[2] Through two months Bowling Green scored no fewer than 4 goals in each of their games and though they started out with Wayne Collins in net (their only goaltender with NCAA experience) Gary Kruzich soon became the go-to goalie.

The Falcons regained their footing when they played at home for the first time in over a month against Northern Michigan and after earning 3 points against Illinois–Chicago in early February Bowling Green guaranteed themselves their third consecutive CCHA title.

Kruzich kept the Falcons in the game but future NHLer Glenn Healy couldn't be beaten and in the second overtime WMU scored to end Bowling Green's chance at the conference championship.

Even with losing three consecutive games Bowling Green still had the second best record in the country and the selection committee gave them an at-large bid, slotting them third in the west.

The miraculous turnaround sent Bowling Green to Lake Placid for the second time that season where the Falcons faced the #1 offensive team and the only squad with more wins (33), Michigan State.

Bristling with talent and possessing Hobey Baker Award winner Tom Kurvers, UMD looked to get the jump on Bowling Green early but it was Garry Galley who notched the game's first goal with a shot that somehow found its way through a mass of bodies.

Bowling Green had a good opportunity to tie the game late on a power play but they couldn't convert and as the clock kept ticking it appeared that Minnesota–Duluth was going to win the national title.

With both teams exhausted leading BG scorer Dan Kane found Gino Cavallini alone in front of the net and the sophomore backhanded the puck past Kosti's leg to end the longest championship game in NCAA history (as of 2019).