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 Pageau. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pageau. 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.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Post-Season Awards - Flying Under the Radar and Freshman of the Year
This is the first installment of a series of post-season awards blogs. In this post I will name the winners of two awards: the somewhat nebulous "Flying Under the Radar" award, and the "Freshman of the Year" award.
As always, my picks and opinions are open to debate, and I welcome feedback and criticism in the comments.
Now, on to the awards.
Flying Under the Radar
The Flying Under the Radar award, as I have said previously, was mostly dreamed up as a way to point out what I thought was a great deal of potential in mid-season winner Wade Finegan. He's a strong, hard-working player with a bit of a mean streak, and I like the Falcons to have a few players like that. With the physical Kai Kantola graduating and moving on to an amateur tryout with the Norfolk Admirals and trusty captain Kyle Page joining the Toledo Walleye, the Falcons are going to need someone to step up and fill that void.
But this post isn't about the previous winner, it's time to name the post-season winner - Andrew Hammond.
Hammond's season, to me, was the definition of un-tapped potential. His stat line for the season was fairly disappointing: 13 starts, 0-12-2 record, 4.30 GAA, and 88.0 save %.
That being said, every time I looked at his stats, I was absolutely shocked to see that he hadn't won a game in overtime or regulation. He showed many flashes of greatness, standing on his head to keep the Falcons in games, but just never got the breaks to put a notch in the win column. Considering his play in the Miami and Michigan State series, I don't think it will take long before Hammond makes a big impact on the BGSU hockey team.
Also, a quick story to share. During pre-season practices, I went for a ride around campus and decided to stop for a moment at the Ice Arena. I went inside and noticed the team preparing for a practice, so I sat in Section D and watched for a while. As players made their way to the ice one-by-one, others were already taking shots on the empty net and working on passing. Just as one player shot the puck around the boards, a goalie was just stepping onto the ice. The puck whipped around at face-level, but the player snagged the puck with his glove-hand without having more than a second to react. I seem to remember at the time thinking it was Hammond. It may not have been, but having seen some of the saves he made, especially in the closing moments of the MSU series, it certainly wouldn't surprise me. Maybe Andrew or someone in the know could confirm this one for me.
Of course, there are plenty of other players whose futures I am excited about as well. Cameron Sinclair, Marc Rodriguez, and Max Grover showed a ton of heart and grit in the second series with Notre Dame, helping the Falcons to buck the years-long winless streak against Notre Dame. Also on the radar is Ian Ruel, whose size and physical play brought early comparisons to a young Rob Blake.
Anyway, moving on to award #2.
Freshman of the Year
At mid-season, there was really no room for debate on this one. Jordan Samuels-Thomas wasn't just leading the Falcons in scoring, he was near the top of a number of other conference and national lists as well. He took the ice by storm and won the appreciation of many of the Falcon faithful. Naming him as the winner of the award was really just a formality. Now that the season has come to a close, the winner is:
Jordan Samuels-Thomas
I'll give you a moment to compose yourself.
It was very tempting to name a different winner for this award, but ultimately I didn't think I could. JS-T ended the season in the same position statistically as he held at the break - the top. Samuels-Thomas finished the season with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points, a one goal edge over late-season hero Tomas Petruska.
Samuels-Thomas' play was a key to the Falcons successes this season, as he frustrated opponents early and often, making them work hard to account for him, and opening up the ice for other players in the process.
The reason I was tempted to choose a different winner, though, was that his production dropped off in the second half. Hampered by a short-lived illness and facing teams who had learned a thing or two about slowing him down, JS-T's numbers faded a bit. Through the first half of the season, he collected six goals and nine assists for 15 points. In the final 18 games, he recorded only five goals and five assists, for a total of 10 points.
Another player I strongly considered for this award was Nathan Pageau. His hustle and offensive spark bode well for the Falcons' future, and his ability to step up against high-profile opponents should make him a hit with the fans. Of Pageau's 11 points this season, six came during games against Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Notre Dame.
Well, there you have it. My picks for the Flying Under the Radar award and the Freshman of the Year award.
The next two awards to be named will be Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP, followed by Most Improved Player and Team MVP.
As always, feel free to give your opinions in the comments. Tell my why I'm right, tell me where I messed it up, suggest someone for the upcoming awards, or just tell me about your day. As long as I see a couple of comments on the post, I'm a happy guy.
As always, my picks and opinions are open to debate, and I welcome feedback and criticism in the comments.
Now, on to the awards.
