And now, after excessive delay, here is the final installment of the Falcon Hockey Hooligan Post-Season Awards.
Award winners previously named:
Flying Under the Radar: Andrew Hammond
Runner(s)-up: Cameron Sinclair, Marc Rodriguez, and Max Grover, Ian Ruel
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner(s)-up: Nathan Pageau
Defensive MVP: Kyle Page
Runner(s)-up: Ian Ruel
Offensive MVP:Tomas Petruska
Runner(s)-up: Tommy Dee
This week's awards: Most Improved Player and Team MVP.
For those who don't remember or didn't see it at the time, the mid-season Most Improved Player was Tommy Dee.
The post-season award will go to someone who has already been named for a previous award - Tomas Petruska.
I won't go into too much detail, because Petruska's accomplishments this season have been spelled out pretty well over the last half-dozen posts or so. It's safe to say he went from a well-liked and respected role player last season, to a star this season, especially over the final few weeks.
Runner-up: Nick Eno
And, finally, after weeks and weeks of waiting, here it is - Team MVP.
Choosing the Team MVP was a very difficult decision. Among the players considered were Tomas Petruska, Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Kyle Page, and Nick Eno. Ultimately, I decided to stick with the mid-season winner, Nick Eno.
As is usually the case when I have put praise on Falcon goaltenders this season, I'm sure there are people out there who would simply look at the team's record and dismiss the pick. If you're one of those people, you're certainly entitled to that stance. The win-loss record was abysmal and that can't be ignored.
But it's important to also look beyond the record. Anyone who watched Eno (and Hammond, for that matter) in games would know that the team's goaltending kept them in a position to win, most of the time.
Nick Eno made great strides this year as he continued to get back to form after an inconsistent sophomore season. Eno deserves a ton of credit for his improvement and performance this season.
Runner-up: Dennis Williams
The awards are for the players, which is why I didn't consider Coach Williams for the Team MVP, but I think he's at least deserving of a runner-up nod. Coach took a team that was on the verge of non-existence and losing players, and managed to salvage a season of hard-fought games and a team that never gave up.
As the University conducts its hiring search for the next BGSU hockey head coach, I sincerely hope they take into consideration what Coach Williams did in such extreme circumstances, the energy he brought to the team, and the faith the fans have in the job he can do.
If you ask me, my vote is safely with Coach Williams.
Anyway, that concludes the Post-Season Awards for 2009-2010. As always, feel free to let me know your thoughts about the whole thing in the comments.
Showing posts with label Dee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dee. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Post-Season Awards - Offensive and Defensive MVP
Welcome to installment #2 of the 3-part Post-Season Awards series.
For those just joining us, here are awards given at a previous ceremony:
Flying Under the Radar: Andrew Hammond
Runner(s)-up: Cameron Sinclair, Marc Rodriguez, and Max Grover, Ian Ruel
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner(s)-up: Nathan Pageau
Now that we're up to speed, let's get on with naming the next two awards.
Defensive MVP
Overall this year the Falcons had their share of defensive issues. The team gave up almost four goals per game and only had three players with a positive +/- rating, two of whom played less than 20 games.
Throughout the season, though, there were a number of players who showed signs of promise. Some players improved greatly over their previous seasons. One player stood out above the rest. That player was Kyle Page.
Another shocker. This awards thing is turning out to be pretty boring, eh?
Wait. Forget I wrote that. This is exciting stuff! You should keep reading!
But in all seriousness, Kyle Page deserves the nod for this award for continuing to be a part of the "glue" that held this team together. When the program was in its darkest hours, Kyle stuck with it, persevered, and has come out of it with a professional contract and the admiration of many BGSU fans.
Kyle Page is the definition of a leader, which is important on an underclassman-heavy defensive unit. On the ice, despite often giving up significant size to his opponents, he battled for the puck, blocked shots, finished his checks, and gave the Falcons offensive chances that helped keep them in games. Off the ice, Kyle excelled in the classroom and in life, earning three nominations for the CCHA's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, and twice being named to the CCHA All-Academic First Team. Additionally, he received the Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award and the Dr. Ron Zwierlein Leadership Award for the 2008-2009 season.
Kyle finished the season fourth in scoring, notching three goals and dishing out 14 assists. On the defensive side of things, he blocked 71 shots. Try to wrap your head around that for a moment - 71 frozen vulcanized rubber missiles that he willingly stepped in front of. Any team would be happy to have a player like that on their side.
Also worthy of mention are Ian Ruel, who is showing early signs of being a solid defender, and Andrew Krelove, who has made great strides in his game since last season.
Offensive MVP
There were a number of players at the top of the pack this season offensively. Tomas Petruska, Tommy Dee, David Solway, Jordan Samuels-Thomas and Kyle Page all stepped up at various times to carry the offensive load. You could probably make the case for any one of them, but I will avoid taking the easy way out and choose one. My offensive MVP is Tomas Petruska.
Locked in a close race at mid-season with Tommy Dee and Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Petruska was edged out for the award. While his overall production dropped off after the mid-point of the season (4-10-14 / 6-4-10) his goal scoring increased, and he came up big when it mattered. Most fans will long remember Petruska as the hero of shootouts against Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Petruska isn't the flashiest player on the ice, and I think his straight-forward style often left him out of the spotlight, but his physical play in the offensive end often resulted in loose pucks and scoring chances for the Falcons, and you can't argue with his success late in the season. It seemed whenever the Falcons needed a big boost or a clutch goal, Petruska was there to make it happen.
Tomas will be moving on after a fantastic senior season to join the Las Vegas Wranglers, reuniting with former Falcon Jimmy Spratt.
Both Petruska and Page have contributed in a big way to the Falcons over the past four years, and both will be dearly missed. I am sure I speak for all Falcon fans when I wish them the best of luck in the future with their professional careers and beyond.
Check back next week (hopefully!) for the final two awards, Most Improved Player and Team MVP, and as always, feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how you feel about my picks or make suggestions for the final two awards.
For those just joining us, here are awards given at a previous ceremony:
Flying Under the Radar: Andrew Hammond
Runner(s)-up: Cameron Sinclair, Marc Rodriguez, and Max Grover, Ian Ruel
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner(s)-up: Nathan Pageau
Now that we're up to speed, let's get on with naming the next two awards.
Defensive MVP
Overall this year the Falcons had their share of defensive issues. The team gave up almost four goals per game and only had three players with a positive +/- rating, two of whom played less than 20 games.
Throughout the season, though, there were a number of players who showed signs of promise. Some players improved greatly over their previous seasons. One player stood out above the rest. That player was Kyle Page.
Another shocker. This awards thing is turning out to be pretty boring, eh?
Wait. Forget I wrote that. This is exciting stuff! You should keep reading!
But in all seriousness, Kyle Page deserves the nod for this award for continuing to be a part of the "glue" that held this team together. When the program was in its darkest hours, Kyle stuck with it, persevered, and has come out of it with a professional contract and the admiration of many BGSU fans.
Kyle Page is the definition of a leader, which is important on an underclassman-heavy defensive unit. On the ice, despite often giving up significant size to his opponents, he battled for the puck, blocked shots, finished his checks, and gave the Falcons offensive chances that helped keep them in games. Off the ice, Kyle excelled in the classroom and in life, earning three nominations for the CCHA's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, and twice being named to the CCHA All-Academic First Team. Additionally, he received the Jack Gregory Scholar-Athlete Award and the Dr. Ron Zwierlein Leadership Award for the 2008-2009 season.
Kyle finished the season fourth in scoring, notching three goals and dishing out 14 assists. On the defensive side of things, he blocked 71 shots. Try to wrap your head around that for a moment - 71 frozen vulcanized rubber missiles that he willingly stepped in front of. Any team would be happy to have a player like that on their side.
Also worthy of mention are Ian Ruel, who is showing early signs of being a solid defender, and Andrew Krelove, who has made great strides in his game since last season.
Offensive MVP
There were a number of players at the top of the pack this season offensively. Tomas Petruska, Tommy Dee, David Solway, Jordan Samuels-Thomas and Kyle Page all stepped up at various times to carry the offensive load. You could probably make the case for any one of them, but I will avoid taking the easy way out and choose one. My offensive MVP is Tomas Petruska.
Locked in a close race at mid-season with Tommy Dee and Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Petruska was edged out for the award. While his overall production dropped off after the mid-point of the season (4-10-14 / 6-4-10) his goal scoring increased, and he came up big when it mattered. Most fans will long remember Petruska as the hero of shootouts against Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Petruska isn't the flashiest player on the ice, and I think his straight-forward style often left him out of the spotlight, but his physical play in the offensive end often resulted in loose pucks and scoring chances for the Falcons, and you can't argue with his success late in the season. It seemed whenever the Falcons needed a big boost or a clutch goal, Petruska was there to make it happen.
Tomas will be moving on after a fantastic senior season to join the Las Vegas Wranglers, reuniting with former Falcon Jimmy Spratt.
Both Petruska and Page have contributed in a big way to the Falcons over the past four years, and both will be dearly missed. I am sure I speak for all Falcon fans when I wish them the best of luck in the future with their professional careers and beyond.
Check back next week (hopefully!) for the final two awards, Most Improved Player and Team MVP, and as always, feel free to leave me a comment and let me know how you feel about my picks or make suggestions for the final two awards.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Season Wrap-Up
As the BGSU ice hockey season draws to a close, I inevitably start trying to put the season into perspective. What did we achieve? What did we learn? Who stood out and who faded away?
Following the conclusion of the Falcons' run in the CCHA playoffs, the bulk of the posts will be about looking back on the season that was. As was the case at mid-season, I will name the "winners" of a series of awards. To review, I will name players for the following awards:
Freshman of the Year (Midseason winner: Jordan Samuels-Thomas)
Most Improved Player (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Offensive MVP (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Defensive MVP (Midseason winner: Kyle Page)
Flying Under the Radar (Midseason winner: Wade Finegan)
Team MVP (Midseason winner: Nick Eno)
In addition to these individual awards, I'll be giving commentary on all sorts of other issues as they come to mind. If you have any specific topics you'd like to see discussed, feel free to leave them in the comments. Also, if you'd like to give your opinions on any of the topics or awards I've pointed out here (or anything else, for that matter). Leave them in a comment and maybe I'll share them on the blog.
