(Updated Saturday, 8:45 p.m.) Bowling Green’s hockey team will keep its 4-3 shootout victory Friday night
over Nebraska-Omaha, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced early this afternoon.
The Falcons had used an ineligible shooter during the shootout, won by BG 1-0.
The ineligible shooter was Jordan Samuel-Thomas, who was in the penalty box when overtime ended.
Under NCAA rules, players who are serving a penalty at the end of overtime may not be used in the
shootout.
Ironically, Samuels-Thomas scored the only goal in the best-of-3 shootout.
The error was discovered after the game by referees Steve McInchak and Derek Berkebile. McInchak is one
of the CCHA’s top referees.
They consulted the league office immediately after the game, but after the teams had left the ice.
CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos and director of officiating Steve Piotrowski announced their decision this
morning.
Under NCAA rules, the game counts as a 3-3 tie. The CCHA uses shootouts to break ties in its league games
only.
BG head coach Dennis Williams was informed of the decision from Piotrowski. Williams learned of the error
when he was on the team bus about an hour after the game.
“It is clear that our officiating crew made an error,” Anastos said in a statement issued by the league.
“This error in rules enforcement during the course of the game, while unfortunate, can only be corrected
during the course of the game. Once the game is concluded, there are no further actions that can take
place to correct the situation.”
According to CCHA rule V.8, protests arising from decisions of game officials or from errors or
misinterpretations of the rules will not be considered. According to NCAA rule 6-section 39, protests
are not recognized or allowed.
Sanctions will be taken against
all four officials in the game, but the sanctions will not be publicly disclosed, CCHA associate
commissioner Fred Pletsch told the Sentinel-Tribune.
McInchak, Berkebile, and assistant referees Chad Evers and Chris Davis all were scheduled to officiate
both games in the series, but none of the four will work tonight as the CCHA brought in four new
officials.
BG rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to take a 3-2 lead on goals by Samuels-Thomas on the
power play at 1:40 and Nathan Pageau at 8:56.
But UNO forced overtime on Rich Purslow’s extra attacker goal with just 52 seconds remaining. Neither
team scored in the 5-minute extra period.
“It’s great for our team because of the way they came from behind,” Williams said. “We worked hard and
it’s nice to get rewarded with two points. We wanted three points, but this gives us confidence that we
can play with these guys.”
Teams receive three points for a regulation or overtime win, two points for a shootout win and one point
for a shootout loss.
The Falcons are 0-4-1 overall and 0-0-0-1 in the CCHA. UNO is 3-0-2, 0-0-0-1.
(Updated Saturday, 8:45 p.m.) Bowling Green’s hockey team will keep its 4-3 shootout victory Friday night
over Nebraska-Omaha, the Central Collegiate Hockey Association announced early this afternoon.
The Falcons had used an ineligible shooter during the shootout, won by BG 1-0.
The ineligible shooter was Jordan Samuel-Thomas, who was in the penalty box when overtime ended.
Under NCAA rules, players who are serving a penalty at the end of overtime may not be used in the
shootout.
Ironically, Samuels-Thomas scored the only goal in the best-of-3 shootout.
The error was discovered after the game by referees Steve McInchak and Derek Berkebile. McInchak is one
of the CCHA’s top referees.
They consulted the league office immediately after the game, but after the teams had left the ice.
CCHA commissioner Tom Anastos and director of officiating Steve Piotrowski announced their decision this
morning.
Under NCAA rules, the game counts as a 3-3 tie. The CCHA uses shootouts to break ties in its league games
only.
BG head coach Dennis Williams was informed of the decision from Piotrowski. Williams learned of the error
when he was on the team bus about an hour after the game.
“It is clear that our officiating crew made an error,” Anastos said in a statement issued by the league.
“This error in rules enforcement during the course of the game, while unfortunate, can only be corrected
during the course of the game. Once the game is concluded, there are no further actions that can take
place to correct the situation.”
According to CCHA rule V.8, protests arising from decisions of game officials or from errors or
misinterpretations of the rules will not be considered. According to NCAA rule 6-section 39, protests
are not recognized or allowed.
Sanctions will be taken against
all four officials in the game, but the sanctions will not be publicly disclosed, CCHA associate
commissioner Fred Pletsch told the Sentinel-Tribune.
McInchak, Berkebile, and assistant referees Chad Evers and Chris Davis all were scheduled to officiate
both games in the series, but none of the four will work tonight as the CCHA brought in four new
officials.
BG rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third period to take a 3-2 lead on goals by Samuels-Thomas on the
power play at 1:40 and Nathan Pageau at 8:56.
But UNO forced overtime on Rich Purslow’s extra attacker goal with just 52 seconds remaining. Neither
team scored in the 5-minute extra period.
“It’s great for our team because of the way they came from behind,” Williams said. “We worked hard and
it’s nice to get rewarded with two points. We wanted three points, but this gives us confidence that we
can play with these guys.”
Teams receive three points for a regulation or overtime win, two points for a shootout win and one point
for a shootout loss.
The Falcons are 0-4-1 overall and 0-0-0-1 in the CCHA. UNO is 3-0-2, 0-0-0-1.