Bowling Green has fared well in the playoffs the last three seasons.
The Falcons are striving for even more playoff success this weekend.
Only this time, they’ll be at home.
BG host Michigan Tech in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association quarterfinal series.
The best-of-3 series – BG’s first home playoff games since 2008 – is Friday, Saturday and, if necessary,
Sunday.
"This is about executing at a high level," said BG coach Chris Bergeron, whose team has won
four playoff series the last three seasons. ‘We’ll prepare like we always do. The fact we tied for third
in a very competitive league … I want our guys to take advantage of that. Let’s not let go of that
opportunity by not playing well. We want to play well."
All four of BG’s playoff wins the last three seasons came on the road, and all four series went three
games.
Twenty Falcons have played in at least one of those series.
"We’re a playoff veteran team …. that builds experience," Bergeron said.
REVIEW: The Falcons, 16-14-6 overall, played well last weekend en route to 5-3, 5-2 sweep of Bemidji
State.
"It was two very consistent efforts. We’ve had some ups and downs (this season)," Bergeron
said. "To be able to put together two back-to-back efforts together was really good. We want to
build on that momentum."
REMATCH: The Falcons are 1-2-1 against Tech this season, with the home team failing to win all four
games.
Tech won the two most recent meetings, posting a 5-2, 5-4 sweep in BG Jan. 31-Feb. 1. BG earned a 3-2 win
and a 4-4 tie at Tech Dec. 14-15.
The Falcons were out-shot in each of the four games.
HONOREES: BG freshman forward Kevin Dufour is the WCHA’s co-offensive player of the week, while classmate
Sean Walker is the defensive player of the week.
Dufour, a forward, had three goals and one assist and an on-ice rating of plus-1 against Bemidji.
Walker, a defenseman, had a goal and three assists, and was a plus-1 in the series. He also helped BG
kill off all six Bemidi power plays.
TECH: The Huskies are 14-17-7 overall and finished fifth in the WCHA at 12-11-5, their first winning
record in league play since 1993.
"We’re going to have to execute much better than that," Bergeron said of the four previous
meetings against Tech. "Our process and details have to be good. Everything we do has to have a
purpose.
"Our guys know that. They really like how they’re executing pretty well right now, but this is a
pretty difficult opponent."
Tech is eighth in the league in scoring at 2.53 goals per game, but it scored 16 goals against BG during
the regular season.
The Huskies are allowing 2.66 goals per game, third-best in the league.
HOME/AWAY: The Falcons are 10-5-2 overall at home this season, including an 8-5-1 mark in the league.
Tech is 6-11-3 on the road, but is 6-6-2 in league road games and 3-1-1 in its last five road games.
LEADERS: Junior forward Blake Pietila is Tech’s leading scorer with 27 points. The New Jersey Devils’
draft pick has eight goals and 19 assists.
Sophomore forward Alex Petan has 11 goals and 15 assists, while junior forward Tanner Kero has 15 goals
and 10 assists. freshman defenseman Shane Hanna has four goals and 18 assists.
Hanna is the WCHA leader in defense scoring and rookie scoring.
Sophomore forward Pheonix Copley is Tech’s No. 1 goalie, posting a 2.47 goals-against average and a .912
save percentage in 28 games. He ranks fourth in the league in save percentage and fifth in goals-against
average.