Anyway, BG is down 4-1 right now to Duh Mavs (Brennan Vargas just scored!) but things aren't looking pretty. Anything's possible, but it's going to take something surprising to turn this around. Anyone who knows me knows I don't believe it's over until the buzzer sounds, so I still have hope. But, should this game not go the way of the Falcons, you can expect the wrap-up posts to start within the next few days.
Following the conclusion of the Falcons' run in the CCHA playoffs, the bulk of the posts will be about looking back on the season that was. As was the case at mid-season, I will name the "winners" of a series of awards. To review, I will name players for the following awards:
Freshman of the Year (Midseason winner: Jordan Samuels-Thomas)
Most Improved Player (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Offensive MVP (Midseason winner: Tommy Dee)
Defensive MVP (Midseason winner: Kyle Page)
Flying Under the Radar (Midseason winner: Wade Finegan)
Team MVP (Midseason winner: Nick Eno)
In addition to these individual awards, I'll be giving commentary on all sorts of other issues as they come to mind. If you have any specific topics you'd like to see discussed, feel free to leave them in the comments. Also, if you'd like to give your opinions on any of the topics or awards I've pointed out here (or anything else, for that matter). Leave them in a comment and maybe I'll share them on the blog.
Anyway, BG is down 4-1 right now to Duh Mavs (Brennan Vargas just scored!) but things aren't looking pretty. Anything's possible, but it's going to take something surprising to turn this around. Anyone who knows me knows I don't believe it's over until the buzzer sounds, so I still have hope. But, should this game not go the way of the Falcons, you can expect the wrap-up posts to start within the next few days.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
A Fitting End
The Bowling Green Falcons' 2009-2010 regular season came to a close on Saturday night in very fitting fashion, as the Falcon seniors made an impact when it counted. The Falcons defeated the Michigan State Spartans in a shootout after a 2-2 tie in regulation.
Michigan State's Andrew Rowe scored in the first period, but Bowling Green answered with a pair of power play goals. David Solway scored in the 2nd period, set up by Jordan Samuels-Thomas and senior Tomas Petruska. In the 3rd period, Samuels-Thomas scored a goal of his own, assisted by David Solway and senior Tommy Dee.
Just when it looked like the Falcons might skate away with a 2-1 victory in regulation, MSU's Chris Forfar evened the score with five minutes of play remaining. Neither team managed to score again, and the game went to OT.
After a scoreless extra period, the teams took the ice for a shootout.
As was the case last weekend, Tomas Petruska came up big in the shootout, playing the hero for the Falcons. He beat MSU goaltender Drew Palmisano for the only successful shootout attempt, and the BGSU Ice Arena roared its approval.
(Photo by Todd Pavlack)
The raucous crowd of over 3,000 saluted freshman BGSU goaltender Andrew Hammond as he left the playing surface. Hammond stopped 34 of 36 Spartan shots, including all three OT attempts to get the Falcons to the shootout.
The Falcons will now travel to Nebraska to take on "Duh Mavs" of UN-O in a first-round CCHA Playoff series.
Other notes:
MSU forward Corey Tropp received a 10-minute misconduct penalty and sat out most of the third period as a result. Having to watch the game from there must have really given him a sore neck. Tropp was noticeably absent on the scoresheet, appearing only for his misconduct penalty.
BGSU Head Coach Dennis Williams and the senior class (Tomas Petruska, Tommy Dee, James Perkin, Josh Boyd, Phil Greer, Kyle Page, Brian Moore, and Kai Kantola) took a curtain call after the game, much to the delight of the Falcon faithful.
BGSU alumnus, 1980 Miracle On Ice player, and 4-time Stanley Cup Champion Ken Morrow was honored in a pre-game ceremony and was available for photos and autographs with fans during the game.
A special hat-tip goes out to the BGSU mascots whose identities were unveiled during Falcon athletic events during the day. For those who don't know, I spent a year as the BGSU mascot, and it is a very special and exciting honor to serve as Freddie and Frieda Falcon. The identities of the students performing as the mascots are kept secret all year and revealed at the end of the year. Congratulations to the newest class of Birds.
Michigan State's Andrew Rowe scored in the first period, but Bowling Green answered with a pair of power play goals. David Solway scored in the 2nd period, set up by Jordan Samuels-Thomas and senior Tomas Petruska. In the 3rd period, Samuels-Thomas scored a goal of his own, assisted by David Solway and senior Tommy Dee.
Just when it looked like the Falcons might skate away with a 2-1 victory in regulation, MSU's Chris Forfar evened the score with five minutes of play remaining. Neither team managed to score again, and the game went to OT.
After a scoreless extra period, the teams took the ice for a shootout.
As was the case last weekend, Tomas Petruska came up big in the shootout, playing the hero for the Falcons. He beat MSU goaltender Drew Palmisano for the only successful shootout attempt, and the BGSU Ice Arena roared its approval.
(Photo by Todd Pavlack)
The raucous crowd of over 3,000 saluted freshman BGSU goaltender Andrew Hammond as he left the playing surface. Hammond stopped 34 of 36 Spartan shots, including all three OT attempts to get the Falcons to the shootout.
The Falcons will now travel to Nebraska to take on "Duh Mavs" of UN-O in a first-round CCHA Playoff series.
Other notes:
MSU forward Corey Tropp received a 10-minute misconduct penalty and sat out most of the third period as a result. Having to watch the game from there must have really given him a sore neck. Tropp was noticeably absent on the scoresheet, appearing only for his misconduct penalty.
BGSU Head Coach Dennis Williams and the senior class (Tomas Petruska, Tommy Dee, James Perkin, Josh Boyd, Phil Greer, Kyle Page, Brian Moore, and Kai Kantola) took a curtain call after the game, much to the delight of the Falcon faithful.
BGSU alumnus, 1980 Miracle On Ice player, and 4-time Stanley Cup Champion Ken Morrow was honored in a pre-game ceremony and was available for photos and autographs with fans during the game.
A special hat-tip goes out to the BGSU mascots whose identities were unveiled during Falcon athletic events during the day. For those who don't know, I spent a year as the BGSU mascot, and it is a very special and exciting honor to serve as Freddie and Frieda Falcon. The identities of the students performing as the mascots are kept secret all year and revealed at the end of the year. Congratulations to the newest class of Birds.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Bowling Green Falcons v. Michigan State Spartans
Friday, 2/12/2010 @ 6:05PM - Munn Ice Arena, East Lansing, MI
Saturday, 2/13/2010 @ 7:05PM - Bowling Green Ice Arena, Bowling Green, OH
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 5-22-4 (4-17-5-4)
-Last game: v. Notre Dame T 1-1 (SOW)
Michigan State:
-Record: 18-11-5 (13-8-5-2)
-Last game: v. Ferris State W 3-2
Last time out...
(Bad) Luck of the Irish
Last week the Falcons broke free of the Curse of the Irish. After 18 consecutive unsuccessful attempts to beat Notre Dame in regulation, the Falcons proved they could handle the Irish by taking five-of-six points available for the weekend series. With a loss and a shootout win at Notre Dame earlier this season and last weekends results, the Falcons took a total of seven of the 12 available points from Notre Dame, winning the season series.
A few highlights from the weekend included the third period comeback on Friday night, during which underclassmen Wade Finegan, Brennan Vargas, and Nathan Pageau powered the Falcons to victory.
Also worthy of mention is senior Tomas Petruska's night on Saturday. Petruska scored the game-tying goal and then went on to score the deciding shootout goal. His workmanlike approach to the game has long been appreciated by the Falcon faithful, but probably never as vocally as Saturday night, as cheers of "Petruuuuuuuska!" rained upon the ice while the players exited the playing surface.
"Home and Away With theEgg Suckers Sparty Crew"
This week the Falcons take on familiar foes, the Michigan State Spartans. Earlier this season, the icers lost a pair of games to the Spartans, 2-3 in OT in Bowling Green and 1-4 in regulation in East Lansing.
Michigan State is currently tied for second place in the CCHA with Ferris State. Bowling Green has moved out of the CCHA cellar, with a three-point lead over 12th place Western Michigan.
Michigan State comes into the series off of a 3-2 win over Ferris State, but having gone 1-3-1 in their last five games. Bowling Green comes in after a shootout win over Notre Dame and also having gone 1-3-1 in their last five.
The standard roster snark was covered last time around, but if you know me, you know I'm always looking for new ways to pick on old opponents.
After pointing out Andrew "ducks in a" Rowe last series, the offensive weapon contributed assists on two of Corey Tropp's three goals in the Saturday game in East Lansing.
Zach Josepher (Joseph-er than what?) is one of many Spartans with a lofty +/- rating. Josepher sits in a tie for third on the team at +11.
Lastly, Matt "Grassi Knoll" has proven to be a serious pest, racking up 13 penalties for a team-third 43 PIMs (behind Torey Krug - 25/61 and Nick Sucharski - 18/47).
What to watch for: Michigan State
Michigan State's usual starting goaltender, sophomore Drew Palmisano, has been very solid. His record is currently 14-9-4. He has a save percentage of .923 (good enough for fifth in the country) and a GAA of 2.28.
Senior backup Bobby Jarosz has a record of 4-2-1, a save percentage of .911, and a GAA of 2.48.
The play of sophomore Palmisano has to be encouraging for the Spartans, who appear to have a solid starter in place for the next few seasons.
Still leading the Spartans on offense is junior forward (and noted lumberjack) Corey Tropp (20G-20A-40P).
As this is the end of the season, it is interesting to point out that MSU loses only four players to graduation at the end of this season (Justin Johnson, Jay Sprague, Nick Sucharski, and Bobby Jarosz), only one of which is a major contributor (Sucharski).
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The Seniors
As the final series of the season approaches, the focus is understandably on the senior class. A quick list of the Falcon seniors leaving after this season:
Brian Moore - D - #3
Kyle Page (C) - D - #4
James Perkin - F - #7
Kai Kantola - F - #14
Tomas Petruska - F - #18
Josh Boyd - F - #26
Tommy Dee - F - #27
Phil Greer - G - #30
Looking at this group of seniors, I see a group of hard-working, physical, committed players.
