Marc Barlow’s first-period goal stood as the eventual game winner as Bowling Green knocked off Wayne State, 4-1, in the second portion of their home-and-home series. The two teams tied 4-4 last night at Bowling Green.
“We harped on team defense all week long and we talk about it and talk about it,” said BGSU coach Buddy Powers after Friday’s game. “We went out [Friday] and just didn’t execute. There were far too many odd-man rushes in the game and we paid a price for it. Four goals should be enough to win a hockey game.”
Four goals was enough Saturday night as BGSU (3-6-3, 2-5-1 CCHA) scored a power-play
goal, a shorthanded goal, an even-strength goal, and an empty-net tally to defeat the Warriors (3-6-1, 2-0-0 CHA) at the Great Lakes Sports City.
Scott Hewson opened the scoring 2:40 into the game with the Falcons on the man advantage. Marc Barlow found Hewson open to the side of WSU goalie David Guerrera and Hewson chipped the puck past Guerrera for the early 1-0 lead.
Barlow then made it 2-0 at 8:57 when his cannon from the left faceoff dot eluded Guerrera glove side. Matthew Lynn had the lone assist.
The second period was a goalie’s duel as both Guerrera and Bowling Green counterpart Jordan Sigalet made tough stops look nonchalant.
The intensity picked up in the final period and the crowd came to its feet when WSU’s Chris Vail was hauled down on a breakaway going in on Sigalet. A penalty shot was awarded, but Sigalet shut the five hole and Vail was denied.
But just 27 seconds later, freshman Billy Collins notched his first collegiate goal and the Warriors were within one, 2-1. Vail and Nathan Rosychuk drew the assists. Collins faked a pass to Vail, went around the defender and slid the puck under Sigalet’s pads.
The tide seemed to be going Wayne State’s way as the Warriors were given a power-play opportunity with five minutes to play. The puck was deep in the WSU end as the penalty was about to expire. Defenseman Ryan Murray was at the end of a lengthy shift and Rosychuk saw the puck squirt free and headed up ice, but the puck stayed in the Warriors’ end and Tyler Knight pounced on it and beat Guerrera up high to stake the Falcons to a 3-1 lead.
“That shorthanded goal was the turning point,” WSU head coach Bill Wilkinson. “We had hoped to score and make it two-two, but we broke down and it was three-one. We got what we deserved tonight.”
Colen Pappas added an empty-netter with 61 seconds left to seal the game for the Falcons.
Wayne State hosts Michigan Tech next weekend while Bowling Green travels to Lake Superior State for Central Collegiate Hockey Association play. The next College Hockey America action for Wayne State is in two weeks when the Warriors host Bemidji State.
