Falcon hockey wins exhibition (10-2-11)

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Fans and teammates
congratulate BG’s Camden Wojtala (14) after he scores a goal on UOIT in the first seconds of the first
period Sunday. (Photo: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)

Bowling Green’s hockey team is off to a solid start.
The Falcons were sharp offensively and defensively en route to a 7-4 victory Sunday over the Ontario
Institute of Technology in an exhibition at the Ice Arena. PHOTO
GALLERY

Although the win and the individual statistics don’t count on BG’s record, the Falcons dominated one day
after starting official practice under NCAA rules.
BG played most of the game in its offensive zone and totaled a 48-17 edge in shots.
James McIntosh, Mike Fink and Jake Sloat each scored twice for BG, and Cam Wojtala had one goal and one
assist.
BG also scored two power-play goals in seven attempts. Goalies Andrew Hammond, Scott Zacharias and Wyatt
Galley each played one period, combining for 13 saves. Hammond played a scoreless first period when he
made only two saves. Zacharias and Galley each allowed two goals.
The exhibition was the only dress rehearsal for BG, which starts the season this weekend when it hosts
Connecticut.
NCAA rules do allow limited team and individual workouts before Oct. 1. The Falcons had been holding
captains practices and were working out on their own since returning to school in August.
BG is striving for significant improvement after last season when it was 10-27-4 overall and 3-21-4 in
the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
Already out-manned, OIT was a tired team after its 3-2 win Saturday at sixth-ranked Michigan where it was
out-shot 56-24. Ridgeback goalie Jason Dawson didn’t play against BG after making 54 saves against
Michigan.
“There were a lot of positives,” said BG coach Chris Bergeron, who is in his second season. “For the most
part, we were a second-, third-effort team. We never want to be a first-effort team if it doesn’t go our
way, that’s it. We were second effort, third effort, if need be. Our effort was good.”
“It was a win,” said McIntosh, one of just two BG seniors. “The guys worked hard. We had fun. We take one
step forward and keep going.”
BG played well offensively, generating plenty of quality scoring chances with good plays in the offensive
zone and off the rush.
“Once we got the puck down low, we kept our feet moving and got pucks to the net," McIntosh said.

The Falcons took a 3-0 lead after one period and never allowed OIT to tie the game.
“We moved the puck, at times, extremely well,” Bergeron said. “Our offensive zone play was good. We left
some plays in front of their net. At times, we could have been a little more hungry around their net, a
little more ready to execute around their net. That’s something we struggled with last year. It was a
positive we created those opportunities through effort, through skating, through really attacking the
offensive blue line properly.”
The BG power play totaled 13 shots.
“We moved (the puck) around pretty well,” Bergeron said. “They were creative and did things they’re
capable of doing.”
Because BG had the puck most of the game, it spent little time in its defensive zone.
“We’re going to have plenty of opportunities to practice that,” Bergeron said. “As long as the mentality
is right, we’ll figure the rest out which is taking away time and space, (having) good habits with what
we’re doing and the little details.”
Eight freshmen played for BG — Galley in goal; Mike Sullivan, Marcus Perrier, Rusty Hafner and Connor
Kucera on defense; and Adam Berkle, Ted Pletsch and Ryan Carpenter at forward. The freshmen are being
counted upon to play regularly in a variety of roles, including the special teams.
“The freshmen played well. They didn’t necessarily look like freshmen,” McIntosh said.
“Our young guys contributed, but that’s what we’re going to need to them,” Bergeron said. “All in all, it
was a pretty good first night exhibition test for those young guys.”
The only negative for BG was OIT’s 3-of-7 effort on the power play.
“I’m not happy with the penalty-kill at all,” Bergeron said. “There were plays to be made on the
penalty-kill and we didn’t make them.”
BG was without three injured forwards — Marc Rodriguez, Dan DeSalvo and Brett Mohler. Rodriguez
(shoulder) is out definitely, while Mohler (back/ribs) and DeSalvo (undisclosed non-hockey injury) could
return for UConn.
BG forward Robert Shea didn’t play for a violation of team rules.
BGSU 7, OIT 4
GOALS BY PERIOD
ONTARIO INSTITUTE
OF TECHNOLOGY 0 2 2 —4
BGSU 3 1 3 —7
FIRST PERIOD
Scoring: 1, BG Wojtala (Sinclair, Berkle) 0:11. 2, BG McIntosh (Grover, Berkle) 11:24. 3, BG Fink
(Sumsion) 16:44 (5-4 pp).
Penalties: George, OIT, hooking, 12:39; Vatri, OIT, major-contact to the head, 12:39; Wheelan, OIT,
roughing, 14:35.
SECOND PERIOD
Scoring: 4, OIT Connors (Noyes) 6:22 (5-3 pp). 5, OIT Razzi (Noyes) 7:28 (5-4 pp). 6, BG McIntosh (Ruel)
15:37.
Penalties: Peltoma, BG, kneeing, 1:41; McIntosh, BG, holding, 4:37; Wojtala, BG, tripping, 6:14;
VanMoerkerke, OIT, checking from behind, 9:22; Connors, OIT, holding, 17:28.
THIRD PERIOD
Scoring: 7, BG Sloat (Wojtala) 2:29. 8, OT Woodcroft (Razzi) 2:42. 9, BG Sloat (Sullivan) 7:08 (5-4 pp).
10, OIT Noyes (Connors) 17:22 (5-4 pp). 11, BG Fink (Viselli, Hafner) 18:00.
Penalties: VanMoerkerke, OIT, checking from behind, 6:25; Viselli, BG, interference, 7:45; Razzi, OIT,
roughing, 8:33; Grover, BG, roughing, 8:33; Hafner, BG, hooking, 9:50; McIntosh, BG, hooking, 12:47;
Pletsch, BG, slashing, 16:33.
SAVES BY PERIOD
Dawson, OIT 19 13 9 —41
Hammond, BG 2 X X — 2
Zacharias, BG X 5 X — 5
Galley, BG X X 6 — 6
Goalie statistics (goals against/minutes played): (OIT) Dawson 7/60; (BG) Hammond 0/20, Zacharias 2/20,
Galley 2/20.
Penalties-Minutes: OIT 8-27, BG 8-16. Power plays: OIT 3-7, BG 2-7. Attendance: Unavailable.

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