Kai Kantola's combination of offense, size, and physical presence have given the fans more than a few thrills over the past years, and he has found a new way to contribute this season, claiming the crease as his office on many occasions.
James Perkin and Josh Boyd have shown a ton of heart in their time at BG, often out-working players twice their size. It is that kind of tenacity that will be needed in future seasons as the Falcons rebuild.
Tomas Petruska and Tommy Dee have come up big in many ways this season, filling holes left by departing players, either with physical play or with clutch offensive strikes. Both have become fan favorites during their time at BGSU.
(Also, Tomas Petruska currently sits at 4th in the fan voting for the Hobey Baker award. Hat tip to Drew of Bring Back the Glory.
Brian Moore has had an impact on and off the ice. He was a nominee for the 2009 Bank of New York Mellon Hockey Humanitarian Award and the CCHA's Illitch Award for his work on a mission trip to Haiti in 2008.
Phil Greer has become a fan favorite in spite of his limited playing time over the past four years.
Finally, Kyle Page has been the rock for a defensive unit that has taken its share of criticism over the years. His leadership, hard work, and steady hand have been essential to keeping the unit together, despite the early exits of players like Nick Bailen and Dean Petiot.
I would personally like to give my thanks to all of the Falcon seniors for everything they have given to the program. Their contributions have been essential, and they have been appreciated by all BGSU fans.
Saturday, 2/13/2010 @ 7:05PM - Bowling Green Ice Arena, Bowling Green, OH
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 5-22-4 (4-17-5-4)
-Last game: v. Notre Dame T 1-1 (SOW)
Michigan State:
-Record: 18-11-5 (13-8-5-2)
-Last game: v. Ferris State W 3-2
Last time out...
(Bad) Luck of the Irish
Last week the Falcons broke free of the Curse of the Irish. After 18 consecutive unsuccessful attempts to beat Notre Dame in regulation, the Falcons proved they could handle the Irish by taking five-of-six points available for the weekend series. With a loss and a shootout win at Notre Dame earlier this season and last weekends results, the Falcons took a total of seven of the 12 available points from Notre Dame, winning the season series.
A few highlights from the weekend included the third period comeback on Friday night, during which underclassmen Wade Finegan, Brennan Vargas, and Nathan Pageau powered the Falcons to victory.
Also worthy of mention is senior Tomas Petruska's night on Saturday. Petruska scored the game-tying goal and then went on to score the deciding shootout goal. His workmanlike approach to the game has long been appreciated by the Falcon faithful, but probably never as vocally as Saturday night, as cheers of "Petruuuuuuuska!" rained upon the ice while the players exited the playing surface.
"Home and Away With the
This week the Falcons take on familiar foes, the Michigan State Spartans. Earlier this season, the icers lost a pair of games to the Spartans, 2-3 in OT in Bowling Green and 1-4 in regulation in East Lansing.
Michigan State is currently tied for second place in the CCHA with Ferris State. Bowling Green has moved out of the CCHA cellar, with a three-point lead over 12th place Western Michigan.
Michigan State comes into the series off of a 3-2 win over Ferris State, but having gone 1-3-1 in their last five games. Bowling Green comes in after a shootout win over Notre Dame and also having gone 1-3-1 in their last five.
The standard roster snark was covered last time around, but if you know me, you know I'm always looking for new ways to pick on old opponents.
After pointing out Andrew "ducks in a" Rowe last series, the offensive weapon contributed assists on two of Corey Tropp's three goals in the Saturday game in East Lansing.
Zach Josepher (Joseph-er than what?) is one of many Spartans with a lofty +/- rating. Josepher sits in a tie for third on the team at +11.
Lastly, Matt "Grassi Knoll" has proven to be a serious pest, racking up 13 penalties for a team-third 43 PIMs (behind Torey Krug - 25/61 and Nick Sucharski - 18/47).
What to watch for: Michigan State
Michigan State's usual starting goaltender, sophomore Drew Palmisano, has been very solid. His record is currently 14-9-4. He has a save percentage of .923 (good enough for fifth in the country) and a GAA of 2.28.
Senior backup Bobby Jarosz has a record of 4-2-1, a save percentage of .911, and a GAA of 2.48.
The play of sophomore Palmisano has to be encouraging for the Spartans, who appear to have a solid starter in place for the next few seasons.
Still leading the Spartans on offense is junior forward (and noted lumberjack) Corey Tropp (20G-20A-40P).
As this is the end of the season, it is interesting to point out that MSU loses only four players to graduation at the end of this season (Justin Johnson, Jay Sprague, Nick Sucharski, and Bobby Jarosz), only one of which is a major contributor (Sucharski).
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The Seniors
As the final series of the season approaches, the focus is understandably on the senior class. A quick list of the Falcon seniors leaving after this season:
Brian Moore - D - #3
Kyle Page (C) - D - #4
James Perkin - F - #7
Kai Kantola - F - #14
Tomas Petruska - F - #18
Josh Boyd - F - #26
Tommy Dee - F - #27
Phil Greer - G - #30
Looking at this group of seniors, I see a group of hard-working, physical, committed players.
Kai Kantola's combination of offense, size, and physical presence have given the fans more than a few thrills over the past years, and he has found a new way to contribute this season, claiming the crease as his office on many occasions.
James Perkin and Josh Boyd have shown a ton of heart in their time at BG, often out-working players twice their size. It is that kind of tenacity that will be needed in future seasons as the Falcons rebuild.
Tomas Petruska and Tommy Dee have come up big in many ways this season, filling holes left by departing players, either with physical play or with clutch offensive strikes. Both have become fan favorites during their time at BGSU.
(Also, Tomas Petruska currently sits at 4th in the fan voting for the Hobey Baker award. Hat tip to Drew of Bring Back the Glory.
Brian Moore has had an impact on and off the ice. He was a nominee for the 2009 Bank of New York Mellon Hockey Humanitarian Award and the CCHA's Illitch Award for his work on a mission trip to Haiti in 2008.
Phil Greer has become a fan favorite in spite of his limited playing time over the past four years.
Finally, Kyle Page has been the rock for a defensive unit that has taken its share of criticism over the years. His leadership, hard work, and steady hand have been essential to keeping the unit together, despite the early exits of players like Nick Bailen and Dean Petiot.
I would personally like to give my thanks to all of the Falcon seniors for everything they have given to the program. Their contributions have been essential, and they have been appreciated by all BGSU fans.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bowling Green Falcons v. Western Michigan Broncos
Friday, 1/22/2010 @ 7:05PM
Saturday, 1/23/2010 @ 5:05PM
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 3-18-3 (2-13-3)
-Last game: v. Northern Michigan SOL 3-3
WMU:
-Record: 6-12-4 (2-11-3)
-Last game: v. Michigan L 1-6
Last time out...
Pain, Misery, and Loss[es]...
The previous Falcon series ended much the same as those that preceded it. Friday night's game was a sound 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Northern Michigan Wildcats. Saturday's game was significantly closer, but still a familiar experience, as the Falcons dropped a 3-1 3rd period lead, ended regulation 3-3, and finally lost the shootout 2-0.
Tomas Petruska (2-1-3), Jordan Samuels-Thomas (1-1-2), and David Solway (0-2-2) all had big games on Saturday, and Nick Eno performed impressively, stopping 34 of 37 shots.
"Falcons Attempt to Buck the Trend"
This week it's on to one of the other directional Michigan schools, as the Falcons return home to take on the Broncos of Western Michigan in the friendly confines of their beloved nameless ice arena.
The Broncos, like the Falcons, currently reside near the bottom of the CCHA standings. In fact, they're the only CCHA team currently lower in the standings than BGSU. Their two CCHA wins have come in the form of a 2-1 victory over Lake Superior and a 3-1 win against Alaska.
We'll get into a little more detail about the Broncos later, but for now, let's have some fun at the Goons' expense.
There are actually not very many funny names to pick on here, but I'll do my best.
One Bronco you wouldn't want to go hunting with is freshman defenseman #6 David Chaney. Or at least make sure to wear a facemask and chest protector.
I also really hope senior forward Jared Katz eventually gets his Ph. D. someday. For those of you tragically unaware of where I'm going with this, I give you this. You're welcome.
Lastly, there's someone who I can't help but believe was poached from the Miami Redhawks - sophomore forward J.J. Crew. Yes. This guy's name is actually J. Crew. I wonder if he sewed a special collar onto his jersey so he could pop it.
What to watch for: Western Michigan
The good:
Despite their rough season this year, the Broncos have some hope for the future. Their top three scorers are all underclassmen. Sophomore J.J. Crew (7-8-15) leads WMU in scoring, with sophomore Greg Squires (2-13-15) and freshman Trevor Elias (5-6-11) filling out the top three.
The bad:
In their past six games, WMU has been outscored by their opponents by a margin of 20-7, including three shutouts, two of which were back-to-back in a weekend series with top-10 ranked Bemidji State.
The ugly:
There's not much more to be pointed out here than the Broncos' record. Don't worry, I'm no hypocrite. BG's record will be pointed out in the next section.
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The good:
After a 0-6 shutout loss to Northern Michigan last weekend, the Falcons bounced back and played a dominating 50 minutes of hockey in the second game of the series, outshooting NMU 26-21 through the first two periods of play. But then...
The bad:
...The 3-1 lead the Falcons took into the third period of last Friday's game evaporated into a 3-3 tie at the end of regulation, thanks to a 14-4 shooting disadvantage in the final period of play. What looked like a fairly exciting, successful game, turned into yet another disheartening loss.
The ugly:
I'm not usually the type to see the negative in things, but "the ugly" here is what is becoming more obvious by the week: This team just doesn't have what it takes to make a run at the CCHA this year. Let me make this clear - that's no knock against the players or coaches. The personnel we have this year are hard-working, dedicated individuals. The truth is that it's hard for a team to go through what this team went through and come out the other side and immediately be successful.
