Falcons Earn Sweep of OSU in 2-0 Defensive Battle

Bowling Green, OH – After a 6-3 pummeling the night before, Ohio State came out much stronger on Saturday night. But, excellent goaltending by Chris Nell and opportune scoring my Falcon upperclassmen earned the Falcons their first sweep of the season.

Chris Nell started in net for the Falcons stopping all 25 shots he faced. Matt Tomkins started in net for Ohio State making 28 saves on 30 attempts.

First Period

Neither team managed to find the net in the first period, but Ohio State set the pace offensively.  The fired 12 shots on Nell and kept play in the Bowling Green zone through most of the first frame. The Falcons managed eight shots on Tomkins, with most of those coming in the last minute as the Falcon’s were on the power play.

Second Period

The Falcons seemed to pick up their play more in the second period as they challenged Tomkins with 11 shots. The Buckeyes fired ten shots on Nell as both teams remained scoreless after two periods.

Third Period

The Falcons finally broke the scoreless run at 10:05 of the third period. Mark Cooper wristed a shot at Tomkins. Tomkins lost sight of the puck as it careened off a Buckeye skate and found its way between his legs for Cooper’s second of the young season.

Matt Pohlkamp took the Falcon’s lead to 2-0 at 17:50 of the third period. After making a defensive play right at the Falcon blue line Sean Walker found Matt Pohlkamp who skated onto Tomkins. The junior forward fired a top-shelf wrist shot that beat Tomkins over his glove.

Ohio State pulled Tomkins with just under two minutes to play in the game. However, the Falcons defense continued their strong defensive play and earned Chris Nell his fourth career shut out.

Nell faced eight shots in the third frame while Tomkins saw 11 Falcon chances.

The Falcons (2-0-0) will head to Western Michigan Tuesday in the first of a broken-up home-and-home series with their former CCHA brethren.