Flying Under the Radar
The Flying Under the Radar award, as I have said previously, was mostly dreamed up as a way to point out what I thought was a great deal of potential in mid-season winner Wade Finegan. He's a strong, hard-working player with a bit of a mean streak, and I like the Falcons to have a few players like that. With the physical Kai Kantola graduating and moving on to an amateur tryout with the Norfolk Admirals and trusty captain Kyle Page joining the Toledo Walleye, the Falcons are going to need someone to step up and fill that void.
But this post isn't about the previous winner, it's time to name the post-season winner - Andrew Hammond.
Hammond's season, to me, was the definition of un-tapped potential. His stat line for the season was fairly disappointing: 13 starts, 0-12-2 record, 4.30 GAA, and 88.0 save %.
That being said, every time I looked at his stats, I was absolutely shocked to see that he hadn't won a game in overtime or regulation. He showed many flashes of greatness, standing on his head to keep the Falcons in games, but just never got the breaks to put a notch in the win column. Considering his play in the Miami and Michigan State series, I don't think it will take long before Hammond makes a big impact on the BGSU hockey team.
Also, a quick story to share. During pre-season practices, I went for a ride around campus and decided to stop for a moment at the Ice Arena. I went inside and noticed the team preparing for a practice, so I sat in Section D and watched for a while. As players made their way to the ice one-by-one, others were already taking shots on the empty net and working on passing. Just as one player shot the puck around the boards, a goalie was just stepping onto the ice. The puck whipped around at face-level, but the player snagged the puck with his glove-hand without having more than a second to react. I seem to remember at the time thinking it was Hammond. It may not have been, but having seen some of the saves he made, especially in the closing moments of the MSU series, it certainly wouldn't surprise me. Maybe Andrew or someone in the know could confirm this one for me.
Of course, there are plenty of other players whose futures I am excited about as well. Cameron Sinclair, Marc Rodriguez, and Max Grover showed a ton of heart and grit in the second series with Notre Dame, helping the Falcons to buck the years-long winless streak against Notre Dame. Also on the radar is Ian Ruel, whose size and physical play brought early comparisons to a young Rob Blake.
Anyway, moving on to award #2.
Freshman of the Year
At mid-season, there was really no room for debate on this one. Jordan Samuels-Thomas wasn't just leading the Falcons in scoring, he was near the top of a number of other conference and national lists as well. He took the ice by storm and won the appreciation of many of the Falcon faithful. Naming him as the winner of the award was really just a formality. Now that the season has come to a close, the winner is:
Jordan Samuels-Thomas
I'll give you a moment to compose yourself.
It was very tempting to name a different winner for this award, but ultimately I didn't think I could. JS-T ended the season in the same position statistically as he held at the break - the top. Samuels-Thomas finished the season with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points, a one goal edge over late-season hero Tomas Petruska.
Samuels-Thomas' play was a key to the Falcons successes this season, as he frustrated opponents early and often, making them work hard to account for him, and opening up the ice for other players in the process.
The reason I was tempted to choose a different winner, though, was that his production dropped off in the second half. Hampered by a short-lived illness and facing teams who had learned a thing or two about slowing him down, JS-T's numbers faded a bit. Through the first half of the season, he collected six goals and nine assists for 15 points. In the final 18 games, he recorded only five goals and five assists, for a total of 10 points.
Another player I strongly considered for this award was Nathan Pageau. His hustle and offensive spark bode well for the Falcons' future, and his ability to step up against high-profile opponents should make him a hit with the fans. Of Pageau's 11 points this season, six came during games against Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Notre Dame.
Well, there you have it. My picks for the Flying Under the Radar award and the Freshman of the Year award.
The next two awards to be named will be Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP, followed by Most Improved Player and Team MVP.
As always, feel free to give your opinions in the comments. Tell my why I'm right, tell me where I messed it up, suggest someone for the upcoming awards, or just tell me about your day. As long as I see a couple of comments on the post, I'm a happy guy.
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.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Streak is Over!
Friday night the Falcons topped the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 4-3 in a thrilling come from behind effort. The win was the first by the Falcons over the Irish in regulation in their last 19 attempts. After trailing 3-1 in the third period, the Falcons came back to win behind the scoring of three underclassmen - Wade Finegan, Brennan Vargas, and Nathan Pageau (who scored the game-winner).
More detailed write ups of the game can be read at Bring Back the Glory, the BG News Sports Blog, and BGSUFalcons.com.
More detailed write ups of the game can be read at Bring Back the Glory, the BG News Sports Blog, and BGSUFalcons.com.
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!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Mid-Season Awards: Freshman of the Year
Freshman of the Year
I decided to start with the most obvious award. One freshman has stood out from the rest during the first half of this season, and that player is Jordan Samuels-Thomas (or, as I like to call him, "Hyphen").
