BOWLING GREEN — Months ago, there were no guarantees Bowling Green hockey would have a season, and even now there is no guarantee the Falcons will finish it.
But as long they have the opportunity to play, the Falcons figure they ought to make the most of it — and through 13 games, they’ve done just that.
No. 7 ranked Bowling Green warded off Bemidji State 3-2 on Thursday at Slater Family Ice Arena, improving to 12-1 on the season and 3-0 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
“When we found out that we were going to have a season, it kind of made a spark in our team,” said senior Max Johnson, who scored a goal Thursday.
“We just said to ourselves, if we're fortunate enough to have [a season] — because other teams couldn't have one — we're here, we're fortunate enough to play, let's give it our best shot to be the best team that's been around here for quite some time.”
The Beavers (2-4-2) scored first on Owen Sillinger's goal just past 13 minutes played, but the lead lasted exactly one minute.
Bowling Green's Taylor Schneider scored on the next shift with an assist to defenseman T.J. Lloyd, and the two sides went into the first intermission tied at one.
Bowling Green captain Connor Ford gave the Falcons the lead early in the second period, while Johnson scored his team-best seventh goal in 12 games played to take a 3-1 lead 12:56 into the period.
Late in the period, though, Falcons defenseman Carson Musser took a hooking penalty — the first of the game for either team — that Bemidji State made count. Brendan Harris found the back of the net with 25 seconds to go on the man advantage, cutting BG's lead to one.
The Falcons' penalty kill, however, came through to protect the lead in the final six minutes of regulation.
In a strange play late in the third period, Falcons defenseman Will Cullen was involved in a collision that brought the trainer onto the ice. As Cullen skated off the ice, he voiced his displeasure about the non-call, and officials assessed Cullen for a two-minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct plus a 10-minute game misconduct.
Bemidji's Brad Johnson took a high-sticking penalty to negate the power play, after which BG negated its own eventual power play when Cameron Wright was whistled for tripping.
The Falcons were able to get through both penalty kills and the Beavers pulling their goalie, with Sam Craggs blocking a shot inside the final 30 seconds, and goaltender Eric Dop finishing with 31 saves.
“The biggest kill of the night is the next kill and, for us, we really needed it,” Bowling Green coach Ty Eigner said.
“Eric was certainly a huge piece to that kill at the end. Guys were bearing down, whether it was a draw, being in a shot lane, or blocking a shot, so they did a really good job of that.”
Bowling Green has won nine consecutive games, the second longest streak in college hockey. No. 1-ranked Minnesota won its tenth in a row on Thursday.
The Falcons and Beavers are scheduled to conclude the two-game series on Friday.
“When you're now 12-1, if you can't have fun doing this, you've got to go find something else to do,” Eigner said.
“Everybody is pulling the chain the same way, and any time you're in an environment like that where everybody is pushing each other and everybody genuinely gets along and wants success for the other guy, it's a lot of fun,” Eigner added. “They're having a blast.”
First Published January 8, 2021, 3:00 a.m.
