Bowling Green, Ohio. ---   Bowling Green built a 4-0 edge midway through the second period  and held on to claim a 5-2 victory over 12^th-rated Minnesota State in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played Saturday in Bowling Green, Ohio.
 
The Mavericks outshot the Falcons by an 8-6 margin in the first period, but found itself on the short end of a 2-0 score.  BGSU struck first when sophomore forward Lukas Craggs fired a shot from the left circle through the shin pads of a Minnesota State defenseman past goaltender Jason Pawloski at 12:30. Then, just 20 seconds later, Craggs got his second goal of the game when he deflected a shot from Justin Wells past a screened Pawlowski and the Falcons entered the locker room at the end of the period owning a 2-0 lead.
 
Bowling Green built on its first-period lead by scoring twice with Connor Ford finding the back of the net at 7:46 of the second and then at 13:57 with Alex Rauhasuer's shot from the point bouncing into the goal off of the skate of Max Johnson with the Falcons on the power play.  The Mavericks responded at the 16-minute mark when senior winger Zeb Knutson finding the rebound off of his own shot and beat Ryan Bednard for his third goal of the year. Defenseman Daniel Brickley and forward Nick Rivera drew assists on the goal. Rivera then tallied a power play goal 53 seconds later, cutting the lead to 4-2 before the end of the second period.
 
The only scoring of the third period came with 1:10 left in the game when BGSU's Brett D'Andrea tallied an empty net goal.
 
Pawloski stopped 24 shots and now stands 1-2-0 for the year.
 
The Mavericks, who are 3-2-0 overall and 1-1-0 WCHA, were outshot for the first time this year, with the Falcons owning a 29-28 advantage in the contest.  Minnesota State converted on one-of-eight power play chances, while BGSU converted on one-of-six opportunities with the man advantage.
 
Minnesota State returns home for a home league series with Michigan Tech next Friday and Saturday.
 
Minnesota State head coach Mike Hastings commented following the game.

 


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