ROUND 1: @ Alaska (3/6-3/8)

[mbenecke]

After finishing in a tie for 4th place in the WCHA, our Falcons (19-13-4) will be hitting the road for a first round playoff series for the first time since 2012-2013 as we take on the Alaska Nanooks (16-13-5). We ride into Alaska riding an 8-game unbeaten streak, which is the 2nd longest active streak in the nation. Friday and Saturday night will begin at 11:07pm EST, with Sunday's potential Game 3 coming at 9:07pm EST. Every game the rest of the way will be available to stream on FloHockey. You can also listen to Ryan Vallon on the radio call, or follow @BGFalconHockey on Twitter for updates throughout the game.

Goaltender Stats:

BGSU
Jr. Eric Dop... GAA - 2.39, SV% - .902, 17–11-3
Fr. Zack Rose... GAA - 2.20, SV% - .905, 2-2-1

Alaska
Sr. Anton Martinsson… GAA - 2.41, SV% - .922, 9-8-2
Jr. Gustavs Grigals… GAA - 2.34, SV% - .906, 7-5-3

It's showtime. This team didn't do enough to earn home ice during the regular season, so I hope that is something that lights a fire under them and really carries over to their play on the road this weekend. We need a total team effort and some timely plays for this team to keep the season going beyond this weekend. It's potentially our last chance to see guys like Rauhauser, Linkenheld, Letourneau, and Dalton play in a BGSU uniform, so I hope they take full advantage and really keep playing hard and fight to keep playing until the music stops, whenever that may be.

Let's do this. Beat Alaska. Go Falcons!

[AZIce]

Basically stop the Jandric boys and you stop Alaska.....tougher to do without the last change.

We didn't do that 3 weeks ago.

Well, that and blowing a combined 5 goals worth of leads.

Control the Jandrics and get better play between the pipes and we win. Do what we did 3 weeks ago and we'll be done for the year.

[mbenecke]

Very small amount of discussion about a playoff series that starts tomorrow.

How are we feeling? Level of confidence in a BG series victory? How many games do we think it goes?

I need reassurance, people.

[pdt1081]

Very small amount of discussion about a playoff series that starts tomorrow.

How are we feeling? Level of confidence in a BG series victory? How many games do we think it goes?

I need reassurance, people.

3rd trip to Alaska this season. There's really nothing to get excited about.

[mbenecke]

Very small amount of discussion about a playoff series that starts tomorrow.

How are we feeling? Level of confidence in a BG series victory? How many games do we think it goes?

I need reassurance, people.

3rd trip to Alaska this season. There's really nothing to get excited about.

That's fair. I don't even honestly know if I'll be able to stay up late enough to catch the games... kinda sad that we've found ourselves playing at 11:07pm EST in the first round.

[AZIce]

I need reassurance, people.

This team is flawed in and around their own net.

Unless they can turn that 180 degrees in the playoffs, the season will end either in AK or at one of the MN schools next weekend.

They should be hosting NMU this weekend.......but see my first line.

Good news is, as much as we have underachieved in the regular season recently, we have been a pretty good playoff team that last few years. Guess we'll see whether that playoff success was Berge or Ty after this weekend.

[Hockey John]

BG wins game 1 4 - 2. Let's get the sweep!!!!

[mbenecke]

Great win. Glad we could start the series on the right foot.

Bemidji won 2-0 over LSSU. Mankato won 8-1 over Anchorage. Tech won 4-1 over NMU.

If everyone sweeps, it’s Tech @ Mankato and BG @ Bemidji next weekend.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I somehow stayed up to watch the entire game. We looked pretty good. No ill effects from the travel; we came out ready to play. I was worried we were in trouble when they tied it :37 after we took the lead but our power play looked on last night.

Edit: And if my math is correct, that's another 20-win season.

[mbenecke]

20+ wins for the 6th consecutive year. One of the longest active streaks in the country.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

1-0 good guys after 2. 20 min left. Need to close one out.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Whew. 3-2 winner.

Go Lakers.

[rc_ziggy84]

Go BG! Great sweep over the Nanooks.

Tech swept Northern, as did Mankato over Anchorage.. so possible scenarios for next round:

LSSU wins: vs. Tech
Bemidji wins: at Bemidji

[unfalconbelievable]

3-2 W
Sweep

And moving on. This falcon fan will be watching updates of lake and Bemidji tomorrow night. Home series is possible still.

[mbenecke]

Incredible that we could end up hosting a 2nd round series as the 5-seed. All those years of being unable to do so as the 3 or 4, now suddenly being in this spot - great drama tonight in Bemidji.

I’m going to Cleveland next weekend for the MAC tournament, so I won’t be in town for Games 1 and 2, but I would love to host a semifinal series. I think that would be huge for our program.