Bowling Green netminder Bednard gives up senior year, signs with Panthers

Ryan Bednard (35 - Bowling Green), Cole Koepke (17 - Minnesota Duluth) (2019 Omar Phillips)
Ryan Bednard won 20 games for Bowling Green this season, leading the Falcons back to the NCAA tournament (photo: Omar Phillips).

Bowling Green junior goaltender Ryan Bednard will give up his senior season with the Falcons after signing with the Florida Panthers on Monday.

Bednard went 20-8-4 this season with a 1.77 GAA, a .927 save percentage and three shutouts as BGSU made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1990.

The Panthers originally selected the Macomb, Mich., native in the seventh round (206th overall) of the 2015 NHL Draft.