Propelled by a three-goal first period, Bowling Green handed Lake Superior State a 3-2 loss in the opening game of their two-game series Friday night.
The Falcons now lead the all-time series between the two teams 63-50-4 and have won the last six meetings. The Lakers have not defeated BGSU since Nov. 26, 1999, when they won a 7-5 game in Sault Ste. Marie.
BGSU got on the board first when Austin de Luis scored at the 10:32 mark of the first. At 14:41, Mark Wires scored his third goal of the year to put the Falcons up 2-0.
Less than two minutes later, Greg Day scored a power-play goal to give the Falcons a three-goal lead.
Laker goaltender Scott Murray was replaced by freshman goaltender Matt Violin at the start of the second period. Murray faced 17 shots and allowed three goals before retiring to the bench.
The Lakers outshot Bowling Green 16-7 in the second period and with less than 1:30 remaining got a key goal from sophomore Chris Peterson. Senior defenseman Chris Thompson assisted on Peterson’s first goal of the season.
Late in the third period, momentum turned in favor of Lake Superior, which came within a goal of BGSU when captain Chris McNamara netted his fourth goal of the season on the power play.
LSSU pulled Violin with 40 seconds remaining in the game, but was unable to score the tying goal. Violin faced 14 shots in relief of Murray and allowed no goals.
The victory gave Bowling Green a 3-5-1 record in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and a 4-6-3 record overall. The Lakers recorded their fifth straight loss and dropped to 1-8-0 in the CCHA and 2-9-0 overall.
BGSU and LSSU will wrap up their series Saturday night at Taffy Abel Arena.