Samuels-Thomas leads the team in goals and overall scoring and is second in assists. He is currently tied for 20th in the CCHA in overall scoring and tied for third among freshmen in scoring. Through 18 games JS-T has 15 points (6G-9A). His combination of speed, size, and strength have given opponents fits and led to a number of scoring opportunities for the Falcons. Beyond that, he has been the Falcons' shootout star, scoring winning goals against both "Duh Mavs" of Nebraska-Omaha and the Irish of Notre Dame.
Yes, yes, I know the UN-O shootout goal was "disputed." Guess what? We got the point for the shootout win. Thankyouverymuch.
Runner-up
This was actually a very tough choice. JS-T has performed so well that it's hard to look past him, which is a shame, because there are other freshmen who have made a big impact on the team this season. Ultimately, the runner-up decision came down to Ian Ruel and Nathan Pageau.
Pageau has the second-most points (3G-3A-6P) of all Falcon freshmen, and seems to score in big games for the team. His three goals have come in the shootout victory against Nebraska-Omaha, the first game of the series against Notre Dame, and the first game against Michigan State.
Ruel hasn't shown up as much on the scoring side of things, but his defensive presence is apparent when looking at one statistic: blocked shots. Ruel currently has 27 blocked shots this season, placing him second on the team behind captain Kyle Page.
People can (and probably will) debate the value of offense vs. defense, but I've always held a special place in my hockey heart for defensively-minded, shot-blocking players. For that reason, the runner-up spot goes to Ian Ruel.
If you'd like to weigh in on this decision, name your own winner, or congratulate me on my spectacular picks and hockey insight, leave a comment here.
Stay tuned for the next award, Most Improved Player. As usual, feel free to comment and tell me who you think should win. Make an argument if you'd like. I'm interested in other opinions, even if mine is the only correct one.
I decided to start with the most obvious award. One freshman has stood out from the rest during the first half of this season, and that player is Jordan Samuels-Thomas (or, as I like to call him, "Hyphen").
Samuels-Thomas leads the team in goals and overall scoring and is second in assists. He is currently tied for 20th in the CCHA in overall scoring and tied for third among freshmen in scoring. Through 18 games JS-T has 15 points (6G-9A). His combination of speed, size, and strength have given opponents fits and led to a number of scoring opportunities for the Falcons. Beyond that, he has been the Falcons' shootout star, scoring winning goals against both "Duh Mavs" of Nebraska-Omaha and the Irish of Notre Dame.
Yes, yes, I know the UN-O shootout goal was "disputed." Guess what? We got the point for the shootout win. Thankyouverymuch.
Runner-up
This was actually a very tough choice. JS-T has performed so well that it's hard to look past him, which is a shame, because there are other freshmen who have made a big impact on the team this season. Ultimately, the runner-up decision came down to Ian Ruel and Nathan Pageau.
Pageau has the second-most points (3G-3A-6P) of all Falcon freshmen, and seems to score in big games for the team. His three goals have come in the shootout victory against Nebraska-Omaha, the first game of the series against Notre Dame, and the first game against Michigan State.
Ruel hasn't shown up as much on the scoring side of things, but his defensive presence is apparent when looking at one statistic: blocked shots. Ruel currently has 27 blocked shots this season, placing him second on the team behind captain Kyle Page.
People can (and probably will) debate the value of offense vs. defense, but I've always held a special place in my hockey heart for defensively-minded, shot-blocking players. For that reason, the runner-up spot goes to Ian Ruel.
If you'd like to weigh in on this decision, name your own winner, or congratulate me on my spectacular picks and hockey insight, leave a comment here.
Stay tuned for the next award, Most Improved Player. As usual, feel free to comment and tell me who you think should win. Make an argument if you'd like. I'm interested in other opinions, even if mine is the only correct one.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Falcons Lose OT Heartbreaker to Spartans
The Falcons dropped a 3-2 decision to the Michigan State Spartans tonight.BG jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Boyd and Pageau and the Ice Arena was rocking.
Unfortunately, MSU scored 3 unanswered goals including the OT winner just :35 into the extra period.Stats and further details to (probably) follow in the next day or so.
[This version corrects an earlier one which incorrectly credited the second goal to Wade Finnegan.]
Unfortunately, MSU scored 3 unanswered goals including the OT winner just :35 into the extra period.Stats and further details to (probably) follow in the next day or so.
[This version corrects an earlier one which incorrectly credited the second goal to Wade Finnegan.]
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