2022–23 Bowling Green Falcons men's ice hockey season

The 2022–23 Bowling Green Falcons men's ice hockey season was the 54th season of play for the program and the 44th in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The Falcons represented Bowling Green State University and were coached by Ty Eigner in his 4th season.

2022–23 Bowling Green Falcons
men's ice hockey season
Conference3rd CCHA
Home iceSlater Family Ice Arena
Rankings
USCHONR
USA TodayNR
Record
Overall15–19–2
Conference12–12–2
Home9–11–1
Road6–8–1
Coaches and captains
Head coachTy Eigner
Assistant coachesCurtis Carr
Stavros Paskaris
Captain(s)Alex Barber
Alternate captain(s)Evan Dougherty
Bowling Green Falcons men's ice hockey seasons
« 2021–22 2023–24 »

Season

Bowling Green began the season with a decent performance in the first two weeks, splitting a pair of series with above-average opponents. In week 3, however, the team's hopes were dealt a massive blow when starting goaltender, Zack Rose, suffered a torn labrum and missed the remainder of the season.[1] Coach Ty Eigner turned to Christian Stoever to man the pipes but the sophomore got off to a rocky start. After a week off, Stoever looked much more comfortable in the cage against Minnesota State and, though the team lost both games, the results were much more promising.

With Stoever settling into the starting role, the Falcons had to address another of their early-season problems; a lack of scoring. After scoring 6 goals in the opener, BG averaged just 2 goals per game over the next eight matches. Unsurprisingly, the team got off to a 2–7 start as a result. Once November rolled around, however, the offense began to coalesce around Austen Swankler and started scoring. After the poor start, the Falcons won six out of seven and brought themselves back up to .500. The team had a chance to establish itself a potential NCAA contender with a slate of 4 games against ranked teams to end the first half of their season. Unfortunately, BG lost each contest and were only close in one of the matches.

With their chances for an at-large bid near zero, Bowling Green kicked off the second half of its season with a 6-game winning streak that put it atop the CCHA standings. However, the Falcons were unable to keep their position and won just once in their final eight games. Despite the skid, the Falcons earned a home site for the quarterfinals and faced off against Ferris State. The two teams were evenly matched throughout both games though BG needed to score late to tie the score on both occasions. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs ended up with an overtime goal twice and upset the Falcons.[2]

Departures

PlayerPositionNationalityCause
Cameron BabiakDefenseman  United StatesLeft program (retired)
Gabriel ChicoineDefenseman  CanadaGraduation (signed with Maine Mariners)
Chrystopher CollinForward  CanadaLeft mid-season (signed with Trois-Rivières Lions)
Adam ConquestForward  United StatesTransferred to Lindenwood
Sam CraggsForward  United StatesGraduation (signed with Toledo Walleye)
Garrett DalyDefenseman  United StatesTransferred to St. Thomas
Chase DanolForward  United StatesLeft program (retired)
T. J. LloydDefenseman  CanadaTransferred to Alaska
Trevor St. JeanForward  United StatesGraduation (retired)

Recruiting

PlayerPositionNationalityAgeNotes
Jack BlakeDefenseman  United States21Manhattan Beach, CA
Quinn EmersonForward  United States21Manhattan Beach, CA
Sam EvolaGoaltender  United States21Rochester, MI
Jaden GrantForward  United States20White Lake, MI
Chase GresockForward  United States24Powell, OH; graduate transfer from Miami
Hunter LelligDefenseman  United States23Waterloo, IA; graduate transfer from Minnesota Duluth
Brett PfohForward  Canada20Port Moody, BC
Zach VinnellDefenseman  Canada24Cochrane, AB; transfer from Merrimack

Roster

As of August 6, 2022.[3]