Yes, I was optimistic earlier in the season, but it's hard not to see the writing on the wall here. It seems like every time I write one of these previews, I point out that our opponent is in the midst of a bit of a slide. Every time, my thought is, "Good, we've caught them at a low point and should be able to get some wins." Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. The only explanation I can come up with is that we just don't have the tools to pull it off.
Regardless, being the eternal optimist, I'm still hoping the Falcons can put together a run in the CCHA tournament and surprise some people.
Hopefully the team can bring in some new talent and capitalize on the young players that have stepped up thus far and make some big improvements next season.
Pick me a winner:
Fantasy scoring picks:
Inspired by a BGSU Fantasy Hockey game from the spectacular Falcon fan-site Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, I will be making fantasy scoring picks for each series. I will make five picks each game, consisting of three forwards and two defensemen each night. Players cannot be used twice in the same series. These picks will be a combination of players from either team, and I will be restricted to not picking any of the top three scorers from either team. (Thanks, Freddie!)
For this series, the top three scorers from Bowling Green are Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Tomas Petruska, and David Solway.
The top three scorers from Western Michigan are J.J. Crew, Greg Squires, and Trevor Elias.
Friday:
Forwards: Tommy Dee (BG), Ian Slater (WMU), James Perkin (BG)
Defensemen: Kyle Page (BG), Tyler Ludwig (WMU)
Saturday:
Forwards: Josh Boyd (BG), Marc Rodriguez (BG), Chris Clackson (WMU
Defensemen: Ian Ruel (BG), Jordan Collins (WMU)
Game score picks:
Friday: 4-1 BG
Saturday: 2-0 BG
Saturday, 1/23/2010 @ 5:05PM
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 3-18-3 (2-13-3)
-Last game: v. Northern Michigan SOL 3-3
WMU:
-Record: 6-12-4 (2-11-3)
-Last game: v. Michigan L 1-6
Last time out...
Pain, Misery, and Loss[es]...
The previous Falcon series ended much the same as those that preceded it. Friday night's game was a sound 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Northern Michigan Wildcats. Saturday's game was significantly closer, but still a familiar experience, as the Falcons dropped a 3-1 3rd period lead, ended regulation 3-3, and finally lost the shootout 2-0.
Tomas Petruska (2-1-3), Jordan Samuels-Thomas (1-1-2), and David Solway (0-2-2) all had big games on Saturday, and Nick Eno performed impressively, stopping 34 of 37 shots.
"Falcons Attempt to Buck the Trend"
This week it's on to one of the other directional Michigan schools, as the Falcons return home to take on the Broncos of Western Michigan in the friendly confines of their beloved nameless ice arena.
The Broncos, like the Falcons, currently reside near the bottom of the CCHA standings. In fact, they're the only CCHA team currently lower in the standings than BGSU. Their two CCHA wins have come in the form of a 2-1 victory over Lake Superior and a 3-1 win against Alaska.
We'll get into a little more detail about the Broncos later, but for now, let's have some fun at the Goons' expense.
There are actually not very many funny names to pick on here, but I'll do my best.
One Bronco you wouldn't want to go hunting with is freshman defenseman #6 David Chaney. Or at least make sure to wear a facemask and chest protector.
I also really hope senior forward Jared Katz eventually gets his Ph. D. someday. For those of you tragically unaware of where I'm going with this, I give you this. You're welcome.
Lastly, there's someone who I can't help but believe was poached from the Miami Redhawks - sophomore forward J.J. Crew. Yes. This guy's name is actually J. Crew. I wonder if he sewed a special collar onto his jersey so he could pop it.
What to watch for: Western Michigan
The good:
Despite their rough season this year, the Broncos have some hope for the future. Their top three scorers are all underclassmen. Sophomore J.J. Crew (7-8-15) leads WMU in scoring, with sophomore Greg Squires (2-13-15) and freshman Trevor Elias (5-6-11) filling out the top three.
The bad:
In their past six games, WMU has been outscored by their opponents by a margin of 20-7, including three shutouts, two of which were back-to-back in a weekend series with top-10 ranked Bemidji State.
The ugly:
There's not much more to be pointed out here than the Broncos' record. Don't worry, I'm no hypocrite. BG's record will be pointed out in the next section.
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The good:
After a 0-6 shutout loss to Northern Michigan last weekend, the Falcons bounced back and played a dominating 50 minutes of hockey in the second game of the series, outshooting NMU 26-21 through the first two periods of play. But then...
The bad:
...The 3-1 lead the Falcons took into the third period of last Friday's game evaporated into a 3-3 tie at the end of regulation, thanks to a 14-4 shooting disadvantage in the final period of play. What looked like a fairly exciting, successful game, turned into yet another disheartening loss.
The ugly:
I'm not usually the type to see the negative in things, but "the ugly" here is what is becoming more obvious by the week: This team just doesn't have what it takes to make a run at the CCHA this year. Let me make this clear - that's no knock against the players or coaches. The personnel we have this year are hard-working, dedicated individuals. The truth is that it's hard for a team to go through what this team went through and come out the other side and immediately be successful.
Yes, I was optimistic earlier in the season, but it's hard not to see the writing on the wall here. It seems like every time I write one of these previews, I point out that our opponent is in the midst of a bit of a slide. Every time, my thought is, "Good, we've caught them at a low point and should be able to get some wins." Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. The only explanation I can come up with is that we just don't have the tools to pull it off.
Regardless, being the eternal optimist, I'm still hoping the Falcons can put together a run in the CCHA tournament and surprise some people.
Hopefully the team can bring in some new talent and capitalize on the young players that have stepped up thus far and make some big improvements next season.
Pick me a winner:
Fantasy scoring picks:
Inspired by a BGSU Fantasy Hockey game from the spectacular Falcon fan-site Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, I will be making fantasy scoring picks for each series. I will make five picks each game, consisting of three forwards and two defensemen each night. Players cannot be used twice in the same series. These picks will be a combination of players from either team, and I will be restricted to not picking any of the top three scorers from either team. (Thanks, Freddie!)
For this series, the top three scorers from Bowling Green are Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Tomas Petruska, and David Solway.
The top three scorers from Western Michigan are J.J. Crew, Greg Squires, and Trevor Elias.
Friday:
Forwards: Tommy Dee (BG), Ian Slater (WMU), James Perkin (BG)
Defensemen: Kyle Page (BG), Tyler Ludwig (WMU)
Saturday:
Forwards: Josh Boyd (BG), Marc Rodriguez (BG), Chris Clackson (WMU
Defensemen: Ian Ruel (BG), Jordan Collins (WMU)
Game score picks:
Friday: 4-1 BG
Saturday: 2-0 BG
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Bowling Green Falcons v. Ohio State Buckeyes
Friday, 1/8/2010 @ 7:05PM
Saturday, 1/9/2010 @ 7:05PM
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 3-15-2 (2-10-2)
-Last game: v. Clarkson W 4-3
OSU:
-Record: 7-12-1 (5-8-1)
-Last game: v. Miami (OH) L 4-2
Last time out...
Mixed Results in the Land of the Lakes
The Falcons started off the new year with a couple of games in the Dodge Holiday Classic in Minnesota. The tournament featured some familiar teams (like conference foes Northern Michigan) and some less common opponents (such as the hosting Minnesota Golden Gophers).
One of the bigger stories leading into the weekend was the return of former Falcon Jacob Cepis to the ice. After sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules, Cepis was able to get back on the ice for the first time against his former team. Statistically, he was essentially a non-factor in the game, totaling only six shots and an interference penalty. He was, however, selected as the third star of the game. Having only viewed the box score, this seems odd, but I recognize there is a lot that goes on in a hockey game that doesn't appear in the statistics.
The game with the Gophers started off encouragingly. The Falcons took a 1-0 lead early in the second period on a goal by Jordan Samuels-Thomas. They held the lead for a full period until Minnesota scored the equalizing goal on a powerplay just three minutes into the third. They went on to add an even-strength goal and an empty net score to put the game away.
Despite the difficult loss to the Gophers, the Falcon icers rallied back to beat the Clarkson Golden Knights by a final score of 4-3. The win was achieved thanks to goals from Kai Kantola, Kyle Page, Brennan Vargas (his first career goal), and Josh Boyd, who scored an empty net goal with just under two minutes left which would turn out to be the game winner.
Following the tournament, the Falcons' record is 3-15-2 (2-10-2).
"South 'til you smell it, east 'til you step in it."
This week the Falcons of THE Bowling Green State University head southeast for the winter to take on the Buckeyes of Ohio A&M (or Ohio State, as they are occasionally called) and Head Coach John Markell's hair.
This series will be the first action for the Buckeyes in the new year. They ended 2009 on a three-game skid, losing the back end of a home series with Michigan and dropping two games to Miami.
OSU's has been a less-than-pleasing season, beginning with an overtime exhibition game loss to Western Ontario in early October. They've been on the wrong side of a number of lopsided losses, including an 8-1 loss to Ferris St., a 4-1 loss to North Dakota, and a 6-0 laugher to Miami.
Speaking of laughers, let's take the traditional look at the names of the OSU players and coaching staff:
OSU has their share of names ripe for Berman-izing. For example, sophomore forward #18 Taylor "gone Stefishen" and sophomore forward #16 Ian "Boots with the fur."
Also amusing enough to warrant a mention is junior defenseman #4 Corey Toy.
Two final names that must be mentioned are junior forward #15 John Albert and freshman goalie #30 Jeff Michael. Keep your eyes on these Buckeyes. Everyone knows a guy with two first names can't be trusted.
What to watch for: Ohio State
The good:
The Buckeyes have played seven games against teams ranked in the top ten in the nation, picking up a couple of high-profile wins (and, as will be covered in a moment, a couple of ugly losses). On October 16th they shut out #3 Denver, returning the favor from the Pioneers' 2-0 shutout of the Bucks the night before. On November 28th, OSU beat #6 Bemidji State 2-1.
The bad:
OSU and BGSU have a similar problem when it comes to closing out games. Ohio State has lost four games this season when leading at the end of two periods. They lost their season opener against Quinnipiac 4-2 after leading 2-1 heading into the third. Later in the season, after taking a 5-2 lead early in the final period, the Buckeyes gave up four unanswered goals, including the OT winner, to lose 6-5 to Lake Superior. And in their most recent game, OSU lost 4-2 to Miami after leading 2-0 after two periods. It will be interesting to see which team can finish with more energy in these two games.
