March 3, 2006

Final Stats

OMAHA, Nebraska - After spotting Nebraska-Omaha a 3-0 lead midway through the second period, the Bowling Green State University hockey team climbed to within one at 3-2, but a late empty-net goal by UNO gave the Mavericks a 4-2 win and a 1-0 series advantage in the best-of-three series.

BGSU looked to have it going both offensively and defensively at the beginning of the first period with a 7-1 shot advantage in the first 8:00 minutes. They finished with a 10-3 shot lead at the end of the first period but a goal by UNO's Adam Bartholomay at the 10:11 mark of the first gave the Mavericks a 1-0 lead at the end of one period.

The Falcons had two chances in the first 2:30 of the second period with a 2-on-1 with Alex Foster and Mike Falk where Foster just missed Falk for a near open net goal. Just one minute later Brandon Svendsen and Bryan Dobek skated in of UNO's Jerad Kaufman, but the freshman netminder closed the door.

Nebraska-Omaha extended their lead to 2-0 following a Tomas Klempa short-handed goal and took a 3-0 advantage after Bryan Marshall recorded his 11th goal of the season at the 6:04 mark.

The Orange and Brown finally got on the scoreboard at the 13:14 mark of the second with a power-play goal by sophomore Jonathan Matsumoto. The goal, his 19th of the year, is also his 11th power-play goal of the year, both are new career-highs. Brett Pilkington assisted on the tally.

BGSU looked to have clawed back to within one at the 13:54 mark of the third when freshman Kevin Schmidt was robbed by Kaufman after Schmidt was all alone in front of the UNO crease.

Kaufman had 28 saves on the night.

Matsumoto's second goal of the contest at the 8:37 mark of the third got the Falcons to within one, 3-2. Pilkington, his second of the night and junior James Unger assisted on the goal.

With Jimmy Spratt pulled for an extra attack UNO sealed the deal with an empty-net goal at the 19:02 mark for a 4-2 final score. Spratt ended with 18 saves.

The Falcons finished the night with a 30-22 shot advantage on the night and went 2-for-8 on the power play. The Mavericks finished the night 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

BGSU and UNO will do it again tomorrow night inside the Qwest Center at 8:05 p.m. (EST) in game two of this best-of-three series.