No.S/P/CPlayerClassPosHeightWeightDoBHometownPrevious teamNHL rights
2 Ben WozneySophomoreD6' 2" (1.88 m)174 lb (79 kg)2001-06-15Richmond, British ColumbiaPenticton (BCHL)
4 Zach VinnellSeniorD6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)1998-04-03Cochrane, AlbertaMerrimack (HEA)
5 Hunter LelligGraduateD6' 2" (1.88 m)195 lb (88 kg)1999-02-08Waterloo, IowaMinnesota Duluth (NCHC)
6 Alex Barber (C)GraduateF5' 10" (1.78 m)165 lb (75 kg)1999-02-17Dublin, OhioCentral Illinois (USHL)
7 Spencer SchneiderSophomoreF6' 0" (1.83 m)190 lb (86 kg)2000-09-11Lakeville, MinnesotaAberdeen (NAHL)
8 Chrystopher CollinJuniorF5' 11" (1.8 m)172 lb (78 kg)1999-05-05Montreal, QuebecEdmunston (MHL)
10 Nathan BurkeGraduateF6' 2" (1.88 m)190 lb (86 kg)1998-12-21Scottsdale, ArizonaMinnesota (Big Ten)
11 Taylor SchneiderGraduateF6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)1998-02-18Lakeville, MinnesotaDubuque (USHL)
12 Austen SwanklerSophomoreF6' 0" (1.83 m)185 lb (84 kg)2001-08-21North Huntingdon, PennsylvaniaErie (OHL)
13 Brett PfohFreshmanF5' 11" (1.8 m)179 lb (81 kg)2002-01-22Port Moody, British ColumbiaSpruce Grove (AJHL)
14 Dalton NorrisFreshmanD5' 10" (1.78 m)183 lb (83 kg)2001-09-28Oxford, MichiganLincoln (USHL)
15 Evan Dougherty (A)GraduateF6' 1" (1.85 m)195 lb (88 kg)1999-04-17Kalamazoo, MichiganWaterloo (USHL)
16 Brayden KriegerSophomoreF6' 0" (1.83 m)160 lb (73 kg)2001-02-09Elora, OntarioBrooks (AJHL)
17 Ethan ScardinaJuniorF6' 1" (1.85 m)192 lb (87 kg)2000-11-02South Surrey, British ColumbiaNanaimo (BCHL)
18 Quinn EmersonFreshmanF6' 0" (1.83 m)180 lb (82 kg)2001-03-12Manhattan Beach, CaliforniaWenatchee (BCHL)
20 Ryan O'HaraSophomoreF5' 10" (1.78 m)175 lb (79 kg)2001-07-18Oakville, OntarioWaterloo (USHL)
21 Seth FytenJuniorF6' 2" (1.88 m)187 lb (85 kg)2000-11-23Didsbury, AlbertaSpruce Grove (AJHL)
22 Adam PittersSeniorF5' 11" (1.8 m)180 lb (82 kg)1999-02-09Grosse Pointe, MichiganAberdeen (NAHL)
23 Max CoyleSeniorD6' 1" (1.85 m)195 lb (88 kg)1998-01-29Tillsonburg, OntarioAlabama Huntsville (WCHA)
24 Eric ParkerSophomoreD6' 2" (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)2001-01-15Calgary, AlbertaOkotoks (AJHL)
26 Jack BlakeFreshmanD6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)2001-09-21Manhattan Beach, CaliforniaOakville (OJHL)
27 Chase GresockGraduateF6' 1" (1.85 m)205 lb (93 kg)1998-08-13Powell, OhioMiami (NCHC)
28 Jaden GrantFreshmanF6' 2" (1.88 m)192 lb (87 kg)2002-09-02White Lake, MichiganYoungstown (USHL)
30 Christian StoeverSophomoreG6' 3" (1.91 m)175 lb (79 kg)2000-04-16Northville, MichiganNew Jersey (NAHL)
31 Peter EignerSophomoreG6' 1" (1.85 m)190 lb (86 kg)2002-05-04Bowling Green, OhioTri-State (Midget AAA)
33 Anton MalmströmJuniorD6' 4" (1.93 m)203 lb (92 kg)2000-03-18Österhaninge, SwedenDjurgården J20 (J20 SuperElit)
35 Salvatore EvolaFreshmanG6' 0" (1.83 m)175 lb (79 kg)2001-04-24Rochester, MichiganJohnstown (NAHL)
40 Zack RoseSeniorG6' 1" (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)1999-07-03Paradise, Newfoundland and LabradorVictoria (BCHL)