The ugly:
As was mentioned earlier, OSU has had some ugly losses this season. I don't mean slightly unfortunate, I mean full-on, fell out of the ugly tree, hit every branch on the way down, and had the tree fall on them ugly.
First, there was the 8-1 loss to Ferris State. The Buckeyes gave up a hat trick to Blair Riley and were slapped with 43 minutes of penalties, including two major misconduct penalties.
Then, just a week later, a 4-1 loss to North Dakota.
Two weeks after that came a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Miami Redhawks in which Miami's Tommy Wingels recorded a hat trick, scoring 4 goals and picking up an assist for good measure.
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The good:
Freshman goalie Andrew Hammond had a very strong showing in the game against Minnesota. Through the first two periods, Hammond stopped 30 shots and shut down two Gopher powerplays to maintain the Falcons' 1-0 lead heading into the third. Despite the eventual loss, Hammond managed to stop 38 shots in the game, for a .900 save percentage.
The bad:
The Falcons have been outscored by a margin of 70-40, including 22-16 in the third period. Surprisingly, but not satisfyingly, the Falcons third period scoring margin is no worse than the rest of the game. In the first period, opposing teams have scored 22 goals to the Falcons' 12. The second period appears to be the worst in terms of this statistic, with BG scoring only 12 goals to their opponents' 24.
The ugly:
Like the Buckeyes, the Falcons have had a lot of trouble holding on to leads late in their games this season. Most recently, the 3-1 loss to Minnesota, in which the Falcons gave up three goals in the third period. Prior to that was the heartbreaker against Sparty, where the Falcons lost a two goal lead in the third and ended up losing just 35 seconds into overtime.
A loss is one thing, but to drop a two or three goal lead and lose is demoralizing, and we'll have to hope the Falcons get this under control. I have faith in the will of the players and coaching staff, but too many losses like this can really have an effect on the team.
Pick me a winner:
Fantasy scoring picks:
Inspired by a BGSU Fantasy Hockey game from the spectacular Falcon fan-site Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, I will be making fantasy scoring picks for each series. I will make five picks each game, consisting of three forwards and two defensemen each night. Players cannot be used twice in the same series. These picks will be a combination of players from either team, and I will be restricted to not picking any of the top three scorers from either team. (Thanks, Freddie!)
For this series, the top three scorers from Bowling Green are Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Tomas Petruska, and Tommy Dee. Kyle Page and David Solway are both tied with Dee in terms of total points, but Dee gets the edge because of a higher goal total.
The top three scorers from Ohio State are Zac Dalpe, Peter Boyd, and Sergio Somma. John Albert is tied with Soma in terms of points, but Somma has six goals to Albert's 4.
Friday:
Forwards: Josh Boyd (BG), Mathieu Picard (OSU), Nathan Pageau (BG)
Defensemen: Kyle Page (BG), Shane Sims (OSU)
Saturday:
Forwards: James Perkin (BG), David Solway (BG), John Albert (OSU)
Defensemen: Ian Ruel (BG), Matt Bartkowski (OSU)
Game score picks:
Friday: 5-2 BG
Saturday: 4-3 BG
Saturday, 1/9/2010 @ 7:05PM
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 3-15-2 (2-10-2)
-Last game: v. Clarkson W 4-3
OSU:
-Record: 7-12-1 (5-8-1)
-Last game: v. Miami (OH) L 4-2
Last time out...
Mixed Results in the Land of the Lakes
The Falcons started off the new year with a couple of games in the Dodge Holiday Classic in Minnesota. The tournament featured some familiar teams (like conference foes Northern Michigan) and some less common opponents (such as the hosting Minnesota Golden Gophers).
One of the bigger stories leading into the weekend was the return of former Falcon Jacob Cepis to the ice. After sitting out due to NCAA transfer rules, Cepis was able to get back on the ice for the first time against his former team. Statistically, he was essentially a non-factor in the game, totaling only six shots and an interference penalty. He was, however, selected as the third star of the game. Having only viewed the box score, this seems odd, but I recognize there is a lot that goes on in a hockey game that doesn't appear in the statistics.
The game with the Gophers started off encouragingly. The Falcons took a 1-0 lead early in the second period on a goal by Jordan Samuels-Thomas. They held the lead for a full period until Minnesota scored the equalizing goal on a powerplay just three minutes into the third. They went on to add an even-strength goal and an empty net score to put the game away.
Despite the difficult loss to the Gophers, the Falcon icers rallied back to beat the Clarkson Golden Knights by a final score of 4-3. The win was achieved thanks to goals from Kai Kantola, Kyle Page, Brennan Vargas (his first career goal), and Josh Boyd, who scored an empty net goal with just under two minutes left which would turn out to be the game winner.
Following the tournament, the Falcons' record is 3-15-2 (2-10-2).
"South 'til you smell it, east 'til you step in it."
This week the Falcons of THE Bowling Green State University head southeast for the winter to take on the Buckeyes of Ohio A&M (or Ohio State, as they are occasionally called) and Head Coach John Markell's hair.
This series will be the first action for the Buckeyes in the new year. They ended 2009 on a three-game skid, losing the back end of a home series with Michigan and dropping two games to Miami.
OSU's has been a less-than-pleasing season, beginning with an overtime exhibition game loss to Western Ontario in early October. They've been on the wrong side of a number of lopsided losses, including an 8-1 loss to Ferris St., a 4-1 loss to North Dakota, and a 6-0 laugher to Miami.
Speaking of laughers, let's take the traditional look at the names of the OSU players and coaching staff:
OSU has their share of names ripe for Berman-izing. For example, sophomore forward #18 Taylor "gone Stefishen" and sophomore forward #16 Ian "Boots with the fur."
Also amusing enough to warrant a mention is junior defenseman #4 Corey Toy.
Two final names that must be mentioned are junior forward #15 John Albert and freshman goalie #30 Jeff Michael. Keep your eyes on these Buckeyes. Everyone knows a guy with two first names can't be trusted.
What to watch for: Ohio State
The good:
The Buckeyes have played seven games against teams ranked in the top ten in the nation, picking up a couple of high-profile wins (and, as will be covered in a moment, a couple of ugly losses). On October 16th they shut out #3 Denver, returning the favor from the Pioneers' 2-0 shutout of the Bucks the night before. On November 28th, OSU beat #6 Bemidji State 2-1.
The bad:
OSU and BGSU have a similar problem when it comes to closing out games. Ohio State has lost four games this season when leading at the end of two periods. They lost their season opener against Quinnipiac 4-2 after leading 2-1 heading into the third. Later in the season, after taking a 5-2 lead early in the final period, the Buckeyes gave up four unanswered goals, including the OT winner, to lose 6-5 to Lake Superior. And in their most recent game, OSU lost 4-2 to Miami after leading 2-0 after two periods. It will be interesting to see which team can finish with more energy in these two games.
The ugly:
As was mentioned earlier, OSU has had some ugly losses this season. I don't mean slightly unfortunate, I mean full-on, fell out of the ugly tree, hit every branch on the way down, and had the tree fall on them ugly.
First, there was the 8-1 loss to Ferris State. The Buckeyes gave up a hat trick to Blair Riley and were slapped with 43 minutes of penalties, including two major misconduct penalties.
Then, just a week later, a 4-1 loss to North Dakota.
Two weeks after that came a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of the Miami Redhawks in which Miami's Tommy Wingels recorded a hat trick, scoring 4 goals and picking up an assist for good measure.
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The good:
Freshman goalie Andrew Hammond had a very strong showing in the game against Minnesota. Through the first two periods, Hammond stopped 30 shots and shut down two Gopher powerplays to maintain the Falcons' 1-0 lead heading into the third. Despite the eventual loss, Hammond managed to stop 38 shots in the game, for a .900 save percentage.
The bad:
The Falcons have been outscored by a margin of 70-40, including 22-16 in the third period. Surprisingly, but not satisfyingly, the Falcons third period scoring margin is no worse than the rest of the game. In the first period, opposing teams have scored 22 goals to the Falcons' 12. The second period appears to be the worst in terms of this statistic, with BG scoring only 12 goals to their opponents' 24.
The ugly:
Like the Buckeyes, the Falcons have had a lot of trouble holding on to leads late in their games this season. Most recently, the 3-1 loss to Minnesota, in which the Falcons gave up three goals in the third period. Prior to that was the heartbreaker against Sparty, where the Falcons lost a two goal lead in the third and ended up losing just 35 seconds into overtime.
A loss is one thing, but to drop a two or three goal lead and lose is demoralizing, and we'll have to hope the Falcons get this under control. I have faith in the will of the players and coaching staff, but too many losses like this can really have an effect on the team.
Pick me a winner:
Fantasy scoring picks:
Inspired by a BGSU Fantasy Hockey game from the spectacular Falcon fan-site Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, I will be making fantasy scoring picks for each series. I will make five picks each game, consisting of three forwards and two defensemen each night. Players cannot be used twice in the same series. These picks will be a combination of players from either team, and I will be restricted to not picking any of the top three scorers from either team. (Thanks, Freddie!)
For this series, the top three scorers from Bowling Green are Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Tomas Petruska, and Tommy Dee. Kyle Page and David Solway are both tied with Dee in terms of total points, but Dee gets the edge because of a higher goal total.
The top three scorers from Ohio State are Zac Dalpe, Peter Boyd, and Sergio Somma. John Albert is tied with Soma in terms of points, but Somma has six goals to Albert's 4.
Friday:
Forwards: Josh Boyd (BG), Mathieu Picard (OSU), Nathan Pageau (BG)
Defensemen: Kyle Page (BG), Shane Sims (OSU)
Saturday:
Forwards: James Perkin (BG), David Solway (BG), John Albert (OSU)
Defensemen: Ian Ruel (BG), Matt Bartkowski (OSU)
Game score picks:
Friday: 5-2 BG
Saturday: 4-3 BG
Friday, January 1, 2010
Mid-Season Awards: Er... Well... All The Rest
So what happens when you run a hockey blog and promise to post six mid-season awards, then begin a string of 60-80 hour work weeks?
