Michigan Head Coach Red Berenson

Bowling Green Goaltender Nick Eno

Bowling Green Interim Head Coach Dennis Williams

Video:



Continuing on the tradition of students from the Bowling Green Radio Sports Organization taking on the post of the Voice of Falcon Hockey is Sports Management major Everett Fitzhugh. Before the Falcons game on 1/23 versus the Western Michigan I had the chance to sit down with Everett to talk about Falcon hockey, his his background, and the BGRSO:

The Falcons capped off a 5 point weekend with a 3-2 win over the Broncos from Kalamazoo.

Bowling Green would be the first to strike when James McIntosh chipped in a shot while falling down at 9:32 in the first. But in something that would become a pattern Western Michigan tied it up at 12:43 when Kyle O'Kane sent an on-target snap shot over Nick Eno's stick side shoulder. After the first period the Falcons led in the shot category 13-6.

In the 2nd Josh Boyd sent in a rebound off a shot from James McIntosh to take the 2-1 lead. But again Western would respond less than 2 minutes later when Chris Clackson scored at full strength. After 2 periods Bowling Green was leading the shots category 3-to-1: 29-10.

Both teams came out firing in the 3rd period with a frantic pace that resembled Friday's affair. It took 14:52 for BG to take the lead and the game winner. Cameron Sinclair spotted a streaking Jordan Samuels-Thomas and sent a tape-to-tape pass right to the big forward. Samuels-Thomas would deke twice before burying the shot blocker side. Every eye went to the scoreboard as fans remember the Falcons giving up the lead with only 3 seconds left the night before. But, a strong 1-2-2 forecheck prevented Western Michigan from even sniffing the net.

The Falcons would end up outshooting Western Michigan 37-16 giving Nick Eno his 4th win of the season. Riley Gill dropped to 5-10-4 but the 6'2" senior made several key saves late in the game to give his team a chance to tie up the game.

The Falcons will get over a week off with their next game coming 2/4 versus the Michigan Wolverines at the BGSU Ice Arena. For the Broncos their schedule doesn't get any easier as they head to Oxford, Ohio next weekend to face off with the Miami Redhawks.

Notes:

-James McIntosh is settling in nicely as a forward. McIntosh picked up 2 points tonight including his first NCAA goal. In total he finished the game with 4 shots. His goal was the definition of hardwork as he chipped home a shot while parallel to the ice.
- Josh Boyd on the top line has been a pretty successful experiment. The two-headed monster of Tomas Petruska and Jordan Samuels-Thomas seems to click very well with the speedy center.
- Not enough can be written about the play of Riley Gill for WMU. His late saves in the 3rd period single-handedly kept the Broncos in the game. Most memorable was a glove save on David Solway that was destined for the net off a 2-on-1 breakaway. Gill dropped to the splits and snatched the puck in his glove to save a 2 goal defecit. Solway might have nightmares about it tonight.
- For the first time all season the Falcons put a team away. They controlled the play and the last minute of the 3rd period was the kind of trap that would make the NJ Devils proud.
- BG was 2/6 on the powerplay while shutting out the WMU powerplay. The Broncos were 1/12 on the powerplay for the weekend.
- Western Michigan had 5 freshmen and 5 seniors in their line-up. Sound familiar?

Postgame Coverage:

Western Michigan Head Coach Jim Culhane

Audio Only Version

Audio Only Version



Pre-game will start 1/2 hour before game time. Webcast available at http://www.bgrso.org
or BGSUFalcons.com

Liveblog: Yours truly will present a liveblog at http://www.bringbacktheglory.org/liveblog

Webcast: B2 Networks
This weekend's games will be available online at http://www.b2tv.com/partner_members.asp?id=283&s=3715&stype=Sports%20Hockey%20Men%27s.

Game 2
1/23/2010: 7:05pm EST WMU vs. BGSU (BGSU Ice Arena)

Radio: 88.1 WBGU
Play-by-Play: Everett Fitzhugh
Color Commentary: Kevin McGraw

Pre-game will start 1/2 hour before game time. Webcast available at
http://www.bgrso.org or BGSUFalcons.com

Television: BCSN
Play-by-Play: Greg Franke
Color Commentator: Scott Paulch
Game will be shown on tape delay following Walleye game.

