Falcons 4, Mavericks 1 (again)

Freddy's three thoughts from afar ...

1. Passenger side: Associate head coach Todd Knott said it after the game: “You can’t have any passengers when you’re playing the upper-tier teams. I didn't think we had everyone this weekend. ... When you play this type of team, you have to have all 20 (players).” Knott credited Nick Rivera and Josh French for their overall efforts in the series, but a good Bowling Green team made a lot of good players disappear. Stunning to see the Mavericks' top line held off the score sheet in back-to-back games.

2. Rare sweep: Minnesota State, in the new WCHA era, just doesn't get swept, it seems. You have to go back to 2013-14 at Alaska Anchorage to find the last time it didn't secure at least a point in a league series. The Mavericks were last swept by St. Cloud State in a nonconference series early in the 2015-16 season, which means the big junior class, of which there were seven in the lineup, had never been swept before in a weekend series. This weekend marked the first time either MSU or BGSU swept the other, ending a long string of splits.

3. New sheriff? Bowling Green briefly moved into first place in the league standings with the win but is now a point back after Michigan Tech beat Alabama Huntsville in overtime for a split. Tech, Bowling Green and MSU are separated by just two points through 12 conference games. Northern Michigan, meanwhile, is lurking three points behind the Mavericks. Knott said BGSU was the best team MSU has played up to this point. Should be a fun second half!

Read my game story here.

Around the WCHA: Alaska Anchorage 2, Bemidji State 1 (OT) ... Michigan Tech 2, Alabama Huntsville 1 (OT) ... Northern Michigan 4, Ferris State 2