One week after getting shutout, Providence’s offense showed up in a big way as they buried eight pucks in the back of the net in shellacking host Bowling Green.
On the strength of a five goal second period and hat trick from sophomore Matt Bergland, the 8-2 win improved the Friars season record to 2-1.
For Bergland it was his first career three goal game, having completed the feat before the second period buzzer had sounded.
“It feels good, our team went out there, we did what we were told to do and the bounces came our way,†Bergland said.
However, while it was Bergland with the career night the rest of his teammates had a strong game as nine different Friars tallied a point in the win.
The teams traded goals early in the first period with Providence breaking through first as Falcon goalie Nick Eno couldn’t handle a shot by Kyle MacKinnon, and Ian O’Connor crashed the net hard to shovel the rebound home.
O’Connor’s goal was his first of the season, and gave the Friars a temporary one goal lead.
Bowling Green’s Tommy Dee made sure the lead was short lived as tied the contest with a pretty breakaway goal beating Providence goalie Alex Beaudrdy with a nice forehand-to-backhand more.
Dee doubled his goal total for the game and the season five minutes later, when he was able to drive a loose puck home with a second remaining on a BG power play.
Providence added to the first period goal total when Matt Bergland was able to jam a loose puck past Eno with 3:06 remaining in the period.
“We responded really well, we drew up the power play and we got the goal and I feel that just settled everybody down,†Providence coach Tim Army said. “Then we came out and ready to go in the second.â€
While both teams played well in the first period, it was the second period when the Friars took control of the contest.
“We felt pretty good after the first, but the second period was a disaster,†Falcon coach Dennis Williams said.
The Friars set the tone for the second period early, as Bergland scored 89 seconds into the period on a shot that ricocheted off a BG players’ stick.
Providence eventually chased Eno from the game at the 6:14 of the second period, when Chris Epppich skated down the right side boards and fired a wrist shot off the inside of the far post.
Freshman Andrew Hammond relieved Eno and fared well, until late in the second period when Aaron Jamnick beat the goalie to improve the Friars lead to 5-2.
Jamnick’s goal wasn’t the only trouble Hammond had in the second period, as Bergland completed the hat trick and Eppich found a way to put the puck past the goalie with a minute remaining in the second period.
“The few pucks we put in kind of helped us, and gave us some room to breathe in the third period,†Bergland said.
Compared to the second period, the third period was relatively quiet as the Friars only added one goal by Jamnick 5:34 into the period.
In net Beaudry stopped 16 of 18 shots for the Friars while Eno and Hammond combined to turn away 37 of 45 shots on net.
With the loss, Bowling Green dropped to 0-3 on the season, not including the 7-2 embarrassment at the hands of the United States Under-18 National Team in an exhibition one week earlier.
The teams will meet again tomorrow evening at 7:05 from the BGSU Ice Arena.
