On the strength of Tyler Masters in net and a balanced Falcon offensive attack, Bowling Green surprised Michigan in Yost, 4-2. Tyler Knight had a goal and an assist for the Falcons, and Masters made 31 saves.
Michigan head coach Red Berenson feared a letdown as the Wolverines looked at two consecutive weekends with series against Bowling Green and Lake Superior State, the two teams at the bottom of the CCHA standings. Berenson said he didn’t like the way his team practiced all week, and that he was afraid his squad would be flat after an emotional tie against Michigan State last Saturday.
“We were worried about this,” Berenson said. “We made poor decisions [in the game]. We didn’t get good shots. Our power play was poor.”
“This is the first time I’ve seen them and I didn’t think they were flat,” Bowling Green head coach Buddy Powers said. “I’m just happy. We’ve come up here before and have gotten blown out of the building.”
Bowling Green took a 1-0 lead late in the first period on Dennis White’s second goal of the season. White, who replaced an injured Colen Pappas on the Falcons’ second line, beat Josh Blackburn from point-blank range at 18:42, giving BG a 1-0 lead at the end of one.
Just 1:15 into the second, the Falcons made it 2-0 on Scott Hewson’s sixth goal of the season, but the Wolverines answered less than four minutes later with Eric Werner’s shorthanded tally to draw to within one again, and the second ended 2-1 in favor of the Falcons.
Marc Barlow’s goal at 1:02 in the third increased the Falcon lead to 3-1, but the Wolverines answered again to keep it close, with Andy Burnes scoring at 13:23 to make it a 3-2 game.
Tyler Knight’s empty-netter at 19:27 brought the final score to 4-2.
Bowling Green outshot the Wolverines 34-33. Blackburn stopped 30 shots on the night.
The loss took a toll on the Wolverines in more ways than one. Junior captain Jed Ortmeyer is doubtful for Saturday’s game with an undisclosed injury.
The Wolverines (13-8-5, 10-5-4 CCHA) and Falcons (7-15-5, 5-10-2 CCHA) meet in Yost for a rematch Saturday at 7:35 p.m. Michigan is now 0-1-1 without Mike Cammalleri (mononucleosis), and have dropped to 4-5-2 at home.
