AP NCAA Basketball
| Falcons expecting more offense (06-25-12) |
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| Written by KEVIN GORDON Sentinel Assistant Sports Editor |
| Monday, 25 June 2012 08:59 |
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Bowling Green's hockey team finally believes it will be a dangerous offensive team. The Falcons have struggled to score the last three seasons. They averaged just 1.9 goals per game last season en route to records of 14-25-5 overall and 6-20-4 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association where they finished last. BG scored 1.8 goals per game during the 2010-11 season and 2.0 gpg during the 2009-10 season. "We're expecting a lot more offense. We did not create enough offense last season," BG coach Chris Bergeron said. The Falcons are optimistic because they return their top six forwards from last season and have a talented incoming freshmen class. Among the returnees is sophomore forward Ryan Carpenter, who totaled 11 goals and a team-best 30 points last season. Also back are Carpenter's sophomore linemates, Dan DeSalvo and Adam Berkle. The three combined for 15 goals and 14 assists in BG's eight playoff games. Junior Cam Wojtala, who has centered BG's No. 1 line the last two seasons, also returns. He had 10 goals and 13 assists last season. Junior Brett Mohler, one of BG's best players, will be back after missing 30 games with back and shoulder injuries. The Falcons also believe forward Dajon Mingo could provide offensive help. He sat out last season for academic reasons. The Falcons scored three or more goals in six of their last 10 games last season. "It is going to be tough there to play," Bergeron said of his forwards. "We're going to have a bunch of forwards who we think can play. We're going to have guys who have played two or three years or even one year, that will find themselves on the outside looking in. That's what we feel a top-level program is. It has depth and competition at all positions on a daily basis, and we're going to have that." BG also expects freshmen forwards Ben Murphy, Mark Cooper and Brent Tate to contribute immediately. "We're adding everything we want to be good at," Bergeron said. "We're adding size. We're adding speed. We're adding offense, guys who have created offense their whole careers. That's what we expect the forward group to be." POWER PLAY: An improved power play could also help the offense. BG scored on just 8.9 percent of its power plays last season, converting only 17-of-191 chances. "I expect more execution on our power play," Bergeron said. "It has to be better." The Falcons' goal is to score on 20 percent of their power plays. BG would have scored another 21 goals last season had it hit the 20 percent mark, and 11 more goals had it been able to reach 15 percent. Ten of BG's 25 losses last season were by one or two goals, and the Falcons tied another five games. "A goal a game makes a big difference," Bergeron said. WILD CARD: One veteran forward who could make a big difference offensively is junior Bryce Williamson. The junior has been inconsistent with the Falcons, even though he has 14 goals and nine assists in 76 games. He totaled 41 goals and 66 assists in the Alberta Junior Hockey League during the 2009-10 season. "He's a very talented player," Bergeron said. "He has to decide, am I going to be good or am I going to be great? We're not going to watch him be good. We need him to be great, but that's his decision." RED HOT: The line of Berkle on left wing, Carpenter at center and DeSalvo on right wing is one of the best of the league after being dominant in the playoffs. The three have a nice mix of size and skill, and size and strength. "What are they going to be like? Are they going to be able to continue on the same path ... that's the expectation," Bergeron said. "We feel that's what they expect from themselves. It's starting to take some shape. We've got some roles for everybody and we have to hold people accountable to those roles." WOJTALA: If the Falcons do have a dominant individual offensively player, it could be Wojtala. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound co-captain has 15 goals and 24 assists in 83 games, and is used in every situation. Normally, the dominant players teams like to rely on are seniors. But BG's only senior forward is Marc Rodriguez, who is a solid two-day player. "It's his time," Bergeron said of Wojtala. "What (Wojtala's) been through in two years, he's as close to anyone to taking the lead." |
| Last Updated on Friday, 13 July 2012 09:14 |
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Comments
The 2012/13 season will be exciting to watch - heck, the pre-season practices and scrimmages will be exciting to watch! There is a lot of determined, hard-working, good talent on the BG squad.
We are witnessing the program's return.
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