Over the January 16th and 17th weekend, the Lake Superior State University Lakers hit the road to Bowling Green, Ohio to take on the Bowling Green State Falcons in a two-game Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) series, opening the weekend on Friday evening.

Bowling Green wasted little time getting on the board in the opening period, striking just 53 seconds into the game. Quinn Emerson opened the scoring with his seventh goal of the season, finishing a play set up by Ben Doran and Tyler Hotson to give the Falcons an early 1–0 lead. The fast start set the tone for a physical and tightly contested first period.

The Lakers responded in the second period, evening the score at 11:22. Adam Barone netted his third goal of the season, capitalizing on an offensive opportunity with assists from Calem Mangone and John Herrington to make it 1–1. Bowling Green answered late in the frame, however, regaining the lead at 1:31 when Brett Pfoh scored his fifth of the season off a feed from Brayden Crampton, sending the Falcons into the intermission up 2–1.

The third period featured strong defensive play at both ends, with the Lakers pushing for the equalizer and Bowling Green protecting its slim lead. With LSSU pressing and the net empty in the final seconds, the Falcons sealed the win at 19:45 when Tyler Hotson scored an unassisted empty-net goal, his eighth of the season, to make it 3–1.

With the victory, Bowling Green took game one of the weekend series by a 3–1 final. The Lakers and Falcons will be back on the ice for the series finale on Saturday, January 17th, with puck drop scheduled for 7:07 p.m. in Bowling Green as LSSU looks to earn a split in CCHA action.