Michigan hockey team drops 5th straight in 4-2 loss to Bowling Green

At times Friday night, Michigan's hockey team appeared destined to break out of an early-season slump.

At times, the offense ran effectively and the Wolverines appeared ready to make a third-period lead stand up.

But in 2 minutes, 22 seconds, everything changed. Bowling Green scored three consecutive goals, including two on the power play in less than 2 ½ minutes in a 4-2 victory, handing No. 15 Michigan its fifth consecutive loss.

The five-game skid is Michigan's first since 1988.

"This is a test for our team - this is a real test of the character, the leadership and every player in that locker room is feeling the heat that this isn't Michigan hockey," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "Right now, we've just got to get ourselves going in the right direction."

Michigan (4-7, 2-5 Central Collegiate Hockey Association) led 2-1 going into the third period at Yost Ice Arena after Robbie Czarnik scored at the 18:59 mark of the second period to snap a 1-1 tie.

But Bowling Green (2-8-1, 2-4-1 CCHA) took advantage of a pair of Michigan penalties, including a crosschecking penalty on senior Steve Kampfer with the Wolverines already down a man early in the third.

The Falcons first scored with a 5-on-3 advantage to tie the score. Only 46 seconds later, Tommy Dee added another power play goal before James Perkin finished off the scoring flurry at the six-minute mark with a rebound into an empty net.

"It was just too easy," Berenson said.

The Wolverines will attempt to avoid their third straight weekend sweep Saturday night against Bowling Green in Toledo.

Michigan's recent struggles have all had a similar theme. The Wolverines have routinely entered the third period in a 1-goal game and have either found ways to beat themselves or given up bad goals. Friday night's loss quickly went downhill after Kampfer's penalty, which led to Bowling Green's burst of offense.

"It's tough to stay positive in times like this," captain Chris Summers said. "Stuff like this is going to happen, but we just have to fight it out and keep fighting."

Although Berenson doesn't think his team is that far from stopping the bleeding, he said the Wolverines can't allow things to get worse. While a lack of scoring continues to be an issue for Michigan - which took a 1-0 lead Friday night on Louie Caporusso's power play goal in the first period - the Wolverines' decision-making makes matters worse.

"We're finding ways to lose rather than finding ways to lose," he said. "There's no margin for error right now. We don't have a surplus of goals - we can't afford to give up one bad goal."