After winning the first Three Rivers Classic last season, the RMU Colonials will go home without so much as a win after losing to Bowling Green in the consolation round 3-2, Saturday night.
Brett Mohler took a hooking penalty early in the game to give RMU a power play. RMU spent a lot of time passing along the perimeter and failed to get a shot on goal. With 29 seconds remaining on the power play, Jeff Jones took a slashing penalty to bring both teams back to even strength for a brief period.
Mohler would make up for his penalty by scoring the first goal of the game 15:29 into the opening period. Brent Tate went behind the net and centered the puck. Defenseman Rob Mann broke up the pass but the puck rolled right to Mohler who chipped it over Shafer’s left shoulder.
Bowling Green extended their lead at 1:58 into the second period on the power play. The Falcons kept the puck in the RMU zone for the entire power play. Dan Desalvo held the puck at the blue line on three separate occasions until the goal. Ben Murphy’s shot hit off the crossbar and landed in the crease where Bryce Williamson swept the puck into the net.
RMU received a 5 on 3 power play but failed to score on the few chances they were able to create. Goaltender Tomas Sholl did, however, make an excellent save on Tyson Wilson who created a breakaway attempt.
Sholl would later make a nifty glove save on Greg Gibson while RMU was on a two on one.
“I thought [Sholl] played well,” said fourth year Bowling Green coach Chris Bergeron. ” I don’t think his record indicates how good he’s played this year. He’s very athletic. He’s a good goalie with the chance to be great.”
Kevin Dufour scored his fourth of the season early in the third period to give the Falcons a three goal advantage. Dufour took the puck from behind the net, skated out to the right face off dot, and fired a shot past the stick side of Shafer.
The Colonials got on the board with 6:25 remaining in the game on a power play goal from David Friedmann. RMU was granted another 5 on 3 and after Jeff Jones hit the post, Friedmann took the puck from center point and unleashed a perfect wrist shot from the left wing circle for his ninth goal of the season.
RMU scored again with 23.4 seconds to go to cut the deficit to one. Tyson Wilson’s wrist shot from the right point was deflected by Zac Lynch and past the net minder, Sholl.
The Colonials had one more rush in the dying seconds but Bowling Green held on to win the consolation round.
“We played extremely hard in this game. I had no problem with the effort in tonight’s game,” said RMU coach Derek Schooley
The Colonials will continue their season when they visit Sacred Heart on January 4th.
Photo courtesy of BGSU Hockey