Standings

Conference recordOverall record
GPWLTOTWOTLSWPTSGFGAGPWLTGFGA
#12 Minnesota State †*261691241528356392513112681
#13 Michigan Tech261574010506854392411410388
Bowling Green26121220214189763615192114114
Northern Michigan26141203003982773821170123103
Bemidji State261211331239736336141759497
Ferris State269143123346291371419492131
St. Thomas2610142110326981361123286117
Lake Superior State26817121125528036925271118
Championship: March 18, 2023
† indicates conference regular season champion (MacNaughton Cup)
* indicates conference tournament champion (Mason Cup)
Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll

Schedule and results

DateTimeOpponent#Rank#SiteTVDecisionResultAttendanceRecord
Regular Season
October 16:07 PMat Northern MichiganBerry Events CenterMarquette, MichiganFloHockeyRoseW 6–4 2,9671–0–0 (1–0–0)
October 26:07 PMat Northern MichiganBerry Events CenterMarquette, MichiganFloHockeyStoeverL 3–4 OT2,0641–1–0 (1–1–0)
October 77:00 PMat Michigan State*Munn Ice ArenaEast Lansing, MichiganBTN+RoseW 3–1 5,4722–1–0
October 87:07 PMMichigan State*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyRoseL 1–2 3,4222–2–0
October 137:00 PMat #18 Western Michigan*Lawson ArenaKalamazoo, Michigan RoseL 1–4 2,9122–3–0
October 147:07 PM#18 Western Michigan*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 2–8 2,8162–4–0
October 227:00 PMvs. AdrianSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, Ohio (Exhibition)Cancelled [4]
October 288:07 PMat #8 Minnesota StateMayo Clinic Health System Event CenterMankato, MinnesotaKEYCStoeverL 2–3 OT4,1722–5–0 (1–2–0)
October 297:07 PMat #8 Minnesota StateMayo Clinic Health System Event CenterMankato, MinnesotaKEYCStoeverL 2–4 4,0072–6–0 (1–3–0)
November 47:07 PMMichigan TechSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 2–3 2,3502–7–0 (1–4–0)
November 57:07 PMMichigan TechSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 6–1 2,8723–7–0 (2–4–0)
November 117:07 PMSt. ThomasSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 3–2 2,2044–7–0 (3–4–0)
November 127:07 PMSt. ThomasSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 3–2 2,4675–7–0 (4–4–0)
November 187:07 PMat Ferris StateEwigleben ArenaBig Rapids, MichiganFloHockeyStoeverW 6–0 1,4976–7–0 (5–4–0)
November 197:07 PMat Ferris StateEwigleben ArenaBig Rapids, MichiganFloHockeyStoeverL 1–4 1,9046–8–0 (5–5–0)
December 27:07 PMat Lake Superior StateTaffy Abel ArenaSault Ste. Marie, MichiganFloHockeyRoseW 7–4 9877–8–0 (6–5–0)
December 36:07 PMat Lake Superior StateTaffy Abel ArenaSault Ste. Marie, MichiganFloHockeyStoeverW 5–1 8768–8–0 (7–5–0)
December 97:07 PM#16 Minnesota StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 1–2 2,3128–9–0 (7–6–0)
December 107:07 PM#16 Minnesota StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 2–6 2,0248–10–0 (7–7–0)
December 167:07 PM#14 Ohio State*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 2–5 4,4128–11–0
December 177:07 PMat #14 Ohio State*Value City ArenaColumbus, OhioBTNEvolaL 4–9 5,2718–12–0
December 297:07 PMRensselaer*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 3–1 1,6789–12–0
December 307:07 PMRensselaer*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 5–2 1,98910–12–0
January 67:07 PMLake Superior StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyEvolaW 5–2 2,37111–12–0 (8–7–0)
January 77:07 PMLake Superior StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 5–3 2,33912–12–0 (9–7–0)
January 137:07 PMBemidji StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 4–2 3,00913–12–0 (10–7–0)
January 147:07 PMBemidji StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverW 5–2 3,33914–12–0 (11–7–0)
January 198:07 PMat St. ThomasSt. Thomas Ice ArenaMendota Heights, MinnesotaFloHockeyStoeverL 2–4 49014–13–0 (11–8–0)
January 208:07 PMat St. ThomasSt. Thomas Ice ArenaMendota Heights, MinnesotaFloHockeyStoeverT 3–3 SOW73914–13–1 (11–8–1)
January 277:07 PMUSNTDP*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, Ohio (Exhibition)FloHockeyEvolaL 3–6 2,602
February 37:07 PMFerris StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 1–2 3,21114–14–1 (11–9–1)
February 47:07 PMFerris StateSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverT 4–4 SOL3,70614–14–2 (11–9–2)
February 107:07 PMat #12 Michigan TechMacInnes Student Ice ArenaHoughton, MichiganFloHockeyStoeverW 5–2 3,93815–14–2 (12–9–2)
February 115:07 PMat #12 Michigan TechMacInnes Student Ice ArenaHoughton, MichiganFloHockeyStoeverL 2–4 4,01915–15–2 (12–10–2)
February 247:07 PMNorthern MichiganSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 2–4 3,10315–16–2 (12–11–2)
February 257:07 PMNorthern MichiganSlater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, OhioFloHockeyStoeverL 2–4 4,49815–17–2 (12–12–2)
CCHA Tournament
March 37:07 PMFerris State*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, Ohio (Quarterfinal Game 1)FloHockeyStoeverL 3–4 OT1,68615–18–2
March 47:07 PMFerris State*Slater Family Ice ArenaBowling Green, Ohio (Quarterfinal Game 2)FloHockeyStoeverL 1–2 OT1,63815–19–2
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Eastern Time.
Source:[5]