You feel guilty for not getting them done and end up trying to force yourself to write them at 8:45 AM on New Year's Day. Then you fall asleep again.
So here is my marathon mid-season awards post where I'll attempt to write the remaining four before the puck drops on the next Falcon game.
So, to get started, a run-down of the previously named awards:
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Most-Improved Player: Tommy Dee
Runner-up: Tomas Petruska
Now, moving on to the remaining awards. The explanations in this post will be much shorter, due to the obvious time constraints.
First up, we have the award for:
Offensive MVP
My pick for Offensive MVP is Tommy Dee. Obviously any of the top three or four Falcon scorers could have been chosen for this one. Each of them have contributed a lot on the offensive side of the puck, but Tommy Dee has impressed me the most with his overall effort, work ethic, and character.
For those unaware, Dee has six goals and five assists for a total of 11 points. He also plays a very disciplined game, having spent only eight minutes in the penalty box through 18 games this season. His leadership and hard work on the ice have been a key for the Falcons.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Defensive MVP
The FHH Mid-Season Defensive MVP is Kyle Page. Page has been an incredible asset to this team since he first suited up for BGSU. Despite his relative lack of size when compared to his opponents, Page has been able to exert his will on the ice. He plays much bigger than his 5'10", 189lb frame and has more heart than just about any player you'll see.
Looking at statistics, it's a mixed bag for the senior captain. Page is last on the team in terms of plus-minus rating, registering a -11. On the positive side, Page has blocked more shots than any other player on the team. In the 18 games thus far, he has stopped 34 shots from ever reaching the Falcon goaltender.
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Flying Under the Radar
Even for me, the person who came up with it, this award is somewhat nebulous. As it's not based on specific offensive or defensive statistics and it's based as much on potential as anything else, it's truly the most wide-open award up for grabs in this exercise.
Pageau, Ruel and Rodriguez were all mentioned in reader comments, and all are worthy candidates for the award.
I'll be honest. I really don't have a winner for this one. I may have been a little bit hasty in adding it to the list. The main reason I even mentioned it was to give me an excuse to say this:
I think Wade Finegan has a ton of potential. He hasn't shown up much on the ice statistically, and my complete lack of hockey experience weighs against me pretty heavily, but there's something about his play that catches my eye when he's out on the ice.
He plays fast, he plays hard, and a lot of the time, he plays mean. The kid has a knack for contact and seems to come up with big emotion plays at key times, despite not seeing much ice time.
Call me crazy. That's just how I see it.
Runner-up: Nathan Pageau
And finally...:
Team MVP
While writing this post, I realized I should have named this player at least a runner-up for the Most Improved Player award.
Maybe this is a make-up call of sorts, but the FHH Team MVP is Nick Eno.
Eno has come a long way since he started here at BG. Held back by injuries, Eno had plenty of down moments last season. This season, though, he's beginning to show a renewed sense of stability.
After starting only 4 games, posting a 4.58 GAA and a save percentage of 80.5 last season, Eno's GAA this season is down to 3.14 (still higher than the Falcons and their fans would like it to be) and his save percentage is up to 90.1.
Yes, his record is 2-9. The wins haven't come yet, but thanks to Eno, the Falcons have been "in" just about every game this season right to the end. He has also showed incredible nerve in the Falcons' shootout contests.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
--
So that wraps up the first annual mid-season awards here at Falcon Hockey Hooligan. Hopefully it has been fun to read. I know I've enjoyed writing them, and I have definitely enjoyed the reader commentary. Feel free to continue to voice your opinions on all of these.
Finally, I'd love to be able to get a series preview together in time for the tournament, but there's just no way it's going to happen. I'll be working all weekend, so I'm going to have to take a pass on this one.
Fortunately, there's someone else out there who did their work ahead of time, and has a preview posted for your reading pleasure. Check out the tournament preview over at Bring Back the Glory.
I'm sad I won't get the chance snark on the Goofers and the Falcons' other potential opponents, but Drew's preview should point you to all of the important information you'll need.
Thanks for reading, happy new year, and here's to a great second half of Falcon hockey!
You feel guilty for not getting them done and end up trying to force yourself to write them at 8:45 AM on New Year's Day. Then you fall asleep again.
So here is my marathon mid-season awards post where I'll attempt to write the remaining four before the puck drops on the next Falcon game.
So, to get started, a run-down of the previously named awards:
Freshman of the Year: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Most-Improved Player: Tommy Dee
Runner-up: Tomas Petruska
Now, moving on to the remaining awards. The explanations in this post will be much shorter, due to the obvious time constraints.
First up, we have the award for:
Offensive MVP
My pick for Offensive MVP is Tommy Dee. Obviously any of the top three or four Falcon scorers could have been chosen for this one. Each of them have contributed a lot on the offensive side of the puck, but Tommy Dee has impressed me the most with his overall effort, work ethic, and character.
For those unaware, Dee has six goals and five assists for a total of 11 points. He also plays a very disciplined game, having spent only eight minutes in the penalty box through 18 games this season. His leadership and hard work on the ice have been a key for the Falcons.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
Defensive MVP
The FHH Mid-Season Defensive MVP is Kyle Page. Page has been an incredible asset to this team since he first suited up for BGSU. Despite his relative lack of size when compared to his opponents, Page has been able to exert his will on the ice. He plays much bigger than his 5'10", 189lb frame and has more heart than just about any player you'll see.
Looking at statistics, it's a mixed bag for the senior captain. Page is last on the team in terms of plus-minus rating, registering a -11. On the positive side, Page has blocked more shots than any other player on the team. In the 18 games thus far, he has stopped 34 shots from ever reaching the Falcon goaltender.
Runner-up: Ian Ruel
Flying Under the Radar
Even for me, the person who came up with it, this award is somewhat nebulous. As it's not based on specific offensive or defensive statistics and it's based as much on potential as anything else, it's truly the most wide-open award up for grabs in this exercise.
Pageau, Ruel and Rodriguez were all mentioned in reader comments, and all are worthy candidates for the award.
I'll be honest. I really don't have a winner for this one. I may have been a little bit hasty in adding it to the list. The main reason I even mentioned it was to give me an excuse to say this:
I think Wade Finegan has a ton of potential. He hasn't shown up much on the ice statistically, and my complete lack of hockey experience weighs against me pretty heavily, but there's something about his play that catches my eye when he's out on the ice.
He plays fast, he plays hard, and a lot of the time, he plays mean. The kid has a knack for contact and seems to come up with big emotion plays at key times, despite not seeing much ice time.
Call me crazy. That's just how I see it.
Runner-up: Nathan Pageau
And finally...:
Team MVP
While writing this post, I realized I should have named this player at least a runner-up for the Most Improved Player award.
Maybe this is a make-up call of sorts, but the FHH Team MVP is Nick Eno.
Eno has come a long way since he started here at BG. Held back by injuries, Eno had plenty of down moments last season. This season, though, he's beginning to show a renewed sense of stability.
After starting only 4 games, posting a 4.58 GAA and a save percentage of 80.5 last season, Eno's GAA this season is down to 3.14 (still higher than the Falcons and their fans would like it to be) and his save percentage is up to 90.1.
Yes, his record is 2-9. The wins haven't come yet, but thanks to Eno, the Falcons have been "in" just about every game this season right to the end. He has also showed incredible nerve in the Falcons' shootout contests.
Runner-up: Jordan Samuels-Thomas
--
So that wraps up the first annual mid-season awards here at Falcon Hockey Hooligan. Hopefully it has been fun to read. I know I've enjoyed writing them, and I have definitely enjoyed the reader commentary. Feel free to continue to voice your opinions on all of these.
Finally, I'd love to be able to get a series preview together in time for the tournament, but there's just no way it's going to happen. I'll be working all weekend, so I'm going to have to take a pass on this one.
Fortunately, there's someone else out there who did their work ahead of time, and has a preview posted for your reading pleasure. Check out the tournament preview over at Bring Back the Glory.
I'm sad I won't get the chance snark on the Goofers and the Falcons' other potential opponents, but Drew's preview should point you to all of the important information you'll need.
Thanks for reading, happy new year, and here's to a great second half of Falcon hockey!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Mid-Season Awards: Most Improved Player
Most Improved Player
This may be the hardest award to have to pick in this series. As was stated in a previous post, this season is like watching a completely new team. There's no one player whose performance has improved so much more than the others that he's a total lock for this one.
An argument was made on AyZiggyZoomba.com that the entire team should be chosen for this award. It's a fair point, and one that I did consider for a short time. I decided against it, but I do think it's important to point out the overall improvement of the team. Everyone's playing solid hockey. Many of the losses this year were games that the Falcons were "in" to the very end. This is a big improvement from last year.
But, while I do recognize that pretty much the entire team has improved, I feel compelled to make myself choose a winner and a runner-up.
So, without further ado, I give you your 2009 Mid-Season Most Improved Player - Tommy Dee.
For the past three years, Dee has been a hard-working player who always gave it all on the ice. His efforts didn't show up much on the score sheet until this year. His point totals for his first three years were:
2006-2007: 2G-2A-4P in 29 games.
2007-2008: 3G-3A-6P in 28 games.
2008-2009: 7G-1A-8P in 37 games.
Through 18 games this season, Dee has already surpassed his previous season-high with 6G-5A-11P while continuing to be one of the hardest-working players on the team. He never quits on a play and always keeps his feet moving to make things happen for the Falcons. His balanced and consistent output has been a key this season.
I'm no brilliant hockey prognosticator (I just play one in the internet), but I have to say I called this one. I went to a pre-season practice this season and immediately noticed a change in Dee's game. He looked like he had developed an offensive spark and instinct that had been missing before. I guess I was right. Chalk a point up in my column.
Runner-Up
The runner-up for this award is Tomas Petruska. The gap here wasn't very big.
Petruska is a gritty, physical player for the Falcons, but he has added a lot to his offensive game this season. His point totals have increased from 1G-3A-4P in 36 games last season to 10G-4A-14P in just 18 games this season. He is making smarter decisions, rather than just making the physical play and taking himself out of the action. His increased offensive output, along with that of Tommy Dee, are a big reason for the Falcons' competitiveness this season.
