Noah Morneau scored three times before the game was halfway over Saturday night, leading the Bowling Green State University hockey team to a 5-3 win over Bemidji State at Slater Family Ice Arena and the Falcons’ first 4-0-0 start in conference play since the 1994-95 season, according to BGSU Athletics. The victory completed a weekend sweep of the Beavers, following Friday’s 5-2 win in the series opener.
Morneau opened the scoring in the first period at even strength, finishing a net-front flurry off assists from Brandon Whynott and Ty Higgins, BGSU Athletics reported. He struck again on the power play on a one-timer, with Tyler Hotson and Brody Waters setting up the goal, and Jeremie Minville redirected a shot home to make it 3-0 before Bemidji State answered with a power-play goal in the second period.
Morneau completed the hat trick in the second period on another redirect, assisted by Brayden Crampton and Whynott, pushing the lead to 4-1. It was Morneau’s second hat trick as a Falcon, his third multi-goal game this season and the fifth of his career, according to BGSU Athletics — and the first hat trick by a Bowling Green player since Morneau himself scored three in a 9-5 win over Ferris State on Nov. 14, 2025.
Bemidji State pushed back in the third period, scoring on the power play and again with its net empty for an extra attacker to close within 4-3. Jake Sloan settled it with an empty-net goal in the final minutes, assisted by Breck McKinley and Crampton, for the 5-3 final, BGSU Athletics reported.
Crampton, Hotson and Whynott each recorded two assists for the Falcons, while goaltender Jacob Steinman made 28 saves. Max Martin led Bowling Green with seven shots, and Morneau won 10 faceoffs to go with his three goals, according to BGSU Athletics.
The 4-0-0 start in the CCHA is Bowling Green’s best opening to a conference season in more than three decades — the Falcons last started this fast in league play in 1994-95, when they opened 5-0-0. Doing it with a sweep at home, capped by a hat trick from one of the program’s most productive scorers, gives Bowling Green early control of the conference race.
Bowling Green now takes its perfect conference record on the road, traveling to Northern Michigan for games Nov. 13 and 14, before returning home to Slater Family Ice Arena to host Augustana on Nov. 20-21, according to BGSU Athletics.