Late Goal Gives Bowling Green 4-3 Defeat of Ferris State Hockey

Bowling Green, Ohio -- A late goal with less than four minutes remaining in the third period gave the Bowling Green Falcons (18-11-6, 14-6-5 WCHA) a 4-3 defeat of the Ferris State Bulldogs on Friday night (Feb. 26) at the BGSU Ice Arena. 

The Bulldogs got goals from freshman forward Corey Mackin, sophomore forward Andrew Dorantes and senior defenseman Sean O'Rourke in the loss.

FSU took the lead early on in the contest on Mackin's ninth tally of the season with assists from Dorantes and sophomore forward Andrew Mayer. Mayer freed the puck up with a big hit on an opposing player and got the puck to Dorantes. The forward then made a perfect cross-ice pass to Mackin who one-timed the puck into the net from a tough angle.

At 16:16 of the first period, the game was delayed due to a broken pane of glass in the Ferris State zone. Both teams left the ice and headed for their dressing rooms as the glass on the ice was cleaned. The ice was resurfaced and the teams came back for both the remaining time of the first period and then the length of the second frame.

Ferris State struck 57 seconds into the second period when junior forward Gerald Mayhew found some open ice and started a rush into the BGSU zone. Mayhew put the puck through the legs of a defender and dropped it off to Dorantes, who found the back of the net. Dorantes' seventh of the season made it 2-0 Bulldogs with a second assist credited to senior defenseman Brandon Anselmini.

The Falcons got back into the game with consecutive goals just 2:20 apart in the middle frame. Forwards Tyler Spezia and Kevin Dufour were credited with the goals for BGSU and the game was even at 2-2.

At 11:52 of the second Ferris State retook the lead 3-2 on O'Rourke's fourth goal of the year from senior forward Matt Robertson and junior forward Chad McDonald. McDonald won a face-off in the offensive zone and Robertson got the puck back to O'Rourke for a blueline blast. With a screen in front of BGSU netminder Chris Nell, the biscuit found the back of the net and gave FSU the lead.

Bowling Green evened the game on an early power play goal at 1:03 of the final period when Kevin Dufour scored his second of the night.

The teams battled through a physical third period, with numerous chances for both sides to take the lead. But the Falcons broke the tie on a rebound strike by Stephen Baylis and held on for a 4-3 win.

Freshman goaltender Darren Smith made 36 saves in net for Ferris State in the loss, while Nell secured the win for Bowling Green with 29 stops.

The Falcons outshot Ferris State 40-32 on the night and scored the only power play goal of the contest, going 1-for-5 with the man-advantage while the Bulldogs finished 0-for-3.

Mayhew led the FSU with seven shots on goal, while McDonald's assist extended his season-high point streak to six games.

The two teams will complete the weekend series in Bowling Green on Saturday night (Feb. 27). Puck drop is scheduled for 7:07 p.m. at BGSU Ice Arena.