Odds and Ends
The argument was made in the comments section of the initial awards post for Andrew Krelove as the Most Improved Player. I will admit that he has come a long way since last season, but he still inspires me to do my best Mr. Spacely impression more often than not ("KRELOOOOVE! YOU'RE FIRED!"). He's making progress, and that's the important thing. Hopefully he continues to improve. No matter how frustrated I've been with his decision-making at times, I want him to succeed here. I have faith that the coaching staff and his fellow players will help him continue to improve as the season progresses.
Next Time
The next award to be named will be Defensive MVP.
I've also decided to add one more award, which I'll call the Flying Under the Radar award. It will be given to the player I think shows the most potential for the future.
In the mean-time, comment with your thoughts on this award and your nominations for the new one.
This may be the hardest award to have to pick in this series. As was stated in a previous post, this season is like watching a completely new team. There's no one player whose performance has improved so much more than the others that he's a total lock for this one.
An argument was made on AyZiggyZoomba.com that the entire team should be chosen for this award. It's a fair point, and one that I did consider for a short time. I decided against it, but I do think it's important to point out the overall improvement of the team. Everyone's playing solid hockey. Many of the losses this year were games that the Falcons were "in" to the very end. This is a big improvement from last year.
But, while I do recognize that pretty much the entire team has improved, I feel compelled to make myself choose a winner and a runner-up.
So, without further ado, I give you your 2009 Mid-Season Most Improved Player - Tommy Dee.
For the past three years, Dee has been a hard-working player who always gave it all on the ice. His efforts didn't show up much on the score sheet until this year. His point totals for his first three years were:
2006-2007: 2G-2A-4P in 29 games.
2007-2008: 3G-3A-6P in 28 games.
2008-2009: 7G-1A-8P in 37 games.
Through 18 games this season, Dee has already surpassed his previous season-high with 6G-5A-11P while continuing to be one of the hardest-working players on the team. He never quits on a play and always keeps his feet moving to make things happen for the Falcons. His balanced and consistent output has been a key this season.
I'm no brilliant hockey prognosticator (I just play one in the internet), but I have to say I called this one. I went to a pre-season practice this season and immediately noticed a change in Dee's game. He looked like he had developed an offensive spark and instinct that had been missing before. I guess I was right. Chalk a point up in my column.
Runner-Up
The runner-up for this award is Tomas Petruska. The gap here wasn't very big.
Petruska is a gritty, physical player for the Falcons, but he has added a lot to his offensive game this season. His point totals have increased from 1G-3A-4P in 36 games last season to 10G-4A-14P in just 18 games this season. He is making smarter decisions, rather than just making the physical play and taking himself out of the action. His increased offensive output, along with that of Tommy Dee, are a big reason for the Falcons' competitiveness this season.
Odds and Ends
The argument was made in the comments section of the initial awards post for Andrew Krelove as the Most Improved Player. I will admit that he has come a long way since last season, but he still inspires me to do my best Mr. Spacely impression more often than not ("KRELOOOOVE! YOU'RE FIRED!"). He's making progress, and that's the important thing. Hopefully he continues to improve. No matter how frustrated I've been with his decision-making at times, I want him to succeed here. I have faith that the coaching staff and his fellow players will help him continue to improve as the season progresses.
Next Time
The next award to be named will be Defensive MVP.
I've also decided to add one more award, which I'll call the Flying Under the Radar award. It will be given to the player I think shows the most potential for the future.
In the mean-time, comment with your thoughts on this award and your nominations for the new one.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
BGSU v. Lake Superior "Live Blog"?
This is my attemp at liveblogging. By that I mean I'll be posting updates from my phone throughout the game if I remember.
First note - LSSU starts Inglis tonight in goal. If you remember my series preview, Inglis has been pretty disappointing in net this season. Hopefully this bodes well for the Falcons.
Update #1 - 12:29 left in the 1st. LSSU up 1-0 already on a bad rebound by Eno.
Update #2 - 1:37 left in the first. 1-1. Perkin with the equalizer after a gorgeous move to get by the defender at the blueline.
BG has definitely turned it on in the second half of this period.
Update #3 - 1:49 remaining in the 2nd. 3-1 LSSU on two quick goals. Eno dropped a pair of shots right on his glove. He's been pulled and Hammond has stepped in. Momentum is definitely in the Lakers' favor right now.
Update #4 - 11:42 remaining in the 3rd. 4-1 LSSU. Hammond got beat on a tough rebound. Wide open net.
BG just had over a minute of sustained pressure on Inglis on the PP and came away with nothing. At least a dozen chances, but no goals. Just one of those nights.
Update #5 - 7:12 left in the 3rd. 5-2 LSSU. BG scored on a trickler that found its way past Inglis. Tommy Dee, if I remember correctly.
LSSU answered almost immediately. The goal chant had barely finished.
Update #6 - Just over :20 remaining in the game. Huge collision in front of the LSSU net. Robert Shea bowls over Pat Inglis and a huge scuffle erupts. Lots of pushing, shoving, and punches thrown.
When it's all said and done, Shea is sent off the ice, and four Lakers make their way to the box. MacVoy is being escorted off the ice, but instead insists on going to the box. He immediately begins jawing at the BG players, leading one of the scorers to stand up and shout him down. He is then sent off, giving some interesting hand gestures to the Ice Arena faithful.
Two more BG players make the long skate to the sin bin, and we're up to eight in the box and two sent to the locker room.
Inglis is down for a few minutes, and the crowd is still stirred up due to the scrum. The final :20 tick off of the clock, and LSSU wins. Dillin Stonehouse smacks the boards in front of the student section and skates through the handshake line and off the ice to a chorus of boos and insults.
Tough loss, but an interesting game. Goaltending and defensive lapses were a major issue. Aside from the one sustained PP, BG wasn't able to accomplish much with the advantage. These issues are going to have to be addressed.
I'll have the scoring summary and an update on my fantasy picks as soon as I get the information.
First note - LSSU starts Inglis tonight in goal. If you remember my series preview, Inglis has been pretty disappointing in net this season. Hopefully this bodes well for the Falcons.
Update #1 - 12:29 left in the 1st. LSSU up 1-0 already on a bad rebound by Eno.
Update #2 - 1:37 left in the first. 1-1. Perkin with the equalizer after a gorgeous move to get by the defender at the blueline.
BG has definitely turned it on in the second half of this period.
Update #3 - 1:49 remaining in the 2nd. 3-1 LSSU on two quick goals. Eno dropped a pair of shots right on his glove. He's been pulled and Hammond has stepped in. Momentum is definitely in the Lakers' favor right now.
Update #4 - 11:42 remaining in the 3rd. 4-1 LSSU. Hammond got beat on a tough rebound. Wide open net.
BG just had over a minute of sustained pressure on Inglis on the PP and came away with nothing. At least a dozen chances, but no goals. Just one of those nights.
Update #5 - 7:12 left in the 3rd. 5-2 LSSU. BG scored on a trickler that found its way past Inglis. Tommy Dee, if I remember correctly.
LSSU answered almost immediately. The goal chant had barely finished.
Update #6 - Just over :20 remaining in the game. Huge collision in front of the LSSU net. Robert Shea bowls over Pat Inglis and a huge scuffle erupts. Lots of pushing, shoving, and punches thrown.
When it's all said and done, Shea is sent off the ice, and four Lakers make their way to the box. MacVoy is being escorted off the ice, but instead insists on going to the box. He immediately begins jawing at the BG players, leading one of the scorers to stand up and shout him down. He is then sent off, giving some interesting hand gestures to the Ice Arena faithful.
Two more BG players make the long skate to the sin bin, and we're up to eight in the box and two sent to the locker room.
Inglis is down for a few minutes, and the crowd is still stirred up due to the scrum. The final :20 tick off of the clock, and LSSU wins. Dillin Stonehouse smacks the boards in front of the student section and skates through the handshake line and off the ice to a chorus of boos and insults.
Tough loss, but an interesting game. Goaltending and defensive lapses were a major issue. Aside from the one sustained PP, BG wasn't able to accomplish much with the advantage. These issues are going to have to be addressed.
I'll have the scoring summary and an update on my fantasy picks as soon as I get the information.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Bowling Green Falcons v. Lake Superior Lakers
Friday, 12/4/2009 @ 7:05PM
Saturday, 12/5/2009 @ 5:05PM
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 2-10-2 (2-6-2)
-Last game: v. Notre Dame T 4-4 (OT) 1-1 (SOW)
LSSU:
-Record: 6-7-3 (3-6-1)
-Last game: v. Bentley T 2-2 (OT) 0-2 (SOL)
Last time out...
Overtime: Life on the edge:
The Falcons and the Lakers are both coming off of very tightly contested series.
The Lakers dropped a pair of games in shootouts last week in the Renesselaer Holiday Tournament. LSSU and Union skated to a scoreless tie in regulation on Friday, with LSSU dropping the shootout decision 0-1. Saturday night wasn't much of an improvement, as Lake Superior ended regulation all-square at 2-2 with the Bentley Falcons before going on to lose the shootout 0-2.
Likewise, the Falcons took both of their games beyond regulation in this past weekend's series with cluster-mates Notre Dame. Friday's tilt ended in a heartbreaking overtime loss for BG as Notre Dame scored the game winning goal with 2.4 seconds remaining on the clock in the extra period. Saturday night had a decidedly better outcome. After 65 minutes of play, the game stood tied at 4-4. The Falcons jumped out early, scoring on their first shootout attempt, thanks to freshman phenom Jordan Samuels-Thomas. Nick Eno stopped all three Irish attempts to get the Falcons their second shootout win of the season.
It seems it's just that kind of year for the Irish. Bad luck on all fronts.
Falcons take on Lakers, Kobe still nowhere to be found
It's time once again for the Falcons to take on the oh-so-cleverly nicknamed Lake Superior Lakers. This series has budded into a mini-rivalry of sorts in the past few years, especially after the Falcons topped the Lakers in a thrilling three game playoff series in the 2007-2008 season, which was decided on an overtime winner by former Falcon (and current Minnesota Golden Gopher) Jacob Cepis.
