Dajon Mingo is expected to return to the Bowling Green Falcon hockey team, coach Chris Bergeron said
Tuesday.
The redshirt-sophomore recently was ruled academically ineligible for the second semester and can’t play
in any games.
But the forward-defenseman is allowed to practice with the team under NCAA rules and he’s expected to be
with the team when the second semester starts Jan. 13.
Mingo has the spring and summer semesters to regain his eligibility for the start of next season.
"His first indication to me is he’s coming back," Bergeron said. "That decision makes me
very happy, if that, in fact, is what he does."
Mingo is a threat to score every shift because of his skating and offensive skills.
The 5-foot-10, 175-pounder has 11 goals and 22 assists in 59 games at BG, including three goals and eight
assists in 18 games this season.
Mingo sat out his first season at BG, the result of failing to meet NCAA entrance requirements. This
season, he sat out the Falcons’ exhibition contest and the team’s first two games at Union for academic
reasons.
"We knew what we were bringing on when we brought Dajon here and it’s our responsibility to get
Dajon through this," Bergeron said. "I have 100 percent confidence he will get through
it."
Mingo, who turns 24 in May, had no junior hockey eligibility remaining. His only hockey option was to
turn pro.
"He has to realize this is his opportunity," Bergeron said. "We can help him through that
for sure and we will help him through it. But it’s something he has to want to do. The first indication
is that’s what he wants to do. That’s great a move on his part to come back and finish what he
started."
CARP: BG’s Ryan Carpenter isn’t expected to play at Alabama-Huntsville this weekend. The junior forward
suffered a broken foot in practice Nov. 15.
"It’s progressing … but I don’t think this weekend is overly realistic," Bergeron said.
Carpenter practiced Monday, but didn’t practice Tuesday because the foot was too sore, Bergeron said,
adding Carpenter is now dealing with scar tissue in the foot.
"We’re all getting anxious to see him back out there, but it has been seven weeks and six of them
have been on a boot with crutches," Bergeron said. "After six weeks of that, the body will
start reacting to that. Now, we have to break through that.
"We definitely want to take baby steps with this."
If Carpenter doesn’t play this weekend, they Falcons are hoping he’ll play Jan. 10-11 when they host
Alaska. Carpenter is one of the best players in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
"It’s (looking) positive for next weekend," Bergeron said. "(But) if it’s one day on, one
day off, then next weekend won’t be in the mix, either."
DOUBTFUL: BG senior forward Andrew Wallace is doubtful for the UAH series because of a "minor
concussion" suffered last Friday against Boston College, Bergeron said.
He didn’t play the next night against Robert Morris.
HONOREE: BG’s Tomas Sholl is the WCHA rookie of the week.
The freshman goalie stopped 19-of-21 shots in BG’s 3-2 win over RMU. He also helped BG kill off five of
RMU’s six power plays. One of RMU’s goal came during a two-man advantage.
REMATCH: Huntsville is 1-19 overall and 1-11 in the WCHA – the lone win coming in a 4-3 overtime victory
at BG Dec. 7 in the second of a two-game series.
The Falcons held a 44-26 edge in shots in that game, but failed to convert on too many quality scoring
chances and didn’t defend well enough.
BG was a 3-0 winner in the opener.
CLOSE CALLS: Fifty-two of the 150 WCHA league games played this season have been decided by one goal.
Ten others have been decided by two goals and 10 games have ended in a tie.