Bowling Green’s hockey team is looking to score more goals.
The Falcons have scored just 16 goals in nine games entering this weekend’s series
against 10th-ranked Western Michigan.
BG has scored two or fewer goals six times.
"I’m a firm believer you make your own breaks and we’re going to have to do
things properly to get those breaks," BG coach Chris Bergeron said.
"We have to get more pucks on net. We have to get more people crashing the
net."
The Falcons’ objective each game is to have at least 30 shots on goal, but they’ve
only reached that figure twice this season and they’ve had six games with 25 or
fewer shots.
"I don’t think we can get away from those simple things you have to do to give
yourself the best chance to score goals," Bergeron said.
The lack of offense is one of the major reasons BG is 2-5-2 overall and 1-2-1 in the
CCHA.
"That puts so much pressure on us from the defensive standpoint when we’re not
scoring," Bergeron said.
BG thought it would be much improve offensively this season after scoring just 1.93
goals per game last season.
All of BG’s top nine forwards returned after helping the team average 2.9 gpg over
its final 10 games last season.
CONSISTENCY: Despite splitting two of their last three series and earning five out of
possible 12 points in the league, the Falcons continue to search for
consistency.
"We can’t play good one game and then come out the next day and lollygag out
there and not do the things we’re good at," BG sophomore forward Adam
Berkle said.
PP: The Falcons haven’t scored a power-play goal in their last 25 chances, dating
back to Oct. 10 against Union. BG’s power play was 0-of-8 in a split against
Michigan State last weekend.
"Pucks aren’t going to find their way in just because we’re trying hard,"
Bergeron said. "We’re going to have to earn those breaks and those bounces.
It starts with earning the (offensive) zone, intensity on the power play,
getting pucks to the net and so on. I really feel strongly that if you do things
right on the power play, you will get rewarded."
The Falcon power play is 3-of-41 this season.
UPCOMING: Twelve of BG’s next 14 CCHA games are against teams ranked nationally in
the top 18 – Western, No. 5 Miami, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 12 Michigan and No. 18
Ferris State.
The only games not against the top 18 come in a two-game series at Alaska.
ALL-STAR: Western junior Danny DeKeyser is one of college hockey’s best defensemen.
He has two goals and two assists, and on-ice rating of plus-1.
"He’s an all-around really good hockey player," Bergeron said.
DeKeyser returned to Western for his junior season after being heavily sought after
by numerous NHL teams at the end of last season.
The Broncos have one of the best defensive corps in the league as the team is
allowing just 2.17 goals per game, third-best in the league.
GOING UP: Western has become one of the league’s top teams after finishing last in
the CCHA in 2010. The Broncos were third in the league last season and fourth in
2011.
The Broncos returned 15 lettermen from last season when they won the CCHA playoff
championship.
"Their belief is really strong," Bergeron said. "That’s a talented
group that couldn’t find a way to put it together two, three years ago. Now,
they’re a talented group playing with a purpose and doing things the way they
need to be done to be successful. When you combine a bunch of talented guys who
are willing, which Western has proven to be, you have a pretty special
team."
The Broncos are 4-2, 1-1 after splitting at ND last weekend. Western was third in the
CCHA coaches poll.
INJURIES: BG forward Marc Rodriguez is back to full practice after missing Saturday’s
game with arm injury, Bergeron said.
Defenseman Jake Sloat (broken leg) is BG’s only other injured player.
CHANGE: The starting time for BG’s game at Alaska Dec. 8 has been changed from 11:35
p.m. to 11:05 p.m.