Columbus, OH – It’s rare that games are won in the first period, but a 4-0 start by the 15th-ranked Falcons in the opening period of Friday’s game helped propel Bowling Green to an 8-2 upset win over the 4th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.

Ryan Bednard started in net for the Falcons and made 31 saves on 33 shots faced. Sean Romeo had four stops on eight Falcon opportunities before being pulled at 11:24 of the first period. He was pulled in favor of Tommy Nappier who finished with five saves on seven shots. The Buckeyes then played Evan Moyse in net beginning at 7:04 of the second period. He had 11 saves on 13 shots faced.

First Period

The Falcons opened the game’s scoring at 2:19 of the first period on the power play. Alec Rauhauser fed the puck to the far faceoff circle to Stephen Baylis, who found Max Johnson in the slot. The puck deflected off Johnson, off an Ohio State defender’s skate, and into the net. The goal was Johnson’s fourth of the season.

Taylor Schneider forced a turnover in his defensive zone to begin a scoring play. He sprung Lukas Craggs who wristed a wrist shot over Romeo’s glove for his fourth goal of the season.

John Schilling then scored a shorthanded marker for the Falcons. Tim Theocharidis moved the puck out of the Falcons’ zone with a chip off the glass. The puck came to Baylis who passed it forward to Schilling, burying his chance for his second goal of the season.

Bowling Green scored their second power-play goal of the game at 11:24 of the first period. Alec Rauhauser’s shot on net deflected off Connor Ford in front of the net, coming to Max Johnson on the back door. Johnson scored on the open net for his fifth goal of the season and second of the game.

Sean Romeo was pulled in favor of Tommy Napier after the Falcons’ fourth goal. He finished with four saves on eight Falcon shots.

Both teams finished the first period with 11 shots on net.

Second Period

Cam Wright give the Falcons a 5-0 lead at 6:35 of the second period with another power-play goal. Chris Pohlkamp left the puck for Wright, who skated across the blue line before sending a wrist shot high that beat Nappier over his blocker. The goal was also assisted by Tim Theocharidis.

Alex Barber earned his first collegiate goal with a fantastic individual effort at 7:04 of the second period. Barber skated in from the far corner, went across the slot, and slid the puck past Nappier as he was falling down. Casey Linkenheld assisted on the goal, and the marker ended Nappier’s night as he was pulled in favor of Evan Moyse.

Nappier had five saves on seven shots faced in 15:40 of action.

The Falcons scored their seventh goal of the game at 17:06 of the second period on the power play. Alec Rauhauser fed the puck to Brandon Kruse, who found Max Johnson in the far faceoff circle. Johnson unleashed a one-timer that caught Moyse, but still found the net for a hat-trick goal. The goal was Johnson’s sixth of the season.

Bowling Green had seven shots in the middle frame while Ohio State had three.

Third Period

The Buckeyes were finally able to break through at 6:07 of the third period. Mason Jobst capitalized on a Falcon turnover in their own zone to cut Bowling Green’s lead to 7-1.

Ohio State then added a power-play goal by John Wiitala at 6:54 of the third period to cut the Falcons’ lead to 7-2.

Stephen Baylis stopped the Falcons’ bleeding with a shorthanded goal while the Falcons were skating at a five-on-three disadvantage at 11:37 of the third period. Baylis collected the loose puck in his defending zone at the blue line, skated down along the boards, made a move around his defender, took the puck to the slot, and backhanded a low shot past Moyse. The goal was Baylis’ fifth of the season and capped the game’s scoring at 8-2.

The Falcons finished the third period with 10 shots on net, while the Buckeyes had 19 chances.

With the win, the Falcons improve to 5-1-0, 0-0-0-0. The Buckeyes fall to 3-2-0, 0-0-0-0. The teams will conclude their home-and-home series Saturday in Bowling Green at 7:07 PM.