Bowling Green Upends Ohio State, 5-3, In Front of Sold-Out Home Crowd

Saturday, January 3

Bowling Green, Ohio

6:07 p.m.

Bowling Green State University

9-5-4

Ohio State

6-11-1

Ohio St.

Bowling Green

Photo by: Hailey Pettit-Mastroianni, BGSU Athletics

Bowling Green Upends Ohio State, 5-3, In Front of Sold-Out Home Crowd

January 03, 2026 | Ice Hockey

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By: by Vincent Briedis, BGSU Strategic Communications

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Bowling Green State University (9-5-4) ice hockey team picked up its first win of the calendar year after outscoring the Ohio State Buckeyes (6-11-1) in the third period, 3-0, to secure a 5-3 victory on Saturday evening in front of 5,000 fans at the Slater Family Ice Arena. BGSU takes the season series with its in-state rival after a 2-2 tie last night in Columbus.

Trailing 3-2 entering the final period, BGSU opened the frame shorthanded, and Jaden Grant scored 11 seconds in to tie the game. The Falcons never trailed again. With 7:25 left to play, Brett Pfoh put BGSU in front on a deflection goal to make it 4-3 — his second straight night scoring a third-period goal against OSU. On Friday, he tied the game, 2-2. Ty Higgins recorded his first collegiate point with an assist, while Tyler Hotson also earned an assist.

BGSU capped the scoring with 6:05 remaining as Brody Waters buried a power-play goal, assisted by Hotson and Ben Doran. The assist completed a four-point night for Hotson, who scored BGSU's first two goals of the contest.

The win was BGSU's first against Ohio State since an 8-2 victory in Columbus on Oct. 26, 2018. Ironically, the Friday game that season ended in a 2-2 tie in Bowling Green. Saturday's win marks the Falcons' first over OSU at Slater Family Ice Arena since Oct. 10, 2015 — part of a three-game winning streak in the series. BGSU now leads the all-time series with the Buckeyes, 95-81-10.

HOW IT HAPPENED
• BGSU struck first just 1:18 into the game when Tyler Hotson scored off a helper from Brody Waters.
• Ohio State answered at 15:40 of the first period with a power-play goal to tie the game, 1-1.
• With 11:48 left in the first, a skirmish in the BGSU offensive zone resulted in 11 total penalties being assessed. Jeremie Minville received a game misconduct, giving OSU a five-minute power play. The Buckeyes scored at 10:36 to take a 2-1 lead.
• Hotson stayed hot, tying the game 2-2 with a power-play goal at 9:58 of the second period. Breck McKinley tallied the primary assist and Dalton Norris added the secondary.
• Ohio State regained the lead with 4:00 left in the second on a goal by Sam McGinley, the Buckeyes' first even-strength goal of the night.
• BGSU tied the game 11 seconds into the third period. After a late penalty carried over from the second, Grant scored a shorthanded goal assisted by Quinn Emerson and McKinley.
• Brett Pfoh put BGSU up, 4-3, with 7:25 left to play. Higgins and Hotson added assists.
• Brody Waters put the dagger in the win with his goal with 6:05 left to play. Hotson secured his second assists and Ben Doran also added a helper.

SNIPER!!!!

Tyler HOTson with his second goal of the game. The power play goal ties the game at 2-2.

🍎 McKinley
🍎🍎 Norris

🖥: https://t.co/d65d1Iulys pic.twitter.com/L0LP5FA8Kq
— BGSU Hockey (@BGSUHKY) January 4, 2026

FALCON NOTES
• Ty Higgins recorded his first collegiate point with a third-period assist.
• Tyler Hotson posted a career-high four points (2-2–4); his two goals and two assists each tied previous career highs.
• Jaden Grant's shorthanded goal was the second of his career and his first since the 2022-23 season.
• BGSU now leads the all-time series, 95-81-10.
• Cole Moore picked up his first win between the pipes since BGSU beat St. Thomas, 4-1, on Feb. 7, 2025.

FROM THE LOCKER ROOM
"Tonight was a lot of fun to be a part of. A big thanks to all those that came out to support the club. It was electric playing an old CCHA opponent, a current Big Ten opponent. We had some big goals in there, the fans were great, the band was great. We ended up with a tie last night, but for our seniors we were able to muster up three goals in the third period and get the win."
— Dennis Williams, BGSU Ice Hockey Head Coach

NEXT UP
• BGSU returns to CCHA play on Jan. 9-10 when the Falcons head to Big Rapids, Mich., to conclude the season series with Ferris State. The Jan. 9 game starts at 7:07 p.m., and the Jan. 10 contest has a puck drop of 6:07 p.m. Both games will air on Midco Sports Plus.