Bowling Green played well last weekend in winning its first-round Central Collegiate
Hockey Association playoff series at Northern Michigan.
The Falcons will attempt to duplicate their solid play this weekend at Ferris State
in the quarterfinals.
Ferris, ranked second nationally and the CCHA regular-season championship, is 22-9-5
overall. The Bulldogs were idle last weekend, thanks to a first-round bye.
BG is 12-22-5 after winning the final two games of its best-of-3 series at NMU,
ranked 17th going into the series.
The best-of-3 series at Ferris is Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 7:05.
"The way we can beat this team is by limiting the opportunities we give
them," BG coach Chris Bergeron said. "They’re going to create
opportunities on their own, that’s just because they’re that good. We can’t give
them opportunities, whether it be on the power play, whether it be through
turnovers, whether it be through not communicating, the things we can control.
We can’t control some of the things they’re going to do."
Ferris is fourth nationally in goals allowed (2.11 per game) and third in the CCHA in
scoring (2.89 gpg).
The Bulldogs were unbeaten in 15 straight games (11-0-4) until they lost at home to
Western Michigan in their regular-season finale Feb. 25.
"If we control the things we can, our effort will be really good. If we do, we
can compete with this team. Then it comes down to a bounce here, a bounce
there."
GROWTH: The Falcons’ play has been solid during most of the second half after they
were 0-6-2 in their final eight pre-Christmas games.
"Experience has helped us," Bergeron said. "I’m not sure we’re playing
that much better now than we did at times during the first half.
"But we were so worried about the results and not worried about playing the
game, enjoying the process and the games. Those experiences have helped us the
second half and our young guys growing up."
BG’s 25-player roster includes just two seniors, and 17 freshmen and sophomores.
"What we’ve been through to this point has helped all of us grow, I don’t care
what year we are," Bergeron said. "But it’s really helped those young
guys grow. You can’t teach experience. You have to live through it."
DEPTH: Ferris’ success is the result of its having four forward lines, six defensemen
and two goalies playing well.
"Ferris’ depth is an issue for everyone," Bergeron said. "They don’t
need to rely on one line or … one defenseman. They have a lot of guys
contributing, if not everybody."
The Bulldogs’ depth was a factor in their February sweep, although BG forward Dan
DeSalvo missed both games and defenseman Ryan Peltoma didn’t play in Game 2
because of injuries. They have since returned.
WOW: While NHL draft picks often receive more attention than undrafted players in
college hockey, Ferris won the league without a single draft pick on its roster.
REMATCH: The Bulldogs have beaten BG four times this season, winning 4-0, 5-3 at BG
Nov. 4-5 and 5-1, 4-1 Feb. 17-18 at Ferris.
PP/PK: As usual, special teams will play a large role in the outcome of the series.
Ferris’ power play is third in the CCHA at 19.4 percent (33-of-170) and its
penalty-killing is seventh at 84 percent (136-of-162).
BG is last in the CCHA in power-play conversions at 9.1 percent (16-of-175) and ninth
in penalty-killing at 82.8 percent (154-of-186).
At NMU, the Falcons were 1-of-16 on the power play and 9-of-12 killing penalties.
BG and Ferris each had 17 power plays in their head-to-head meetings this season,
with Ferris scoring three times and the Falcons twice.
MILESTONE: BG’s 12 wins are two more than it had last season and mark the first time
since the 2008-09 season it has won 12 games.
ACADEMICS: Sophomore forward Cam Wojtala is BG’s nominee for the CCHA’s
scholar-athlete award. He has a 3.51 grade-point average in biology.
The winner be announced March 15.
