Falcon hockey looking for momentum (02-22-12)

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Bowling Green attempts to build momentum and confidence for the Central Collegiate
Hockey Association playoffs this weekend.
The Falcons host third-ranked Michigan Friday and Saturday nights to close out the
regular season.
BG hasn’t played well the last two weekends as it was swept by Northern Michigan and
Ferris State.
The sweeps came after the BG had played consistently well when it was 3-3-2 in its
previous eight games.
The Falcons will be on the road for the first round of the playoffs March 2-3-4.
"It’s everything," BG coach Chris Bergeron said of what it would mean to
play well and beat Michigan this weekend. "Our mental state is our biggest
challenge. We’re challenged physically, but we know that. When we’re right
mentally, physically we find a way to be right."
Michigan is 20-10-4 overall and 14-8-4-1 in the CCHA.
"We know whoever we play in the playoffs is a team we will be able to compete
with," Bergeron said. "We have to find a way to be confident. A big
way for that to happen is to have a good weekend this weekend."
The Falcons (9-20-5, 4-18-4-3) have clinched last place in the league.
"We’re using this week as another opportunity for this team to get better,"
Bergeron said. "We’re continuing to focus on the execution of our game plan
(offensively and defensively). We’ve been exposed enough for not doing that the
last four games."
POSITIONS: BG and 10th-place Alaska are the only schools locked into their current
position in the 11-team CCHA.
The Falcons still can face one of seven teams in the first round ¬?- Western
Michigan, Michigan State, Miami, Lake Superior, Ohio State, Notre Dame and
Northern Michigan.
The third- through ninth-place teams are separated by just nine points.
UM: The Wolverines can still tie Ferris State for the regular-season league title,
but they must sweep BG and Ferris must lose twice to Western. Ferris has 53
points, good for a six-point lead over Michigan.
Michigan would win a tiebreaker for the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, based on its
sweep of Ferris earlier this season. The first tiebreaker is league wins, and
both teams would have 16.
Michigan needs two points to clinch home ice for the CCHA quarterfinals.
The top five teams receive first-round byes.
CCHA TIEBREAKERS: 1) most league wins, 2) head-to-head record, 3) goals differential
in head-to-head games, 4) best winning percentage against the highest-ranked
team remaining in the league and 5) coin toss.
GOALIES: The BG-Michigan series should feature excellent goaltending from BG’s Andrew
Hammond and Michigan senior Shawn Hunwick.
Hunwick ranks sixth nationally with a .932 save percentage and seventh with a 2.05
goals-against average.
FAREWELL: The series marks the final home appearance for BG’s two seniors – forwards
Cameron Sinclair and James McIntosh.
The class originally started with four players, but defenseman Nick Bailen and
forward Bryan Potacco are no longer with the team.
Bailen, an outstanding player, transferred to Rensselaer after his freshman season
when BG officials considered cutting the program for financial reasons.
Potacco had a goal and three assists in 29 games over two seasons before leaving the
team.
INJURIES: BG forward Dan DeSalvo (shoulder), defenseman Ryan Peltoma (ankle) and
defenseman Rusty Hafner (knee) aren’t expected to play against Michigan.
In addition, Bergeron said goalie Wyatt Galley has been "shut down for the
year" because of a groin injury.
Galley hasn’t played since Oct. 2 because of the injury, but returned to practice in
late January in hopes of playing this month. But the injury hasn’t healed as
quickly as originally hoped.
SURGERY: Forward Brett Mohler, one of BG’s best offensive players, had surgery
Tuesday to repair his injured shoulder. He’s expected to be ready for full
contact Aug. 1
He’s already missed the last 12 games because of the shoulder injury and a back
injury.

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