Bowling Green State University Athletics
Hockey Point in Time: First Varsity Hockey Game in the Ice Arena
February 08, 2017 | Ice Hockey
The Bowling Green State University Athletics Department is celebrating 50 years of the Slater Family 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.
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Leading up to the anniversary, BGSU Athletics is taking a look back at some of the great moments in Slater Family Ice Arena history. This week, we remember Nov. 14, 1969, when the Falcons defeated the University of Windsor 8-2 in the first varsity game in program history.
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BGSU Ice Arena 50th Anniversary Celebration
Register for the 50th Anniversary Weekend
Get Season Tickets HERE
Original Release
The Bowling Green State University hockey team is in the midst of its 48th season and has 910 all-time wins. They have played 862 games at the Slater Family Ice Arena and have won 527 of those.
All of that history and all of those moments started with one game.
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The Falcons played their first-ever varsity hockey game on Friday, Nov. 14, 1969 against the University of Windsor. The game was held in front of 2,799 exuberant fans at the young Ice Arena, which had opened only three years prior.
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BGSU was led by head coach Jack Vivian. As members of the Mideastern Collegiate Hockey Association, Vivian had led the Falcons to a record of 44-8-2 and two league championships over the team's final two years as a club team. It was finally elevated to varsity status for the 1969-70 season.
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It did not take long for the varsity Falcons to get their first-ever varsity-level goal. At the 9:03 mark of the first period, Mike Root scored the team's inaugural goal, He later scored twice more to give BGSU its first-ever hat trick. Root went on to score 14 goals during the 1969-70 season.
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A pair of on-ice fights proved to be critical moments in the game. Both teams skated short-handed following the first, but the Falcons took were the ones to take advantage. They scored twice during those penalties, first after 15 seconds and then again one minute later. BGSU earned a third goal 25 seconds after the second tussle.
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The Falcons' scoring effort was helped significantly by left-winger Rick Allen, who assisted on five of the team's eight goals. He finished the season with 20 assists and 28 points.
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Vivian took Bowling Green to a 13-12-5 record in its debut season, including a 6-1-1 conference record and another MCHA championship over Ohio University and Ohio State. His team won the league again in the 1970-71 season before being invited to become charter members of the CCHA for the 1971-72 season.
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Leading up to the anniversary, BGSU Athletics is taking a look back at some of the great moments in Slater Family Ice Arena history. This week, we remember Nov. 14, 1969, when the Falcons defeated the University of Windsor 8-2 in the first varsity game in program history.
Â
Register for the 50th Anniversary Weekend
Get Season Tickets HERE
Original Release
The Bowling Green State University hockey team is in the midst of its 48th season and has 910 all-time wins. They have played 862 games at the Slater Family Ice Arena and have won 527 of those.
All of that history and all of those moments started with one game.
Â
The Falcons played their first-ever varsity hockey game on Friday, Nov. 14, 1969 against the University of Windsor. The game was held in front of 2,799 exuberant fans at the young Ice Arena, which had opened only three years prior.
Â
BGSU was led by head coach Jack Vivian. As members of the Mideastern Collegiate Hockey Association, Vivian had led the Falcons to a record of 44-8-2 and two league championships over the team's final two years as a club team. It was finally elevated to varsity status for the 1969-70 season.
Â
It did not take long for the varsity Falcons to get their first-ever varsity-level goal. At the 9:03 mark of the first period, Mike Root scored the team's inaugural goal, He later scored twice more to give BGSU its first-ever hat trick. Root went on to score 14 goals during the 1969-70 season.
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A pair of on-ice fights proved to be critical moments in the game. Both teams skated short-handed following the first, but the Falcons took were the ones to take advantage. They scored twice during those penalties, first after 15 seconds and then again one minute later. BGSU earned a third goal 25 seconds after the second tussle.
Â
The Falcons' scoring effort was helped significantly by left-winger Rick Allen, who assisted on five of the team's eight goals. He finished the season with 20 assists and 28 points.
Â
Vivian took Bowling Green to a 13-12-5 record in its debut season, including a 6-1-1 conference record and another MCHA championship over Ohio University and Ohio State. His team won the league again in the 1970-71 season before being invited to become charter members of the CCHA for the 1971-72 season.
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BG Hockey Postgame 11.29
Sunday, November 30
BG Hockey Postgame 11.28
Saturday, November 29
BG Hockey Press Conference vs Princeton
Wednesday, November 26
BG Hockey Press Conference 11.18
Tuesday, November 18