While the Bowling Green hockey team has been good defensively to start the season, head coach Chris
Bergeron is expecting better play from his goaltenders.
Collectively, the Falcons’ three goaltenders have combined for a 2.23 goals-against average and .916 save
percent. While the Falcons ranked tied for fourth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in goals
allowed per game, Bergeron said there’s room for improvement.
"(It has) probably (been) similar to last year: good but not great, not bad," Bergeron said.
"We think we need it to be great to be able to win at the level we want to win at. I don’t think
our goaltending has cost us games. But with the exception of the shutout at Huntsville, I think every
game there has been at least one goal that we would classify as a bad goal. That has to stop."
Through eight games, junior Tommy Burke and sophomore Tomas Sholl have each started three games, while
freshman Chris Nell has started two. Burke has posted the strongest numbers of the three while arguably
facing the stiffest competition. He has a 1.95 goals-against average and .928 save percent.
However, he hasn’t been immune to the "bad goal."
Playing in a league that has seen a number of strong goaltending performances so far this season,
Bergeron said the Falcons need to make sure they stop giving away cheap goals.
"We have no problem if a team scores good goals, but when we’re giving up bad goals, it’s
unacceptable," he said. "(The goalies) don’t want that. The focus is to eliminate those
goals."
As of Tuesday, the coaching staff hadn’t decided which goalies would make the trip to Alaska for a
weekend series with the University of Alaska. The team traveled west Wednesday.
Burke has played back-to-back weekends, and Nell hasn’t suited up since Oct. 25 at Clarkson.
NANOOKS: The Nanooks were one of the top offensive teams in the WCHA last year, led by conference player
of the year Cody Kunyk.
But Kunyk (43 points) and fellow forward Colton Beck (39 points) have since gone on to pursue
professional careers. That has left the Nanooks with a talented stable of mostly unproven players.
"I look at them as by committee," Bergeron said. "They rely on lots of people to
contribute offensively. They’ll fight you for it. They’re a hard team to play against because they
compete. They’ve got a bunch of guys who play that way. It’s a group of guys who do it as a whole."

But two of their proven players are among the best in the league. Tyler Morley was a preseason All-WCHA
selection at forward, and Colton Parayko was a preseason All-WCHA selection at defense.
Morley had 34 points in 31 games as a sophomore last year. He missed Alaska’s playoff series and the
first two games of this season following offseason knee surgery. Meanwhile Parayko, standing at
6-foot-5, 218 pounds, has five points in eight games this season.
"They’re a group that kind of plays the same way all the time, and I think that’s a pretty hard,
honest game," Bergeron said. "(Parayko) might be the best defenseman in the league. They have
some good, skilled forwards. Once (Morley) got over his injury at the end of last year, I know he’s back
now. Those are two all-league type players. They’re a team that’s gotten some top-20 recognition and I
think it’s well deserved."
However, the Nanooks were dealt a major blow this week.
Due to NCAA violations, they have been banned from postseason play this year, which includes the WCHA
Tournament.
The violations "were due to the university’s failure to establish and maintain adequate systems to
ensure that NCAA eligibility was being performed correctly," according to a press release by from
the University’s athletic department.