Home crowd can’t help Falcons; BGSU loses 3-2 to Michigan Tech

By Momo Pfaff, [email protected]

The Bowling Green State University men’s hockey team lost to the Michigan Tech Huskies 3-2 on Friday in front of a raucous home crowd.

With Falcon sophomore Christian Stoever and Huskies senior Blake Pietila between the pipes, Bowling Green’s first home conference series was underway.

The first period started off rowdy with the fans in the Slate, fast puck battles and some pushing and shoving.

Halfway through the first, a highsticking penalty was called on MTU winger Tristan Ashbrook, giving the Falcons a man advantage.

The Falcons would generate some close shots, but the penalty would ultimately be killed off by the Huskies.

With seven minutes left, the tension was rising as BG defenseman Hunter Lellig got a major penalty for facemasking and MTU winger Arvid Caderoth got a minor for roughing.

At the 14:11 mark, center Parker Saretsky opened the scoring, giving the Huskies a goal advantage.

As the penalty was killed off, the energetic Falcons offense pushed onto the Huskies’ net, but the period closed with a 1-0 score.

The second period started off with a burst of offensive pressure by the Falcons, testing MTU’s defense.

A slew of shots came Stoever’s way in the first five minutes, but as the fans cheered his name, he stopped all of them.

At the halfway point, Falcon defenseman Anton Malmstrom got his first goal of the season to tie the game 1-1.

Shortly after the goal, Huskies defenseman Jake Crespi wascalled for holding, allowing the Falcons to be on the power play.

Pietila was bombarded with shots left and right to try to get a lead, but Michigan Tech killed off the penalty.

With six minutes left in the second, BG center Adam Pitters was sent to the box for the second major of the night.

A minute later, Quinn Emerson got a penalty shot, but was stopped by Pietila.

As the penalty kill was halfway done, MTU junior Ryland Mosley scored a PP goal for a 2-1 lead.

In the dying minutes of the third, Scardina sniped one into the net, tying up the game 2-2.

The Madhouse on Mercer was living up to its name, and the period closed at 2-2 with a shot count of 30-29 favoring BG.

The third period started on even ground, with both teams playing end to end.

At the 14-minute mark, Huskies winger Logan Ganie gained another lead to make it 3-2.

As the last five minutes crept in, the Falcons were doing whatever they could to score the tying goal.

Pressure was turned up in the last two minutes, and BGSU coach Ty Eigner took a timeout to assess a plan with an empty net.

MTU junior Jack Works sat with 1:30 left, and the crowd grew loud.

Even with two-man advantage to end the game, the Falcons could not garner a puck past Pietila.

Although the Falcons are on a six-game losing streak, junior Ethan Scardina said the team sees positives in recent matches.

“Game by game, we’ve been getting better with the little things,” he said.

Michigan Tech is 5-2-1 (1-1-1 in CCHA) and Bowling Green is 2-7-0 (1-4-0 in CCHA).