vs. Minnesota State (1/17-1/18)

[mbenecke]

Following this weekend’s excellent 5-point weekend at Michigan Tech, our Falcons (13-9-2) will return home to the Slater Family Ice Arena to take on the Minnesota State Mavericks (20-3-1) in a rematch of the 2019 WCHA Championship Game. These teams split the series in Mankato back in November, with BG winning Friday night, 3-2, and MSU striking back on Saturday night, 5-1.

These two programs have been among the most consistent in the WCHA the past few years, and it is a series with a ton on the line.

The current top 6 in the WCHA are:
#1 Minnesota State - 42 points
#2 Bemidji - 37 points
#3 NMU - 33 points
#4 Bowling Green - 28 points
#5 Alaska - 28 points
#6 Michigan Tech - 25 points

I’ll finally be in the building for both games for the first time all year (first full series I've been to since the playoffs last year!), and I’m fired up to see us take on one of the best teams in the nation on our home ice. I would love to be a part of 2 great, energetic crowds this weekend - so please consider joining us.

Goaltender Stats:

BGSU
Jr. Eric Dop... GAA - 2.21, SV% - .908, 13–8-1

Mankato
So. Dryden McKay… GAA - 1.14, SV% - .950, 19-2-1

I’m all-in on this weekend. It’s time we show up and start punching back. Go Falcons!

[unfalconbelievable]

A sweep and we'll be right back in the mix sitting at about 15 in the pairwise.

It's at home.....based on past history we should win Friday, only if we can but two games together, a lot will be forgiven if they can sweep. Tall task, but not out of the question of possibilities.

[mbenecke]

Would be huge. I honestly have idea of what to expect from this weekend.

If we got swept, it wouldn't be surprising at all - they're the #3 team in the country and they've only lost 3 times all year.

If we split, it would make a lot of sense. And like you said, we're certainly more of a Friday team. At their place in November, we took the Friday night game. This seems like the most likely outcome.

If we sweep them, that will be just massive for our NCAA tournament hopes. It feels like we're kind of out of it right now, but this is a huge opportunity for us to make us some ground in that regard. Plus, last time they came here, we smacked them 4-1, 4-1 on back to back nights. So I guess it's possible...maybe? They haven't won in our building since October 20, 2017.

[mbenecke]

Top 5 home attendance figures for hockey so far this season:

1. Notre Dame (Sat) 3382
2. Miami (Mon) 3263
3. LSSU (Sat) 2746
4. UAH (Fri) 2657
5. LSSU (Fri) 2381

Think we get at least one game this weekend that gets into the top 5?

[mbenecke]

Falcons lost tonight, 6-3. Honestly, we were essentially equal in the first and third, but they out-worked us in the middle period.

It felt like two really good teams out there tonight. They were superior. We made mistakes and they capitalized every time.

Good news is, we have a chance to bounce back tomorrow.

[unfalconbelievable]

ATTENDANCE: 2042

With basketball at 4pm on Saturday people that may go to both may only Basketball after Friday nights performance. Might actually see below 2000 on Saturday night. Thats against the number 3 team in the country, but is Miaimi, who's terrible or Michigan, who terrible, where in our building we'd be over 3,500 tonight.

I miss the old CCHA and packed barns.

[TommyG]

ATTENDANCE: 2042

With basketball at 4pm on Saturday people that may go to both may only Basketball after Friday nights performance. Might actually see below 2000 on Saturday night. Thats against the number 3 team in the country, but is Miaimi, who's terrible or Michigan, who terrible, where in our building we'd be over 3,500 tonight.

I miss the old CCHA and packed barns.

Double edged sword...if the CCHA would’ve stayed together, then BG is fighting it out in 10th place every year. At least as a member of the current WCHA, it gives BG an opportunity to see some success.

[Falco_peregrinusana]

1st game I have been to in twenty years since I was a student... Forgot how fun these games are

[Critical Thinker]

ATTENDANCE: 2042

With basketball at 4pm on Saturday people that may go to both may only Basketball after Friday nights performance. Might actually see below 2000 on Saturday night. Thats against the number 3 team in the country, but is Miaimi, who's terrible or Michigan, who terrible, where in our building we'd be over 3,500 tonight.

I miss the old CCHA and packed barns.

Much better attendance tonight. The weather could have been a factor last night, a lot of snow was predicted and the first flakes fell in BG within minutes of the final horn.

[Falco_peregrinusana]

ATTENDANCE: 2042

With basketball at 4pm on Saturday people that may go to both may only Basketball after Friday nights performance. Might actually see below 2000 on Saturday night. Thats against the number 3 team in the country, but is Miaimi, who's terrible or Michigan, who terrible, where in our building we'd be over 3,500 tonight.

I miss the old CCHA and packed barns.

Double edged sword...if the CCHA would’ve stayed together, then BG is fighting it out in 10th place every year. At least as a member of the current WCHA, it gives BG an opportunity to see some success.

Do you really believe that BG could not complete with teams from the old CCHA??

[TommyG]

ATTENDANCE: 2042

With basketball at 4pm on Saturday people that may go to both may only Basketball after Friday nights performance. Might actually see below 2000 on Saturday night. Thats against the number 3 team in the country, but is Miaimi, who's terrible or Michigan, who terrible, where in our building we'd be over 3,500 tonight.

I miss the old CCHA and packed barns.

Double edged sword...if the CCHA would’ve stayed together, then BG is fighting it out in 10th place every year. At least as a member of the current WCHA, it gives BG an opportunity to see some success.

Do you really believe that BG could not complete with teams from the old CCHA??

Yes....hockey would have never been able to rebuild staying in the CCHA. It would’ve been the same old cycle. 10-12th place for 3 years, 6-7th place 1 year and repeat.

Being able to play a much softer schedule helped bring hockey back to respectability.

[mbenecke]

An absolute gut punch tonight. Up 2-0, we gave up a goal early in the third and late in the third, then lost in OT. Another zero point weekend. 5 home losses in a row.

We need this weekend off in the worst way.

[TommyG]

I’m sure the players were taking hits from smelling salts and crushing monster energy drinks between the 2nd and 3rd period. Then of course the refs screwed them in the 3rd and OT....how can they not lose that game?

[pdt1081]

An absolute gut punch tonight. Up 2-0, we gave up a goal early in the third and late in the third, then lost in OT. Another zero point weekend. 5 home losses in a row.

We need this weekend off in the worst way.

Just enough time to implement the new tackle defense that is sweeping through the WCHA.

[TommyG]

Team better figure it out if they want to add another WCHA 3rd place trophy to the case. They have some work to do to get there.