Interim Bowling Green coach Dennis Williams said his team prepares the same for every game the same because it is always excited to play hockey.

Cynics might sneer at that kind of talk. But the Falcons program was in jeopardy of being eliminated until the school decided to start a $5-million fundraising program last September to raise money for scholarships and to fix up the school's arena.

Partly because of such gloom and doom, BG lost seven players during and at the end of last season. But the Falcons were plucky on Saturday even though they eventually lost to the Gophers 3-1. it was 1-0 BG going into the third period.

"Whether it's the Gophers or Clarkson [on Sunday], we are going to prepare and be set to go," Williams said. "Hopefully, we came come back [Sunday] which a much better effort.

"Scoring is tough [for us]. We are averaging just under two goals a game and you are not going to win a lot in that sense ot things. But it's not from a lack of effort or a lack of trying. They are working hard out there and that's what I am proud about. The goals will come. I tell them just to keep plugging."

Williams said Andrew Hammond is a great freshman goalie from Surrey, B.C. "He is calm, he is cool," Williams said. "Last year his team won the nationals up in Canada, so he has played in big games before and big crowds. I know both our goalies I am very confident with. [Hammond] played great [Saturday]."

His other players, Williams said, played great for about 50 minutes before the Gophers picked it up a notch and his team did not respond. "We got to match that intensity," he said. "We came here to win hockey games. But I tip my hat. That is a very good hockey team over there. They are a big team that cycles the puck low and they get great chances. They played well and they were able to score when it counted.

"We came out a little sluggish in the third and they took it to us. They elevated their game and we didn't match their intensity. And when they scored on that one, we were able to keep the crowd out of it. It is a pretty quiet crowd for about 40-odd minutes."

Mike Carman of the Gophers tied the game in the fourth minute of the third period. Hammond had stopped 30-plus shots until then.