Regulation or overtime wins could be even more valuable in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association next
season.
League coaches have approved a proposal that will award three points for a regulation or overtime victory
and two points for a shootout win.
However, the proposal still must be approved by CCHA athletic directors in August for it to take effect.
Teams losing in a shootout will continue to receive one point and teams losing in overtime will continue
to receive no points. Last season, all wins were worth two points and a team losing in a shootout
received one point.
The coaches vote was not unanimous, Paluch said.
"It diminishes, theoretically, a little bit of the impact of a shootout win," BG coach Scott
Paluch said. "A shootout win is not worth the same as scoring a goal and winning the game in hockey
fashion."
The CCHA adopted the shootout last season and there would have only been one change in the standings had
the shootout not been included. Michigan and Miami each had 40 points to tie for second place, but
Miami’s total included two shootout wins.
Each series last season was worth a total of six points, compared to four before the shootout was
adopted.
"It didn’t have a major impact in this particular year, but shootouts can make a major
difference," Paluch said.
Paluch said there was "not enough sentiment" to eliminate the shootout, adding the three points
for regulation and overtime wins stopped some of the anti-shootout feelings.
"The points were the biggest issue people had," Paluch said. "Once those areas were
addressed, that took a lot of the heat away from the people who might have been against it."
TOLEDO: BG tentatively has moved its Nov. 21 home game against Michigan to the new downtown Toledo arena.
The game is listed on Michigan’s schedule on its athletics department Web site, but BG hasn’t announced
its schedule yet.
The home-and-home series starts Nov. 20 at Michigan.
RECRUITS: BG has added two more recruits, both from the North American (Junior) Hockey League, for next
season. They are defenseman Ryan Peltoma of North Iowa and forward Jerry Freismuth of Alexandria
(Minn.).
Peltoma, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound 21-year-old, had seven goals and 26 assists in 51 games last season. He
also had an on-ice rating of plus-20 and 153 penalty minutes.
Freismuth had 15 goals and 42 assists in 56 games. He’s 5-10, 170 and will turn 21 in October.
The addition of Peltoma gives BG eight defensemen, including five freshmen. BG’s veterans on defense are
seniors Kyle Page and Brian Moore, and junior Andrew Krelove.
BAILEN: Former Falcon defenseman Nick Bailen will play for Indiana in the United States (Junior) Hockey
League next season and then transfer to Rensselaer of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference for the
2010-11 season.
Bailen was one of BG’s best defensemen last season, but decided to leave because the uncertainty over the
future of the program.
TIESLING: Former BG forward Patrick Tiesling, who also left because of the uncertainty, is transferring
to CCHA rival Miami. He’ll sit out next season and then be eligible for the 2010-11 season. Tiesling was
a solid defensive player.
Paluch originally was not going to allow any players who left the program to transfer to another CCHA
school, but Paluch said Tiesling won an appeal submitted to a university committee of three non-athletic
department staff members.
Paluch said all BG athletes who wish to transfer can appeal the restrictions imposed by their coaches.
Tiesling’s appeal was for him to transfer to one of our CCHA schools – Miami, Michigan State, Notre Dame
and Lake Superior.
SUMMER CAMP: Falcon senior forward Kai Kantola has been invited to the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes’
prospects camp this summer.
Teams invite their top draft picks and undrafted free agents, like Kantola, to the camps to better
evaluate their skills and to help them with the pro game and lifestyle.
Kantola, who had 12 goals and six assists in 36 games last season, is attractive to the pros because he’s
6-2, 190 and has good skill.
