BOWLING GREEN - The final scene explained it all. Bowling Green goaltender Jon Horrell - screaming with both arms raised - seemed to embrace his entire team as the Falcons jumped all over each other near their net. On the other end of the ice, the sixth-ranked Wolverines skated slowly with their heads down, just waiting to leave the poorly played game behind them.

Michigan lost a precious opportunity to gain ground in the CCHA race with a 5-2 loss to the Falcons on Saturday night. The loss followed a 6-1 Wolverine victory the night before.

As the seconds ticked away at BGSU Ice Arena, the sound of jingling car keys reverberated off the arena's walls and low ceiling.

It was time for the Michigan to warm up the bus.

"Their best players were their best players, and we couldn't score when we had to," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "We took some unnecessary penalties that we have to deal with that may have cost us - it certainly cost us some momentum in the game. We had a lot of players play well, but I cannot tell you our team played well."

The Wolverines (9-6-1 CCHA, 14-9-1 overall) are now tied for fourth in the CCHA with 19 points. The top four teams during the regular season receive a first-round bye in the CCHA tournament.
Michigan dug itself into an early hole and trailed 3-0 with two minutes remaining in the second period. But the Wolverines brought themselves within two goals when sophomore Chad Kolarik took a pass from fellow sophomore Kevin Porter, wound up and sent a rocket past Horrell to deflate the rambunctious Bowling Green crowd. That momentum lasted less than two minutes.

With the period winding down, Falcon captain Don Morrison had a breakaway on Michigan goalie Noah Ruden. Wolverine alternate captain Matt Hunwick chased down Morrison and made a great defensive stop, but immediately took a poor penalty that put Michigan on the penalty kill to start the third period.

Just 1:37 into the final frame, Bowling Green (8-11-1, 12-14-1) capitalized on the power play. Forward Derek Whitemore skated around the offensive zone from right to left and wrested a shot toward the net. The puck deflected off the stick of Falcon forward Rich Meloche and hit the back of the net to put Bowling Green up, 4-1.

Porter gave Michigan a last gasp when his power play goal midway through the third period made it 5-2.

"We've been doing this all year - a Jekyll and Hyde," Ruden said.
The night before, Michigan thumped the Falcons 6-1.

"One game we'll come out and look dominant and one game we'll look like a bottom of the pack team," said Ruden Saturday night.

"Tonight, they came out and we handled their original flurry, but we couldn't find anything and they just kept pounding it on."

The Wolverines were in much higher spirits following Friday night's romp. Trying to improve upon its slow start against Michigan State last Tuesday, Michigan scored early and often against the Falcons. Two goals in the first five minutes of the first period and two goals within the first four minutes in the second period all but buried Bowling Green.

Alternate captain T.J. Hensick's goal just past the midway point of the second period typified the night.

Stick-handling through the neutral zone, Hensick skated around the first Falcon player and continued toward the net. Then, as a Bowling Green defenseman came hard at him, Hensick quickly cut to his right toward the middle and shot back toward his left, leaving both the defenseman and the goalie helpless. The play was just icing on the cake for the fans at Yost Ice Arena, who watched Michigan play an almost flawless game.

"They got a few chances late, but I thought the penalty killing and the power play was a key in tonight's game," said Berenson on Friday night. "We started to get some breaks in the game and maybe some luck that we haven't had recently."

The Wolverines are now 3-3-0 in the month of January with 12 CCHA games remaining.

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