BGSU Falcons hockey loses leading scorer as it prepares to open season

10/10/2013

BOWLING GREEN -- The Bowling Green State University hockey team received bad news today as it prepares for its season-opening series at Union College this weekend.

Junior forward Ryan Carpenter, the Falcons' leading scorer last season, suffered a broken finger and will have surgery on the digit Friday.

BG coach Chris Bergeron said Carpenter was hit on the hand by a puck in the first period of the team's exhibition win over Wilfrid Laurier Saturday. He played the rest of the game, but doctors have prescribed surgery.

The date of his return to the Falcons is uncertain.

"This means we will need other guys to step up and help with the scoring," Bergeron said. "This is the first adversity this team has faced, and every season teams have to deal with adversity.

"We have other guys who can score, and we need them to step up."

Face off between Bowling Green and Union, ranked No. 16 in the first USCHO.com poll of the season, is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Schenectady, N.Y.

The Falcons also will be without forward Dajon Mingo, who missed the exhibition game because of academic issues. He is expected to return when BG hosts Colgate at the Ice Arena on Friday-Saturday, Oct. 18-19.