'Celebrate the Legacy' Team of the Week
January 9, 2013 11:47 AM
1988 CCHA Champion Bowling Green Falcons
Led by two All-Americans - sophomore forward Nelson Emerson, still the CCHA all-time scoring leader (84-136-220), and senior defenseman Scott Paluch – and senior forward Don Barber, junior forward Greg Parks, sophomore goalie Paul Connell and freshman defenseman Rob Blake, Bowling Green averaged almost six goals-scored a game and finished the 1987-88 regular season in second place (19-11-2) in the nine-team CCHA standings, 10 points behind first-place Lake Superior.
The Jerry York-coached Falcons swept seventh-seeded Ferris State, 5-4, in four-overtimes on a game-winning goal from freshman forward Matt Ruchty, and 6-3, in a best-of-three first round CCHA playoff series to earn their seventh straight trip to Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena to face No. 3 seed Michigan State in the semifinals. Behind a hat trick from Parks, the Falcons knocked off the Spartans, 6-4, to set up a matchup against Lake Superior in the final. In the championship, Connell made 28 saves and Bowling Green got goals from five different players to beat the eventual national champion Lakers, 5-3, for their fifth CCHA playoff title.
After sweeping Vermont, 5-1 and 5-1, at home in the first round, total-goals series of the NCAA tournament, Bowling Green lost to Maine, 5-1 and 4-3, in a total-goals NCAA quarterfinal series and finished the season with a 30-13-2 overall record. Emerson had a 20-game scoring streak during the season, led the CCHA in league scoring (28-37-65) and was named to the All-CCHA first team, as was Paluch.
As part of the ‘Celebrate the Legacy’ final season, the CCHA is looking for all the players who have their name engraved on the Mason Cup, the CCHA’s playoff championship trophy.
We need your help!
1987-88 Bowling Green Falcons
Head Coach: Jerry York
Assistant Coach: Terry Flanagan
Assistant Coach: Buddy Powers
Chad Arthur
Don Barber
Rob Blake
John Burke
Paul Connell
Kevin Dahl
Steve Dickinson
Nelson Emerson
Andy Gribble
Alex Herle
Alan Leggett
Brian Meharry
Pierrick Maia
Scott Paluch
Greg Parks
Marc Potvin
Joe Quinn
Brent Regan
Matt Ruchty
Thad Rusiecki
Braden Shavchook
Geoff Williams