Men’s hockey splits series at Bowling Green
The Minnesota State men’s hockey team returns from Bowling Green with a series split.
Friday’s back-and-forth game resulted in a 4-3 loss, ending the Mavs’ 13-game win streak over the Falcons. BGSU snapped its five-game losing streak. MSU bounced back with a 4-1 victory Saturday.
With the split, the Mavericks moved to third in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association with their 26-14 record. Bowling Green stands near the bottom at 18-14.
Sam Morton and Lucas Sowder both tallied two goals while Alex Tracy made 28 stops in his eighth win this season.
Morton’s CCHA leading 18 goals gives him a five score lead on Lake Superior State’s Jared Westcott’s 13 goals.
His first goal came quickly in Friday’s game. Luc Wilson won a faceoff in the left corner and made a five-foot pass near the crease where Morton met it with an immediate one-timer at the 15:43 mark.
Jaden Grant’s backhanded goal for BG evened the score 1-1 to end the first period.Seth Fyten gave the BG its first lead in the second.
The back and forth continued as Sowder tied it 2-2 three minutes later at 14:03 in the second period. He found the rebound and fired it past the Falcons goaltender Cole Moore.
Bowling Green went on to score two more goals while the Mavs were only able to net one more.
“We didn’t get the job done,” said MSU head coach Luke Strand. “The moments of truth in the game hurt us. We need to win the bookends of periods and we didn’t.”
He stated they need to “regroup and attack” for Saturday’s game, whichis exactly what they did. He changed goaltenders from Rancier to Tracy and found more stops and more opportunities for offense.
“It was a tale of two nights,” said Minnesota State head coach Luke Strand. “Game two was full of complete character and team-first plays. I was happy with the way the guys responded. They cared for one another in a game filled with battles.”
Through 20 minutes, MSU outshot the Falcons 15-7. Inturn, the Mavs took the lead.
Morton again opened the night with scoring. He followed his own shot and pounded one into the back of the net. Sowder assisted.
Back-to-back scoring opportunities arose for the Mavs in the second.
Kaden Bohlsen scored through traffic — only 48 seconds passed before the Mavericks scored once again. Sowder connected on a one-timer coming from Jordan Power to bring the score 3-0.
BG managed to get one by Tracy in the third but it was too little too late.
Adam Eisele finished the game cleaning up a rebound and stretched the final score to 4-1.
The Mavericks improved to 6-4-3 on the road. They are back home against Northern Michigan University Friday at 7:07 and Saturday at 6:07.
Header Photo: Mavericks hockey went on the road and split their two games against Bowling Green. After suffering defeat Friday, the Mavs bounced back with a 4-1 win Saturday night. (Courtesy Maverick Athletics)
Write to Luke Jackson at luke.jackson.2@mnsu.edu