCON NOTES
• Ben Doran recorded his second two-goal game of the season and tied his career high, also scoring twice at Bemidji State on Feb. 21, 2025.
• Five of Doran's 16 career goals have come against Bemidji State.
• Goaltender Cole Moore earned his fourth straight win and improved to 4-0-1 since Jan. 1, 2026. Bowling Green has won each of the last three games Moore has started by a 3-1 score.
• Moore's goals-against average since the start of 2026 stands at 1.60, and he is stopping 93.4 percent of shots during that span.

NEXT UP
• BGSU concludes the season series with Bemidji State on Saturday night. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. ET, with coverage on Midco Sports Plus.
• Next weekend, the Falcons return to non-conference play with a home-and-home series against Notre Dame. Bowling Green visits the Fighting Irish on Jan. 30 for a 7 p.m. start, before Notre Dame comes to Slater Family Ice Arena on Jan. 31 for a 6:07 p.m. puck drop.