Liveblog: Yours truly will present a liveblog at http://www.bringbacktheglory.org/liveblog

Webcast: B2 Networks
This weekend's games will be available online at http://www.b2tv.com/partner_members.asp?id=283&s=3715&stype=Sports%20Hockey%20Men%27s.

Media Notes
Bowling Green:http://www.bgsufalcons.com/news/2010/1/ ... 04147.aspx
Western Michigan: TBP
CCHA:http://www.ccha.com/ccha_weekly_release_-_jan._18.aspx

How 'Bout Some Hobey?

Three Falcons have been nominated for the Hobey Baker award: Senior Defenseman Kyle Page, Senior Forward Tomas Petruska, and Freshman Forward Jordan Samuels-Thomas. Fans can vote through 3/7/10 at http://www.hobeybaker.com/voting/

Around the CCHA
Friday
Miami at Alaska

Western Michigan at Bowling Green
7:05 p.m. ET

Notre Dame at Lake Superior
7:05 p.m. ET

Northern Michigan at Nebraska-Omaha
7:35 p.m. CT

Ohio State at Michigan State
7:35 p.m. ET

Ferris State at Michigan
8:05 p.m. ET

Saturday
Western Michigan at Bowling Green
5:05 p.m. ET

Ohio State at Michigan State
5:05 p.m. ET

Miami at Alaska
7:05 p.m. AT

Notre Dame at Lake Superior
7:05 p.m. ET

Northern Michigan at Nebraska-Omaha
7:05 p.m. CT

Michigan at Ferris State
8:05 p.m. ET




Pre-season Polls
Coaches Poll

Team | (first-place votes),Points
1. Michigan (5),114
2. Notre Dame (4),111
3. Miami (2),104
4. Ohio State 90
5. Northern Michigan (1),85
6. Nebraska-Omaha 63
7. Alaska 61
8. Ferris State 50
9. Michigan State 46
10. Lake Superior State 29
11. Western Michigan 28
12. Bowling Green 11

Media Poll
Team | (first-place votes),Points
1. Michigan (24),731
2. Notre Dame (20),712
3. Miami (20),707
4. Ohio State (1),547
5. Northern Michigan 502
6. Alaska 386
7. Nebraska-Omaha 377
8. Michigan State (1),332
9. Ferris State 314
10. Western Michigan 256
11. Lake Superior State 189
12. Bowling Green 95


National Rankings
Courtesy of USCHO.com

The Falcons fell Saturday night at Value City Arena 4-3 giving Ohio State the weekend sweep. The boys in orange and brown had a better night than the 7-2 drubbing they received Friday but were unable to get the 3 points they so desperately needed.

Williams spoke in the post-game press conference about how he didn't believe in moral victories but was happy with how his young team responded missing so many players. News on gameday was that the Falcons were missing many of their veteran players. As reported in the Sentinel-Tribune:

The Falcons played without forwards Tommy Dee, James Perkin and Wade Finegan, who served a one-game suspension for what Williams said was a “violation of team rules/code of conduct.”
Four other players — Boyd, Sinclair, Brennan Vargas and Ryan Peltoma — were suspended for Friday’s game.

The Falcons will head to the Upper Penninsula Friday to face the Northern Michigan Wildcats while Ohio State will play an exhibition game against the US U-18 National Team.

Dennis Williams: Postgame Presser

John Markell: Postgame Presser

The Falcons lost a 7-2 game against Ohio State at the Value City Arena that really was closer than the score would indicate. In fact, BG was only trailing 3-2 coming into the 3rd period before the proverbial wheels fell off.

The Falcons came out strong throwing checks and forcing OSU to play back on their heels. The Buckeyes returned to action for the first time in 4 weeks and the rink rust was apparent early on. However, the Falcons weren't able to take advantage of their quick start and fell behind late in the first.

The 2nd period saw 4 goals being scored as the Buckeyes and Falcons traded goals. Tommy Dee was credited with both of the Falcon goals. That is where the positives stopped for BG. In the 3rd period the Falcons went down early and the game got away from them with OSU scoring 4 goals in a 5 minute span. A link to the box score of the game will be posted later tomorrow (Saturday). The Falcons and Buckeyes will wrap up the two game series Saturday at 7:05pm. A liveblog of the game will be available approximately 15 minutes before game time at www.bringbacktheglory.org/liveblog.

Coach Williams Postgame Presser: Click to listen.

Box score can be found here.