Scoring statistics

NamePositionGamesGoalsAssistsPointsPIM
Austen SwanklerC3519254443
Chase GresockC3611203112
Ryan O'HaraF3611193025
Nathan BurkeF3617122912
Taylor SchneiderLW3611132412
Alex BarberF367162334
Zach VinnellLW361192010
Ethan ScardinaF311151614
Ben WozneyD362131514
Max CoyleD34381134
Dalton NorrisC/LW3629118
Jaden GrantF3635812
Quinn EmersonLW2834714
Adam PittersF2725732
Brayden KriegerF281564
Anton MalmströmRW3333616
Brett PfohD2423510
Evan DoughertyD3222412
Eric ParkerD81342
Hunter LelligF3404434
Spencer SchneiderRW240338
Seth FytenD72026
Christian StoeverG310112
Pete EignerG10000
Chrystopher CollinD20000
Salvatore EvolaF30000
Zack RoseG50000
Jack BlakeF100000
Total114197311370

[6]

Goaltending statistics

NameGamesMinutesWinsLossesTiesGoals AgainstSavesShut OutsSV %GAA
Pete Eigner22:290000401.0000.00
Christian Stoever311802:2011172869141.9142.86
Zack Rose5244:43310141150.8913.44
Salvatore Evola4127:031109560.8624.25
Empty Net-21:53---5----
Total362198:081519211410891.9093.11

Rankings

PollWeek
Pre123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627 (Final)
USCHO.comNR-NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR-NRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR-NR
USA TodayNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNRNR

Note: USCHO did not release a poll in weeks 1, 13, or 26.[7]

Awards and honors

PlayerAwardRef
Austen SwanklerCCHA First Team[8]
Nathan BurkeCCHA Second Team[9]
Dalton NorrisCCHA Rookie Team[10]

References