Zary Scores 50th Career Goal in Four-Point Game as Bulldog Hockey Suffers Road Setback to Bowling Green

Bowling Green, Ohio – Senior forward Josh Zary scored twice and recorded his 50th career goal in a four-point game Friday (Nov. 14) against the Bowling Green State University Falcons at Slater Family Ice Arena in a game where Ferris State Hockey suffered a 9-5 setback in Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) play.

The Bulldogs (2-9-0, 1-4-0 CCHA) scored a season-high five goals and three power play goals in the loss. Zary had two goals and two assists for his first career four-point game. He reached the 50-goal mark for his career in his 103rd game. It was also the first four-point game for a Bulldog skater since Jan. 27, 2024, when Stepan Pokorny had four points against Augustana.

BGSU jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the first period. Dominik Rymon scored twice to give the Falcons a lead at the intermission. His first of the night came at 9:00 with Jackson Niedermayer and Quinn Emerson assisting. He scored again at 14:44, and Dalton Norris assisted.

Zary converted a power play 37 seconds into the second period to pull the Bulldogs within a goal. His 50th career tally was also his 28th power play goal, most among active skaters in college hockey. Christopher Lie skated to the point and passed to Carter Rapalje as he worked around the left-wing circle. Rapalje fired a shot from the top of the slot that Zary tipped past BGSU goaltender Jacob Steinman. Rapalje got his second assist of the year and Lie collected his fourth.

The Falcons answered with a goal from reigning CCHA Rookie of the Week Noah Morneau at 8:30. Emerson and Niedermayer assisted as BGSU reclaimed a two-goal lead.

Gavin Best scored his fifth goal of the season 12 seconds later. BGSU won the faceoff after Morneau's goal but Best had a takeaway in the Falcon side. He passed back to Zary who fired a shot that Steinman saved, and the rebound bounced to Best for the finish. Zary got his second assist of the season.

Tyler Hotson scored a power play goal at 13:52 to give BGSU a 4-2 lead. Rymon and Brayden Crampton assisted. Then, Jake Sloan scored his first collegiate goal at 17:07 on a breakaway after his penalty completed, giving the Falcons a three-goal lead.

Zary scored another power play at 19:29 for his 51st career scoring strike. Jack Mesic sent a pass from the right circle to Max Itagaki in the left circle. Itagaki took a shot that Zary deflected past Steinman, pulling the Bulldogs back within two goals. Mesic and Itagaki both collected their third assists.

Morneau scored a power play goal at 5:36 in the third with Rymon and Crampton assisting. That goal represented the game-winning goal as BGSU claimed a 6-3 lead.

Itagaki lit the lamp at 7:40 for his third goal and second multi-point performance of the season. Zary won a puck battle in the Bulldog zone and passed up ahead to Itagaki who skated into the slot, shot and scored. Zary's fourth point of the game was his third assist this year.

Morneau scored again at 10:19 for the hat trick. Emerson and Jeremie Minville assisted.

Caden Brown scored his first goal as a Bulldog at 12:54 on the power play. Max Dukovac passed from the goal line to Brown on the backside who finished the chance for his second point of the year. Dukovac and Tyler Schleppe each collected their second helpers.

Brody Waters scored at 14:06 with assists to Sloan and Brett Pfoh, and then Gustav Stjernberg scored an empty-net goal at 18:32 to seal BGSU's win.

For the game, FSU had 21 shots on goal, 29 faceoff wins and nine blocked shots. The Falcons had 23 shots on goal, 41 faceoff wins and eight blocked shots. FSU was 3-7 on the power play and 2-4 on the penalty kill.

Zary finished with four points and Itagaki had two. Mesic and Zary led the team with three shots on goal each while Zary paced the squad with 12 faceoff wins and a +2 rating.

Martin Lundberg made the start in net for FSU and finished with 14 saves and eight goals allowed. Steinman was 16-21 and each of Rymon, Morneau, Emerson, Niedermayer, Sloan and Crampton had multi-point performances.

The Bulldogs will go for a series split against BGSU Saturday (Nov. 15) at Slater Family Ice Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:07 p.m. (ET) with pregame coverage beginning on Sunny 97.3 FM at 5:30 p.m. (ET).