Bowling Green’s power play has been hot down the stretch.
And the penalty-killing has been good most of the season.
The Falcons need more of the same Friday against Minnesota State in the semifinals of the Western
Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Mich.
The Mavericks, ranked 15th nationally, are third in the nation in power-play conversions at 26.2 percent
and sixth in penalty-killing at 85.9.
"That’s going to be a big part of the game," BG coach Chris Bergeron said of the special teams.
The BG power play has scored a goal in seven straight games, going 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) in that span.
"We’re going out there with a lot of confidence," BG forward Adam Berkle said. "We expect
to score."
"I’m having some sleepless nights watching the way that power play is snapping the puck around the
offensive zone," MSU coach Mike Hastings said. "They’re beaming with confidence."
The BG penalty-killing is at 86.5 percent over the last 16 games (45-of-52).
"We’re going to try to stay disciplined with our actions so we give their power play no
opportunities or very limited opportunities," Bergeron said.
MSU is the second-most penalized team in the league at 16.3 minutes per game, while BG is seventh at
12.7.
RECHARGED: Bergeron said BG has shown renewed energy of late, starting with their March 7-8 home series
against Bemidji that included Senior Night to finish the regular season.
The energy carried over to last weekend’s home quarterfinal series with Michigan Tech and this week’s
Final Five.
The last three weeks came after road trips to Alaska-Anchorage and Northern Michigan, sandwiched around a
poor performance in an exhibition against the United States U-18 Team.
"At the end of the year, you start to drag a little bit. You could see it in practice,"
Bergeron said. "Now, there’s new life."
OVERLOOKED: BG tied for third in the league, even though it had no players on any of the all-league teams
or the all-rookie team.
"When you look at it that way, for a team that tied for third and now goes to the (Final Five), you
have to be doing that by committee and we’re very proud of that committee," Bergeron said.
The most notable Falcon overlooked was freshman defenseman Sean Walker, who was left off the all-rookie
team.
PRAISE: Hastings likes the way BG is always attacking.
"Each one of them is just grabbing a piece of the rope," Hastings said. "When you play a
team like that, they’re one of the most aggressive teams in college hockey, not just the WCHA, the way
they come at you on the forecheck, in the neutral zone, how they defend."
OFFENSE: Eight MSU players have 20 or more points, including four with at least 25 points – junior
forwards Matt Leitner (11 goals, 30 assists) and Jean-Paul Lafontaine (20 goals, 19 assists), and senior
forwards Johnny McInnis (20 goals, 16 assists) and Zach Lehrke (eight goals, 19 assists).
Leitner was a first-team all-league honoree, Lafontaine was named to the second-team, while McInnis and
Lehrke were named to the third-team.
DEFENSE: Although MSU has a deep defense, it’s led by junior and first-team all-league selection Zach
Palmquist. He has four goals and 19 assists.
"He’s been our rock," Hastings said.
RELIABLE: MSU freshman Cole Huggins, a second-team all-league pick, leads the WCHA and is eighth
nationally with a 2.01 goals-against average. His .919 save percentage is third-best in the league.
"Cole Huggins has given us great goaltending," Hastings said. "He’s been a calming force.
He’s done what every coach would like a goalie to do and that’s stop the ones he should and stop a few
that he shouldn’t."
FINAL FIVE: The WCHA Final Five returns to Grand Rapids in 2016, and goes to the Xcel Energy Center in
St. Paul, Minn. 2015 and 2017.
The Xcel Energy Center is the home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild.
