Late collapse costs #11 Falcons in 4-3 OT loss to ‘Cats

Bowling Green, OH – With two minutes remaining in the game Saturday night, 11th-ranked Bowling Green was sitting on a two-goal lead. Ten minutes later they were skating off the ice as the game’s loser after Northern Michigan scored three straight goals to hand BG their fourth straight loss in a 4-3 contest.

Eric Dop stopped 23 of 27 shots faced, while Nolan Kent had 39 saves on 42 attempts.

First Period

Despite a pair of power-play chances for both teams, neither found the net in the opening period.

Both teams had 10 shots on net in the first period.

Second Period

Bowling Green finally broke the stalemate at 18:22 of the second period. While skating on a five-on-three power play, Alec Rauhauser skated in from the point, pulled the puck back as he moved around a Wildcat, and found Taylor Schneider in the faceoff circle. Schneider’s one-timer blew past Kent for his fourth goal of the season. Max Johnson picked up the second assist on the goal.

Bowling Green had 20 shots in the middle frame, while Northern Michigan had just five chances.

Third Period

The Wildcats tied the game at 6:19 of the third period thanks to a power-play rebound goal by Griffin Loughran.

But, the Falcons took advantage of another power play at 12:19 of the third period. Brandon Kruse skated in and snapped a shot over Kent’s shoulder for his sixth goal of the season. Alec Rauhauser and Max Johnson had the assists on the play.

Bowling Green extended its lead to 3-1 at 13:12 of the third period. Alec Rauhauser’s wrist shot caught Kent’s glove, but still fluttered in beyond the goal line for his seventh goal of the season. Brandon Kruse and Cam Wright picked up the helpers on the goal.

Kent was pulled for an extra attacker with just under two minutes to play in the game, and Joseph Nardi converted to cut the Falcons’ lead to 3-2. A shot by Grant Loven crossed up Dop to give the Wildcats the tying goal and to send the game to overtime at 19:20.

Northern Michigan had 10 shots in the third period while Bowling Green had eight attempts.

Overtime Period

The Wildcats completed the comeback with an overtime goal by Darien Craighead at 4:13 to earn the 4-3 win.

Bowling Green had four shots in the overtime period while Northern Michigan had two attempts.

With the loss, the Falcons drop to 12-9-1, 7-6-1-1. The Wildcats improve to 11-7-2, 9-5-0-0.

Bowling Green travels to Houghton, Michigan next weekend to face Michigan Tech.