Men's Ice Hockey | October 22, 2018
THIS WEEK
After a quick turnaround, the Western Michigan hockey team heads -on the road to take on No. 15 Bowling Green on Tuesday night at 7:37 p.m. After that, the Broncos are off until traveling to Denver to open National Collegiate Hockey Conference play on Friday, Nov. 2. and Saturday, Nov. 3.
LAST WEEK
WMU split with No. 11/10 Michigan, falling on the road and beating the Wolverines at Lawson Ice Arena in a pair of high-scoring games. The Broncos lost Friday's game at Yost Ice Arena 6-5 and followed it up with a 5-4 victory on Saturday at home.
The Broncos jumped out to a 2-1 lead in Friday's contest thanks to goals by Hugh McGing and Ethen Frank in the first period. Michigan outscored WMU 3-0 in the second period to take a 4-2 lead into the third period. Austin Rueschhoff netted his first goal of the weekend just 13 seconds into the third period, but Michigan responded right away to take a 5-3 lead. Cam Lee netted his first of two goals in the game at 9:57 but the Wolverines once again responded just 13 seconds later. Lee cut the lead to 6-5 with an extra-attacker goal with 2:11 to play but WMU was unable to find the equalizer.
Western Michigan took the lead in Saturday's game with Rueschhoff scoring off of a turnover he created just 1:51 into the game. Quinn Hughes from Michigan tied it up at 1-1 at 6:34 in the first period but McGing gave the Broncos a 2-1 lead after a goal on a 5-on-3 power play at 12:25. WMU pushed its lead to 3-1 at the start of the second period, with Frank creating turnover and scoring an unassisted goal. The Wolverines responded with three straight goals to close out the period and take a 4-3 lead into the third period. Colt Conrad tied it up a 4-4 just 1:22 into the third on a 5-on-3 power play goal before Josh Passolt took advantage of a turnover to score the game-winner at 6:39.
THE BOWLING GREEN FALCONS || 3-1-0
THE SERIES: Bowling Green leads the all-time series at 72-60-8. The Broncos had been undefeated against the Falcons since the breakup of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association until WMU's opener against BGSU back on Oct. 9.
LAST TIME OUT: WMU hosted Bowling Green to open the season, falling to the Falcons 6-2 at Lawson Ice Arena. BGSU put up six goals despite being outshot 36-19 on the night. WMU took a 1-0 lead on a power play goal by Austin Rueschhoff at 14:22 but Bowling Green scored three straight goals before Josh Passolt could cut the deficit to 3-2 in the second period. The Falcons added three more goals, including an empty-netter, to pick up the win.
SCOUTING THE FALCONS, AGAIN: Since the two teams last met, Bowling Green has jumped up into the nation's top 15, coming in at 15 in the most recent USCHO.com poll. BGSU split with Robert Morris two weeks ago, falling in Pittsburgh 3-2 before blanking the Colonials, 6-0 in Bowling Green.
The Falcons have the top offense in the nation, averaging 5.50 goals through four games this season. Sophomore forwards Max Johnson and Brandon Kruse are tied for the team lead with eight points. Each have scored two goals and tallied six assists in four games. Sophomore forward Connor Ford, Senior forward Stephen Baylis and junior forward Casey Linkenheld each are tied for the team lead with three goals. Junior Alec Rauhauser is the top point man from the blue line with four assists. Freshman defenseman Tim Theochardis is the top goal scorer from the blue line with two goals, including one against the Broncos.
BGSU is tied for eighth in the country in scoring defense, allowing just 1.75 goals per game. WMU is likely to see Ryan Bednard for the second time this season. The junior goalie is 3-0-0 with a 1.34 goals against average and a .944 save percentage. Bednard made a season-high 34 saves in the team's win over Western Michigan.
The Falcons have the fifth-best power play in the country, converting at a 31.8 percent clip (7-for-22). All three of Ford's goals have come on the power play, a team-best. Bowling Green's penalty kill ranks 22nd at 82.6 percent (19-for-23), with the team averaging 15.8 penalty minutes per game.
MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE
Sophomore forward Josh Passolt netted his third goal of the season in Saturday's win over Michigan, giving him six points for the season in just five games played. The Hayward, Wis., native is already more than halfway to matching his point total of 11 from 2017-18. Passolt isn't the only one that's close to eclipsing a season-best already. Junior defenseman Cam Lee currently leads WMU in goal-scoring with four, just two shy of his career-best total of six that he set last season.
POWER PLAYERS
After tallying three times with the man advantage in the series against Michigan, the Broncos have netted at least once power play goal in each of the five games this season. WMU is 11th in the nation at 25.8 percent (8-for-31). Hugh McGing and Josh Passolt have each scored twice with the man advantage to lead the team, while Colt Conrad, Cam Lee and Austin Rueschhoff also have power play goals.
BYE
Western Michigan is off this coming weekend before heading out to Denver to open NCHC play against the Pioneers on Friday, Nov. 2 and Saturday, Nov. 3. Both games can be seen on Altitude 2, as well as NCHC.tv. and heard live on the Bronco Radio Network.
