Senior Ryan Murphy scored twice and added an assist as the Bowling Green posted a 4-1 win over Lake Superior State.
The Falcons, now 9-14-4 overall and 4-11-4 in the CCHA, scored all four goals in the second period en route to the victory. BGSU moves into a tie with Lake Superior (10-18-0, 6-15-0 CCHA) for 10th place in the league standings.
After a scoreless first period, Murphy got the home team on the board with a goal at the 2:02 mark of the second. Greg Day and Scott Hewson drew assists on the even-strength goal. Both Day and Hewson joined Murphy with three points in the game.
The Falcons then would score three power-play goals, with the first two coming just 16 seconds apart. The Lakers picked up a pair of penalties at the 12:37 mark of the middle period, and Curtis Valentine scored his seventh goal of the year just over a minute later. Austin de Luis and D’Arcy McConvey assisted on the 5-on-3 goal.
Just 14 seconds after Valentine’s tally, Hewson lit the lamp for the fifth time this year.
Those same three players increased the lead with 1:13 left in the period. Murphy scored his second goal of the night and his 16th of the year.
The Lakers’ only goal came off the stick of Yevgeniy Dubravin at 9:54 of the third period. The goal, his eighth of the year, was assisted by Jason Nightingale and Ryan Vince.
BGSU’s Tyler Masters made 30 saves in the victory. Jayme Platt played the first two periods for the Lakers, making 18 stops. Scott Murray played the final 20 minutes in relief of Platt, stopping all eight shots on goal he faced.
The Falcons and Lakers will complete the weekend series Saturday at the BGSU Ice Arena.