BGSU hockey travels to Quinnipiac to face off with the Bobcats

The No. 13/12 Bowling Green State University hockey team will journey eastward to open up a two-game series against No. 11/11 Quinnipiac in Hamden, Connecticut on Friday and Saturday.

This two-game series will mark the first time in both schools’ history that they play against each other. Coincidentally, this will also be the first time since Jan. 3, 2015 that BGSU last played an ECAC opponent, during which BG welcomed Clarkson to the Madhouse.

The Falcons are looking to continue their current three-game winning streak after dispatching and sweeping WCHA rival Ferris State. Coupled with that is a 6-1 start, which is BG’s hottest opening stretch since the 1994-95 season.

“We believed coming into this year, that this team had a chance to be really good,” BGSU Hockey Head Coach Ty Eigner said.

Nationally, Eigner’s Falcons have the third best scoring margin, potting 4.29 goals per game on average, while only allowing 12 lamplighters.

Piloting the way for Bowling Green is senior forward Max Johnson, who leads the team in goals with six.

“When he gets the puck, he’s really good with it and he can do some things that other kids can’t do,” Eigner said of Johnson, who also earned WCHA Forward of the Week after his performance last weekend against Ferris State.

This weekend will prove to be a tall order for the Orange and Brown as they make the 10-hour trek to Hamden. Quinnipiac, on the other hand, is fresh off of a sweep against Sacred Heart from Atlantic Hockey to begin their season.

The Bobcats are just four years removed from the Frozen Four, in which they fell to North Dakota in the National Championship game. They maintain a seasoned squad led by senior forward Odeen Tufto.

Tufto, who played junior hockey with current BGSU captain Connor Ford in Sioux City, Iowa, is the active leader in career points, clocking in at a whopping 123. Sitting right behind Tufto are BGSU’s Brandon Kruse and Max Johnson with 116 points and 106 points, respectively.

“They’re a good team,” Eigner said. “It’ll be a great opportunity for us to see exactly where we’re at to close out the first half of the season.”

Both games this weekend can be streamed with a subscription to ESPN+ on Friday and Saturday.