Big Rapids, MI – The 7th-ranked Falcons earned their first league sweep of the season Sunday afternoon after a 4-2 win over the Ferris State Bulldogs.
Zack Rose started in net for the Falcons, stopping 21 of 23 shots faced. Roni Salmenkangas turned aside 29 of 32 attempts for the Bulldogs.
First Period
Ferris State opened the game’s scoring at 5:16. Coale Norris went faceoff circle to faceoff circle to Justin Michaelian. His wrist shot beat Rose on his stick side for the 1-0 lead.
Bowling Green responded with a shorthanded goal at 9:06. Alex Barber forced a turnover in the Bulldogs’ zone and fed to Taylor Schneider in the slot. His snipe found the net for his third goal of the season.
The Falcons took their first lead at 15:57 of the opening period. Skating with an empty-net due to a delayed penalty Anton Malmstrom found Brandon Kruse behind the Bulldogs’ cage. Kruse fed Gavin Gould on the doorstop who clapped a one-timer over Salmenkangas’ stick-side shoulder for his second goal of the season.
Bowling Green outshot Ferris State 16-7 in the first period
Second Period
The Bulldogs once again took a lead at 2:32 of the second period. Jacob Dirks wrist shot beat Rose who had been screened by a Bulldog skater.
Ferris State outshot Bowling Green 12-11 in the middle frame.
Third Period
The Falcons retook the lead at 5:48 of the final period. Brandon Kruse left the puck for Cam Wright to start a two-on-one. Wright’s shot tucked under Salmenkangas’ glove for his eighth goal of the season. The goal would be the game-winner.
Bowling Green added an insurance empty-net goal at 18:57 by Evan Dougherty to push the Falcons’ lead to 4-2.
The Falcons outshot the Bulldogs 6-4 in the third period.
With the win, Bowling Green improves to 11-1-0, 2-0-0-0 while Ferris State falls to 0-6-0, 0-2-0-0.
The Falcons will welcome Bemidji State to Bowling Green next weekend to continue WCHA play.
