Bowling Green’s players already were dealing with the uncertain future of the Falcon hockey program.
Now, they have to adjust to a new coaching staff.
Dennis Williams was named interim head coach for the 2009-10 season Tuesday, replacing Scott Paluch, who
resigned after seven seasons to accept a job with USA Hockey.
Williams was an assistant coach at BG last season and played for the Falcons from 1997-2001.
The program has been targeted for possible elimination to help the athletics department and the
university deal with a large budget deficit. The program is only guaranteed to exist through next
season.
Two players – defenseman Nick Bailen and sophomore forward Patrick Tiesling – left the program in the
spring over the uncertainty. Bailen was one of BG’s best defensemen, while Tiesling was solid
defensively and a key role player.
High-scoring forward David Solway, who totaled 12 goals and 12 assists games as a junior last season,
also left at the same time, but later decided to return.
BG also lost sophomore forward Dan Sexton, who led BG with 17 goals 39 assists to the NHL’s Anaheim
Ducks; and forward Brandon Svendsen, who had 12 goals and 18 assists as a senior. BG’s other seniors
were goalie Jimmy Spratt and defenseman Kevin Schmidt.
Williams still has to hire two full-time assistant coaches.
"I’d be lying if I said we’re not thinking about everything going on," BG senior captain Kyle
Page said. "You just have to worry about things you can control.
"It’s a big change to hear about the two changes at the same time. It’s a lot to digest, but we’re
optimistic. We welcome the change and we’re looking forward to the season."
Page said the players like Williams.
"Obviously, it’s going to be different," Page said. "You really don’t know how he’s going
to be as a head coach and what things are going to change. He relates to the players. He reaches out and
tries to talk to us."
BG has finished last in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association in three of the last four seasons. It
was 11-24-3 overall and last in the league at 8-19-1 last season.
The Falcons were 10th in the league in scoring (2.3 goals per game) and power-play conversions (12.2
percent), last in goals allowed (3.4 per game) and eighth in penalty-killing (83.2 percent).
"Our expectations are very high," Williams said. "Our goal is to make noise this
year."
Page said approximately two-thirds of the players have been in BG for all or part of the summer to take
classes and work out, adding the players who weren’t in BG this summer have worked out on their own. The
freshmen were in BG last week for orientation.
"Everyone has worked really hard during the offseason," Page said.
Williams said BG will continue to be a fast and physical, putting an emphasis on playing the game in the
offensive zone and capitalizing on a strong transition style.
"We’re going to work hard and strive to be the best we can be and perform at the highest
level," Williams said. "We’re going to be a puck possession team, we’re going to be very
creative and very disciplined, and the you more play in the offensive zone means less goals
against."
The Falcons have an interesting mix of experience and youth next season. BG has nine seniors, including
eight who have received extensive playing time; and a talented freshmen class.
The class has nine players, many of whom are expected to make significant contributions right away. Five
of the freshmen are defensemen.
BG’s seniors are defensemen Page and Brian Moore; forwards James Perkin, Kai Kantola, Tomas Petruska,
Todd McIlrath, Josh Boyd and Tommy Dee; and goalie Phil Greer.
"Our senior class has to lead the way on and off the ice, and help the freshmen," Page said.

The Falcons out-played and out-shot their opponents in many of their games last season, but were hurt by
an .875 save percentage, inconsistent special teams and a lack of consistent scoring.
"We believe we were better than our record," Page said. "We believe we’re close to being a
good team and our goal is to show that. We showed we could play well against high-level teams."