Without even looking at their record, the Lakers are an embarrassment of riches for a satire writer. Glancing at their roster, names like (sophomore defenseman #17) Kyle "Wait'll we get our Haines on you," and (Athletic Trainer) Rick Mick just beg to be mocked. Furthermore, they play in the hilariously named Taffy Abel Arena.
Last season the Falcons went 1-2-1 against Lake Superior, who were led by Troy Schwab, a 5'8" captain, senior forward, and perpetual sufferer of a Napoleon Complex. Schwab has moved on to bigger (HA!) things, and is now playing for the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL.
What to watch for: Lake Superior
The good:
The Lakers are led by an upperclassman-heavy core of players, including top-scorers Chad Nehring, Zac MacVoy and Rick Schofield.
Also among the scoring leaders is senior forward Brad Cooper, who apparently had time while filming The Hangover to train in the off-season. Thus far this season, Cooper has racked up four goals and four assists, making him the Lakers' fourth-highest scorer.
Just behind Cooper in scoring is senior defenseman Simon "I'm Not Going To Take Any Chances With This Pronunciation" Gysbers. Gysbers currently has three goals and four assists. The Falcons will need to keep these scorers in check.
The bad:
After winning five of their first six games, the Lakers have fallen into a bit of a slump. Of their last 11 contests, Lake Superior has lost six in regulation, dropped three in shootouts, and won only two. Talk about a shipwreck... Hopefully their poor performance will continue, and the Falcons will get their first series sweep of the season.
The ugly:
Among the regular starters for Lake Superior, two have double-digit negative goal differential stats (Dan Barczuk, -10; Pat Aubry, -10).
Also unimpressive to this point in the season is backup goalie Pat Inglis, whose goals against average through three games is a cringe-worthy 4.88.
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The good:
Nothing excites a crowd like a phenomenal scoring talent, and the Falcons are witnessing what looks to be the beginning of a tremendous scoring career for freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas. JS-T, as he is affectionately known, has piled up 14 points (6G, 8A) in 14 games. His impact has also been felt in the Falcons' two shootouts. Samuels-Thomas scored the disputed winning goal in the shootout win over Nebraska-Omaha on Halloween weekend, then repeated his heroics last week as the Falcons edged the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their second shootout of the season.
Also important to note is the success of the Falcon goaltenders in ensuring an extra point in the shootouts this season. Junior Nick Eno and Freshman Andrew Hammond are both perfect in shootout contests this season, stopping three attempts each.
The bad:
The Falcons have struggled with consistency this season, performing impressively against ranked Alaska, Michigan and Notre Dame squads, but dropping lopsided decisions in games against The U.S. National Team Development Program, Providence, and Ferris State. As the season continues and the players develop more stamina and more chemistry with each other and the new coaching staff, hopefully this issue will be resolved.
The ugly:
Half of the Falcons' 10 losses have come by three goals or more. The defense will have to clamp down on some of these scoring chances as the season progresses.
Pick me a winner:
Fantasy scoring picks:
Inspired by a BGSU Fantasy Hockey game from the spectacular Falcon fan-site Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, I will be making fantasy scoring picks for each series. I will make five picks each game, consisting of three forwards and two defensemen each night. Players cannot be used twice in the same series. These picks will be a combination of players from either team, and I will be restricted to not picking any of the top three scorers from either team. (Thanks, Freddie!)
For this series, the top three scorers from Bowling Green are Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Thomas Petruska, and Tommy Dee. The top three scorers from Lake Superior are Chad Nehring, Rick Schofield, and Zac MacVoy.
Friday:
Forwards: Josh Boyd (BG), James Perkin (BG), David Solway (BG)
Defensemen: Kyle Page (BG), Steven Kaunisto (LSSU)
Saturday:
Forwards: Kai Kantola (BG), Marc Rodriguez (BG), Brad Cooper (LSSU)
Defensemen: Ian Ruel (BG), Tyson Hobbins (LSSU)
Game score picks:
Friday: BGSU 4 - LSSU 3
Saturday: BGSU 2 - LSSU 1
Saturday, 12/5/2009 @ 5:05PM
Background:
BGSU:
-Record: 2-10-2 (2-6-2)
-Last game: v. Notre Dame T 4-4 (OT) 1-1 (SOW)
LSSU:
-Record: 6-7-3 (3-6-1)
-Last game: v. Bentley T 2-2 (OT) 0-2 (SOL)
Last time out...
Overtime: Life on the edge:
The Falcons and the Lakers are both coming off of very tightly contested series.
The Lakers dropped a pair of games in shootouts last week in the Renesselaer Holiday Tournament. LSSU and Union skated to a scoreless tie in regulation on Friday, with LSSU dropping the shootout decision 0-1. Saturday night wasn't much of an improvement, as Lake Superior ended regulation all-square at 2-2 with the Bentley Falcons before going on to lose the shootout 0-2.
Likewise, the Falcons took both of their games beyond regulation in this past weekend's series with cluster-mates Notre Dame. Friday's tilt ended in a heartbreaking overtime loss for BG as Notre Dame scored the game winning goal with 2.4 seconds remaining on the clock in the extra period. Saturday night had a decidedly better outcome. After 65 minutes of play, the game stood tied at 4-4. The Falcons jumped out early, scoring on their first shootout attempt, thanks to freshman phenom Jordan Samuels-Thomas. Nick Eno stopped all three Irish attempts to get the Falcons their second shootout win of the season.
It seems it's just that kind of year for the Irish. Bad luck on all fronts.
Falcons take on Lakers, Kobe still nowhere to be found
It's time once again for the Falcons to take on the oh-so-cleverly nicknamed Lake Superior Lakers. This series has budded into a mini-rivalry of sorts in the past few years, especially after the Falcons topped the Lakers in a thrilling three game playoff series in the 2007-2008 season, which was decided on an overtime winner by former Falcon (and current Minnesota Golden Gopher) Jacob Cepis.
Without even looking at their record, the Lakers are an embarrassment of riches for a satire writer. Glancing at their roster, names like (sophomore defenseman #17) Kyle "Wait'll we get our Haines on you," and (Athletic Trainer) Rick Mick just beg to be mocked. Furthermore, they play in the hilariously named Taffy Abel Arena.
Last season the Falcons went 1-2-1 against Lake Superior, who were led by Troy Schwab, a 5'8" captain, senior forward, and perpetual sufferer of a Napoleon Complex. Schwab has moved on to bigger (HA!) things, and is now playing for the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL.
What to watch for: Lake Superior
The good:
The Lakers are led by an upperclassman-heavy core of players, including top-scorers Chad Nehring, Zac MacVoy and Rick Schofield.
Also among the scoring leaders is senior forward Brad Cooper, who apparently had time while filming The Hangover to train in the off-season. Thus far this season, Cooper has racked up four goals and four assists, making him the Lakers' fourth-highest scorer.
Just behind Cooper in scoring is senior defenseman Simon "I'm Not Going To Take Any Chances With This Pronunciation" Gysbers. Gysbers currently has three goals and four assists. The Falcons will need to keep these scorers in check.
The bad:
After winning five of their first six games, the Lakers have fallen into a bit of a slump. Of their last 11 contests, Lake Superior has lost six in regulation, dropped three in shootouts, and won only two. Talk about a shipwreck... Hopefully their poor performance will continue, and the Falcons will get their first series sweep of the season.
The ugly:
Among the regular starters for Lake Superior, two have double-digit negative goal differential stats (Dan Barczuk, -10; Pat Aubry, -10).
Also unimpressive to this point in the season is backup goalie Pat Inglis, whose goals against average through three games is a cringe-worthy 4.88.
What to watch for: Bowling Green
The good:
Nothing excites a crowd like a phenomenal scoring talent, and the Falcons are witnessing what looks to be the beginning of a tremendous scoring career for freshman Jordan Samuels-Thomas. JS-T, as he is affectionately known, has piled up 14 points (6G, 8A) in 14 games. His impact has also been felt in the Falcons' two shootouts. Samuels-Thomas scored the disputed winning goal in the shootout win over Nebraska-Omaha on Halloween weekend, then repeated his heroics last week as the Falcons edged the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in their second shootout of the season.
Also important to note is the success of the Falcon goaltenders in ensuring an extra point in the shootouts this season. Junior Nick Eno and Freshman Andrew Hammond are both perfect in shootout contests this season, stopping three attempts each.
The bad:
The Falcons have struggled with consistency this season, performing impressively against ranked Alaska, Michigan and Notre Dame squads, but dropping lopsided decisions in games against The U.S. National Team Development Program, Providence, and Ferris State. As the season continues and the players develop more stamina and more chemistry with each other and the new coaching staff, hopefully this issue will be resolved.
The ugly:
Half of the Falcons' 10 losses have come by three goals or more. The defense will have to clamp down on some of these scoring chances as the season progresses.
Pick me a winner:
Fantasy scoring picks:
Inspired by a BGSU Fantasy Hockey game from the spectacular Falcon fan-site Ay-Ziggy-Zoomba, I will be making fantasy scoring picks for each series. I will make five picks each game, consisting of three forwards and two defensemen each night. Players cannot be used twice in the same series. These picks will be a combination of players from either team, and I will be restricted to not picking any of the top three scorers from either team. (Thanks, Freddie!)
For this series, the top three scorers from Bowling Green are Jordan Samuels-Thomas, Thomas Petruska, and Tommy Dee. The top three scorers from Lake Superior are Chad Nehring, Rick Schofield, and Zac MacVoy.
Friday:
Forwards: Josh Boyd (BG), James Perkin (BG), David Solway (BG)
Defensemen: Kyle Page (BG), Steven Kaunisto (LSSU)
Saturday:
Forwards: Kai Kantola (BG), Marc Rodriguez (BG), Brad Cooper (LSSU)
Defensemen: Ian Ruel (BG), Tyson Hobbins (LSSU)
Game score picks:
Friday: BGSU 4 - LSSU 3
Saturday: BGSU 2 - LSSU 1
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