@ NMU (2/20-2/21)

[mbenecke]

Our 14th-ranked Falcons (16-8-0, 5-5-0 WCHA) head out on the road this weekend to take on the Northern Michigan Wildcats (7-11-0, 5-3-0 WCHA) in a Saturday/Sunday series. Game 1 will begin at 6:07pm, while Game 2 starts at 4:07pm, and each will be broadcast on https://www.flohockey.tv/.

NMU is a team that is receiving votes in the national poll, despite their middle of the road record so far, so they have the respect of the nation, in some regard. It's important that we bounce back after our struggles the past 2 weekends. So, we're going to have to have success against a solid team this weekend. It's a great opportunity for us to get back on track and tack some much-needed wins onto our resume in the process.

Will Cullen will be out of the lineup on Friday to finish his suspension from the Mankato series. We need him back soon - his offense is usually a spark for us, and we've been missing that badly in recent games.

WCHA Standings (games played):

1. Minnesota State - 30 (10)
2. Bowling Green - 17 (10)
3. NMU - 14 (8)
4. Michigan Tech - 12 (6)
5. LSSU - 8 (6)
6. Bemidji State - 7 (6)
7. UAH - 5 (6)
8. Ferris - 3 (12)

It seems pretty clear that it would take a minor miracle for us to catch Mankato at the top before the end of the regular season, but we're absolutely in a position to fight for 2nd in the WCHA with a strong finish, which would be our best regular season conference finish since the 1994-1995 season in the CCHA. This series is a battle between #2 and #3 in the current league standings, so it's crucial for us to really get back on track with a pair of wins this weekend.

Goaltender Stats:

BGSU
Sr. Eric Dop... GAA - 2.42, SV% - .918, 9-6-0
So. Zack Rose... GAA - 1.86, SV% - .914, 7-2-0

NMU
Jr. Nolan Kent... GAA - 3.26, SV% - .886, 2-7-0
Jr. Connor Ryckman... GAA - 5.21, SV% - .846, 2-3-0
Fr. Rico DiMatteo... GAA - 1.93, SV% - .931, 3-0-0

Go Falcons!

[TommyG]

When we played last month I thought it was the worst NMU team I had seen in at least 15 years. Slow, minimal skill and poor goaltending. Looks like they’ve handed the goaltending to this Freshman and they have won their last 3 with him playing well. Unless they get a abnormally high amount of PP opportunities I don’t think there is anyway they can skate with us. They are not a good hockey team despite winning their last 3. If the team drops either of these 2 games and it’ll be time to press the panic button.

[mbenecke]

End of One:

Tied at 0.

We’re doing a solid job defensively, but I’m a little bit wary of the idea that our offense is playing completely without confidence, or perhaps that it has been figured out - we have 4 goals in the past 13 periods. We absolutely must figure that out if we want to return to our winning ways.

[mbenecke]

End of Two:

Again, tied at 0. Not sure we could buy a goal at Wal Mart, at this point.

[mbenecke]

End of Three:

We head to OT tied at 0. We’ve lost both OT games we’ve played in this year, in relatively quick fashion.

[mbenecke]

A legitimately awful kneeing call on Cam Wright gives NMU a 4x3 power play about halfway through OT.

[mbenecke]

NMU absolutely got robbed of a game winning goal in OT, but we continued to skate without a review.

To the shootout we go...

[unfalconbelievable]

Our shootout exhibition is a perfect example of our lack of scoring. No creativity, lack of puck handling, speed is average, no moves, straight to the goal and shot. Bye bye NCAA bid.

Shootout loss.

[mbenecke]

BG might never score again.

NMU gets the extra point with a shootout win in the 6th round.

I’m pretty sick of this offense. I mean, there’s just nothing there for us. We have nothing. Eric Dop stood on his head tonight. He deserved a win.

[TommyG]

I turned it off it was such a bad game. If the committee takes their job seriously, there is no way 2 or more WCHA teams should be in. It is a no skill league.

[jpfalcon09]

BG is going to need to win the conference tournament to make the dance. No way the committee selects a struggling team for an at-large bid.

[pdt1081]

NMU absolutely got robbed of a game winning goal in OT, but we continued to skate without a review.

To the shootout we go...

That was a makeup call for the Wright penalty. The ref stood outside the penalty box and watched the replay. From his face, he knew he messed up.

[mbenecke]

GAME 2:

Cullen returns to the lineup this afternoon.

Gavin Gould will miss his 3rd straight game.

Eric Dop stays between the pipes.

[mbenecke]

NMU strikes first about 10 minutes in.

There were legitimately 4 brown jerseys within 5 feet of the net, and the guy had a wide open shot. Nobody is giving Eric Dop any help out there. Pretty poor effort.

[mbenecke]

How bad are things right now on offense? One goal in our last 17 power play opportunities, and counting.

It came in the last game at Mankato. So we’re now in our 4th game without a goal with the man advantage.