Hockey Point in Time: Falcons Defeat Lakers in Decisive Third Game of CCHA Playoffs

The Bowling Green State University Athletics Department is celebrating 50 years of the BGSU Ice Arena this season, culminating on Feb. 11, 2017 to honor the 50th anniversary of the arena's grand opening on Feb. 25, 1967. The Falcons will host Mercyhurst on that date, in what will be the team's final non-conference game of the 2016-17 season.

Leading up to the anniversary, BGSU Athletics is taking a look back at some of the great moments in BGSU Ice Arena history. This week, we look back to Mar. 9, 2008, when BGSU overcame a two-goal deficit to win a decisive third game and advance to the second round of the CCHA playoffs.

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The Bowling Green State University hockey team entered the 2008 post-season at home against Lake Superior State on the heels of a 2007-08 season in which the team went 16-18 and finished seventh in the CCHA.

Against LSSU, the Falcons were seeking to end a dubious streak. They had not only failed to advance to the second round of the CCHA playoffs since the 2000-01 season but had also lost 13 consecutive playoff games, including six straight two-game sweeps in the first round.

BGSU finally ended the losing streak by taking down the Lakers 4-3 in the first game of the best-of-three series. However, Lake Superior forced a rubber match with a 6-1 win in Game 2. The Falcons and Lakers met in Game 3 at the BGSU Ice Arena on Mar. 9, 2008.

Bowling Green found themselves down almost immediately in the winner-take-all game. Just 65 seconds after the opening puck drop, Jimmy Spratt was beaten by Will Acton on a rebound from the left side for a 1-0 LSSU lead.

The Falcons tied the game with a Tomas Petruska power play goal at the 6:05 mark of the first, and the score remained 1-1 through the early minutes of the second period. However, BGSU allowed two power play goals in a 2:30 span to fall behind 3-1 at the game's midway point.

Derek Whitmore cut into the deficit on the power play with 7:58 left in the second period, but the Falcons could not dent the scoreboard further and still trailed late in the third.

With 180 seconds potentially remaining in the season, Kevin Schmidt passed to Tommy Dee, who found Todd McIlrath. McIlrath's marker found the high side of the net on Inglis' left side for the equalizer that ultimately sent the game to overtime.

The Falcons' playoff misery finally ended just 94 seconds into the extra frame. Freshman Jacob Cepis took a pass from Schmidt and sent a laser from the left wing circle past Inglis for the victory. It was the only shot of the overtime period.

The victory allowed BGSU to advance to the second round, where they faced second-seeded Miami. It was the final playoff victory for Falcons' head coach Scott Paluch, who left the post following the 2008-09 season.

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