The Bowling Green State University hockey team will begin the 2017 portion of its schedule the same way
it began the 2016-17 season: facing off against Bemidji State.
But when the Falcons and Beavers face off at the Slater Family Ice Arena tonight at 7:07, there will be a
decidedly different vibe than when the two teams last met in October.
Bemidji has been one of the most surprising teams in the nation so far this season. Picked to finish
sixth in the league in both the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s preseason coaches and media
polls, the Beavers instead have flown out 14-7-3 start to the season, which includes a 14-2-2-2 mark in
conference play.
The Beavers’ explosive start has diminished a bit of late, having gone 2-3-2 in their last seven games.
But at 46 points in the league standings, they’re 10 points clear of second-place Michigan Tech, and 20
points ahead of third-place Bowling Green.
Bemidji has been notoriously stingy on defense this year, having allowed 21 goals in 18 WCHA games this
season.
“I think how we’re going to approach it is we’re going to try and spend more time in their zone,” said
Bowling Green head coach Chris Bergeron. “It’s very similar to a (playing against) Michigan Tech
mindset. Because of the way they defend, we need to have more opportunities on them. We need to have an
upward of 20 chances, and the only way we do that is spend more time in their zone.”
Junior goalie Michael Bitzer has rebounded from a slight sophomore slump and ranks second in the nation
with a 1.47 goals-against average, and fifth with a .938 save percentage.
While he certainly deserves credit as the focal point of the Beavers’ stout defense, he has plenty of
help in front of him. Bemidji averages around 13 blocked shots per game, a number that is on par with
Michigan Tech, which held the Falcons to two goals in two games last month.
Statistically, the Beavers’ 1.62 goals-against per game is the best mark in the nation.
“We can’t turn pucks over in the neutral zone. We (need to be) a good second- and third-effort team in
the offensive zone so we aren’t a one-and-done team,” Bergeron said. “If you only get 10 chances on
Michael Bitzer, you’re not going to get the amount of goals you need to get to win. We want to make sure
we’re getting enough chances.”
SECOND-HALF SWOONS: Since moving to the WCHA, the second halves of seasons
have not been especially kind to Bowling Green.
Excluding the playoffs, the Falcons are 25-21-6 in the regular season the past three years from
January-March.
The above-.500 record isn’t necessarily bad on the surface, especially considering the team’s current
10-11-2 overall record. But sluggish back ends to the season have previously torpedoed excellent work
done by the Falcons in the first half, including in a 2014-15 season where their lackluster second half
arguably kept the team out of the NCAA Tournament.
This season, if the Falcons have any hopes of catching Bemidji or Michigan Tech in the WCHA standings,
they’ll need to reverse a trend that has prevailed the past three seasons.
“It’s going to be hard because we’ve shortened practice in the past and given more days off in the past,”
Bergeron said of trying to pinpoint the second-half struggles of the team. “So does that mean we give
less days off and make practice longer? To do opposite of what we’ve done before is going against what
we believe.
“The second half has less travel than we’ve had before, so does that factor in? It’s going to be
something we take day by day and just get the input out of the players and do what we feel is right at
the time.”
McLAIN HONORED: Junior forward Mitch McLain was named the WCHA player of the
month for December, giving him league honors in back-to-back months.
In December, McLain led the WCHA with five goals in Bowling Green’s seven games. He recorded his second
hat trick of the season in a three-goal effort during a 5-2 win at Lake Superior State.
The Baxter, Minnesota, native leads the team with 23 points, which includes a team-best 12 goals.
WESTERN COLLEGIATE
HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
    W    L    T    3/SW    Pts    GF    GA
Bemidji State
    14    2    2    2    46    45    21
Michigan Tech
    11    3    2    1    36    44    26
BOWLING GREEN
    8    7    1    1    26    52    38
Minnesota State
    7    5    2    0    23    43    34
Alabama Huntsville
    7    7    2    0    23    44    53
Ferris State
    6    7    1    1    20    41    40
Alaska
    5    9    2    2    19    41    58
Lake Superior State
    5    8    1    0    16    40    45
Alaska Anchorage
    3    9    2    1    12    25    38
Northern Michigan
    2    11    1    0    7    25    47
OVERALL RECORDS: Alabama Huntsville 7-13-2, Alaska 6-14-2, Alaska Anchorage
4-1143-2, Bemidji State 14-7-3, BOWLING GREEN 10-11-2, Ferris State 7-12-2,
Lake Superior State 8-11-1, Michigan Tech 13-8-3, Minnesota State 11-7-2, Northern Michigan 4-16-2
Today’s Games
Bemidji State at BOWLING GREEN, 7:07 p.m.
Friday’s Games
Bemidji State at BOWLING GREEN, 8:37 p.m.
Northern Michigan at Lake Superior State
Minnesota State at Alabama Huntsville
Ferris State at Alaska Anchorage
Michigan Tech at Notre Dame
Saturday’s Games
Lake Superior State at Northern Michigan
Minnesota State at Alabama Huntsville
Ferris State at Alaska Anchorage
Michigan Tech at Notre Dame