BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — Top-ranked Ferris State clinched a tie for the Central Collegiate
Hockey Association championship Saturday with a 4-1 victory over Bowling Green.

Matt Kirzinger had one goal and one assist, and Taylor Nelson made 21 saves for the
Bulldogs, who took a 2-0 lead in the second period and held BG off the rest of
the way.
The Bulldogs improved to 22-8-4 overall and 16-6-4-1 in the CCHA. They lead the
league with 53 points, six ahead of No. 5 Michigan and eight ahead of No. 18
Western Michigan.
Ferris needs just one point in next weekend’s home-and-home series against Western to
clinch the outright title. Michigan plays a two-game series at BG.
BG, last in the CCHA, fell to 9-20-5, 4-18-4-3.
The Falcons held a 22-21 edge in shots. BG’s Andrew Hammond made 16 saves.
“We played a lot better than we did last night,” BG coach Chris Bergeron said.
BG didn’t play well overall Friday in a 5-1 loss to Ferris.
“I liked our effort, I liked our fight. I liked the resiliency we showed on our
bench,” Bergeron said. “We faced some adversity in the game, not a lot, and we
kept fighting with a real short bench.”
BG played with just 16 skaters (10 forwards, six defensemen), instead of the usual
18.
Forwards James McIntosh and Cameron Sinclair — BG’s only seniors — didn’t play
Saturday because Bergeron was unhappy with the way they played Friday. They were
not replaced in the lineup.
BG defenseman Ryan Peltoma sat out Saturday because of a sprained ankle, although he
did play Friday. It was not known if Peltoma will play against Michigan. Max
Grover replaced Peltoma.
BG’s lineup had just four juniors. Ferris played a total of 11 seniors and juniors.

“The guys fought,” Bergeron said. “A tipped puck here, a bounce there, a shin pad
there, it’s a different result. It’s not a moral victory. We lost. We’re
disappointed with the loss, but the process and the details to our game were
much, much better tonight than they were last night.”
Ferris is 11-0-3 in its last 14 games overall and is 9-1-2 at home this season.
“Full marks to Ferris. They’re not the number one team in the country by accident,”
Bergeron said. “Their guys stepped up and made plays at big times. We out-shot
them and it was one of those nights we were winning battles, but they found a
way. That’s what good teams do. They find a way to win on nights maybe you’re
not at your best.”
Kirzinger gave the Bulldogs the lead just 1:36 into the second period as Ferris
capitalized on a two-man advantage.
The Falcons opened the second period with a minute to go on a Ferris power play, but
BG’s Mike Sullivan (interference) and Bryce Williamson (board) were penalized
just 30 seconds into the period.
“That killed us,” said Bergeron, whose team has been hurt by poor penalties in six
straight games.
Ferris increased the lead to 2-0 on Cory Kane’s goal at 12:37. Adam Berkle brought BG
within one goal at 18:08.
The Bulldogs clinched the win on third-period goals from Aaron Schmit at 4:22 and TJ
Schlueter into an empty-net with at 19:04.
The Falcons scored two or fewer goals for the 24th time in 34 games, including 19
games of zero or one goal.
The BG power play was scoreless for the ninth straight game, going for 0-of-2. BG
hasn’t scored in its last 35 attempts with the extra man.
“It’s hard to win when you’re not scoring,” Bergeron said.
Ferris’ power play was 1-of-4. BG has allowed eight power-play goals in its last five
games.
FERRIS STATE 4, BGSU 1
GOALS BY PERIOD
BGSU 0 1 0 —1
FERRIS STATE 0 2 0 —4
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: None.
Penalties: Schlueter, FS, checking from behind, 4:35; Binkley, FS, cross-checking,
19:00.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 1, FS Kirzinger 9 (Johnston, Billins) 1:36 (5-3 pp). 2, FS Kane 7 (Huff)
12:37. 3, BG Berkle 4 (Sloat, Kucera) 18:08.
Penalties: Sullivan, BG, interference, 0:30; Williamson, BG, boarding, 0:30; Kucera,
BG, boarding, 5:50; Wallace, BG, slashing, 9:49.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 4, FS Schmit 6 (Czarnowczan, Billins) 4:22. 5, FS Schlueter 6 (Kirzinger)
19:04 (5-6 en).
Penalties: None.
SAVES BY PERIOD
Hammond, BG 5 6 5 —16
Nelson, FS 6 8 7 —21
Goalie statistics (goals against/minutes played): (BG) Hammond 3/58:06, Empty net
1/1:54; (FS) Nelson 1/60.
Penalties-Minutes: BG 4-8, FS 2-4. Power plays: BG 0-2, FS 1-4. Attendance: 2,493.