MANKATO, Minn. — No longer are special teams hurting Bowling Green’s hockey
team.Instead, they’re helping the Falcons win.Dan DeSalvo and Adam Berkle scored short-handed goals
during a three-goal second period Friday as the Falcons posted a 4-3 victory over 18th-ranked Minnesota
State. BOX
SCOREThe Falcons improved to 5-2-2 overall and 3-0 in the Western Collegiate
Hockey Association, their first 3-0 start in league play since the 1994-95 season.MSU, the coaches pick
to win the WCHA, is 3-4, 1-2.The Falcons go for a sweep of the series tonight at 8:07.“I hope the guys
feel good about the win,” BG coach Chris Bergeron said. “From a coaching perspective, there are always
things we can improve on. We found a way to win, and we should feel good about the way we played.“The
details weren’t bad, but the process wasn’t as good as we’ve been,” Bergeron added. “But on the road, we
found a way to win and that means they were good enough.”The Falcons went ahead for good at 3-2 on
Berkle’s goal at 6:47 of the second period during a major penalty to Marcus Perrier for contact to the
head.BG didn’t allow MSU to score on the five-minute penalty. Perrier also received a game misconduct,
meaning the Falcons played the final 36:43 with just five defensemen.The Falcons increased their lead to
4-2 on Pierre-Luc Mercier’s goal at 9:48. MSU closed within a goal with 5:27 remaining in the game, but
the Falcons held on.BG was out-shot 8-3 in the third period.“We have to learn to play with a lead ,and
we have to learn to run away from teams,” Bergeron said. “We’ve done it a few times, but not on the
road. But after they scored to make it 4-3, the last six minutes of the game were our best six minutes
of the game.”The Falcons had a chance to build a 5-2 lead in the third period, but failed to score on a
power play near the six-minute mark.“We took our foot off the gas,” Bergeron said. “We were way too
loose with the puck. That’s a situation where if we score it’s 5-2 and the game’s over. Instead, we go
through the motions and want it too easy.”Despite a 0-of-5 effort on the power play, the Falcons won the
special teams. BG’s two short-handed goals off-set MSU’s 1-of-6 effort with the extra man.BG held MSU
scoreless on its final five power-play attempts. The Mavericks’ power-play goal came off the rush and
not a set play.“Our penalty-kill was good for the most part,” Bergeron said.The Falcons are 5-1-1 in
their last seven games, winning the special teams five times and being even in the other two
games.“Special teams win games, and tonight they did again,” Bergeron said.Brent Tate had the other goal
for the Falcons, who remained without star forward Ryan Carpenter (broken finger) and Brett Mohler
(foot). Mohler is one of BG’s top nine forwards.DeSalvo had a point for the fifth straight game,
totaling two goals and seven assists in that span. Tate has a point in five of his seven games.Mercier’s
goal, set up by Andrew Wallace and Kevin Dufour, was BG’s second in the last third games by its fourth
line.“Whether we have Ryan Carpenter or not, we want to make sure we’re not a team that doesn’t rely on
one or two guys to do the scoring,” Bergeron said.The Falcons were out-shot by a 33-25 margin, but
goalie Tommy Burke was sharp with 30 saves.“He played well and was on top of his game,” Bergeron said.
“He looked comfortable, and looked like he was in control.”