vs. Michigan Tech (1/29-1/30)

[mbenecke]

It's time to respond.

Following a clunker of a weekend trip to Bemidji, our Falcons (14-4-0, 3-1-0 WCHA) look to bounce back at home this weekend against the #18 Michigan Tech Huskies (7-3-1, 2-0-0 WCHA). Our guys have to respond this weekend - no other way around it. Both games this weekend will be available to stream on FloHockey, and each is scheduled to begin at 7:07pm. You can also listen to Ryan Vallon on the radio call, or follow @BGFalconHockey on Twitter for updates throughout the game.

This team we're seeing this weekend has absolutely become one of our fiercest rivals in recent years, and for good reason - We're 14-11-4 against them all-time, though in the past 3 years, the series is 8-3-2 in favor of our Falcons. This particular version of Tech defends really well, giving up just 1.63 goals per game. They're coming in hot, riding a 6-game win streak (which they can make 7 against Northern Michigan on Monday night in Marquette).

We're going to get their best shot, so it's imperative that they get ours, too. It sounds like both Gavin Gould and Sam Craggs will be back from injury this weekend, so that should provide a nice spark to our lineup.

Goaltender Stats:

BGSU
Sr. Eric Dop... GAA - 2.01, SV% - .934, 8–3-0
So. Zack Rose... GAA - 1.44, SV% - .935, 6-1-0

Michigan Tech
So. Blake Pietila… GAA - 1.22, SV% - .959, 5-1-0
Sr. Mark Sinclair... GAA - 1.99, SV% - .922, 2-2-1

Go Falcons - Beat Tech!

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I have to believe Gould has had this date circled for a while.

[mbenecke]

Tech beat NMU tonight, 4-1, to sweep their non-conference home and home series.

That's Tech's 7th consecutive win, which is the 2nd longest active streak in the country (behind Minnesota State's current 9 consecutive unbeaten contests) and it brings their overall record to 8-3-1 on the year.

[jpfalcon09]

Always a tough series with these guys. I expect two tight games, much like the Bemidji series.

[mbenecke]

Game 1 Lines:

Craggs-Ford-Wright
Kruse-Schneider-Barber
Gould-Johnson-Dougherty
Collin-Scardina-Fyten

Musser-Lloyd
Wells-Cullen
Theocharidis-Coyle
Daly

Dop-Rose-Rich

[mbenecke]

I’m a little busy tonight, but I’ll be doing my best to follow along.

That said... GOAL! Justin Wells, just 2 minutes into the game! Former Husky Gavin Gould on the assist.

[mbenecke]

GOAL! Will Cullen adds a tally, and BG is now up 2-0 about 5 minutes in.

[mbenecke]

And apparently Tech gets one back almost immediately. Furious pace so far.

BG up 2-1.

[mbenecke]

GOAL! Kruse, on the PP!

BG now leads 3-1, and we’ve chased Sinclair.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Bemidji knocked off Mankato.

[mbenecke]

END OF ONE: BG leads, 3-1.

[mbenecke]

GOAL! Carson Musser tacks on another. It’s 4-1 Falcons, with about 5 to play in the 2nd.

[mbenecke]

END OF TWO: BG leads 4-2, after a late Tech goal.

[mbenecke]

Tech had cut it to 1, but a blast from Connor Ford makes it 5-3 Falcons!

[mbenecke]

Ford adds an empty netter and BG leads 6-3!