After eight months without competitive play, the No. 18-ranked Bowling Green Falcons have picked up the 2020-21 season right where they left off in a demonstrable show of vengeance.

The premature cancellation of the 2019-20 season left fans and programs mutually disappointed with the loss of the NCAA Tournament and subsequent lack of closure.

Prior to the mid-March cancellation stemming from COVID-19, the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs — back-to-back national champs — were loaded up for a potential three-peat. Additionally, a strong group of seniors returned motivated to bring home a national title for the Minnesota State Mavericks after several powerhouse years.

Then there was Bowling Green: the Falcons were riding a 10-game unbeaten streak, the longest active streak in the NCAA before the season was scrapped. The Falcons were on an 8-0-2 run at the time of the season’s cancellation and were reinforcing their bid for a second tournament berth in as many years.

There are other programs that likely feel their tournament berths and subsequent chances at a title were ripped away, likely fueling the drive for the 2020-21 season — however the framework of the season may ultimately end up looking.

But even after eight months, the Falcons have stretched their unbeaten streak to 10-0-2 following a pair of wins over NCAA Division III Adrian College; the NCHA program is patchworking its own schedule from week to week for the 2020-21 season, which has included four DI games through seven contests. 

On the surface, a pair of wins for the No. 18-ranked Falcons over a D-III team would be easy to misjudge, but in 13 years as a program, the Bulldogs have won 11 conference titles, eight playoff titles, and been cracked the Frozen Four.

Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Bulldogs hold a 133-34-10 overall record; they know what it takes to win. Add in the Bulldogs No. 4-rank prior to the D-III 2019-20 NCAA Tournament being canceled—and among the favorites for a deep run—and it is clear they were no pushover for Bowling Green.

The Bulldogs carried a 3-0 start into their first game with the Falcons, which included a 5-3 win over the USA U-18 Team, a team that sat 6-0 itself at the time and often makes for good competition in NCAA exhibition games.

The series will go a long way in the Falcons getting back into the swing of legitimate competition and away from intrateam scrimmages. Anything short of their sweep could have made for weakened confidence ahead of regular WCHA play.

Last season Ty Eigner took over as head coach following Chris Bergeron’s departure to coach alma mater Miami of Ohio. Bergeron, who took over a three-win team in 2010-11 and led it to five consecutive 20-win seasons between 2014-19, was replaced by Eigner, who had been a member of Bergeron’s staff since day one.

His familiarity with the team went a long way last season, but 2020-21 will be a different task as Eigner retools his systems to make up for the loss of captain and star defenseman Alec Rauhauser. Rauhauser, the team’s leading scorer in two of the past three seasons, was a strong two-way presence on the blue line and quarterback on the nation’s seventh-best powerplay.

The Falcons’ success and Rauhauser’s play often went hand in hand. Replacing Rauhauser will be a difficult task given his 35 points more than doubled next-best Falcons’ defenseman, Will Cullen, who scored 16 points last season.

The pair of games with Adrian offered Eigner a chance to test some ways to offset the departure of Rauhauser, which led to a combined 11-2 score over the Bulldogs.

But Robert Morris will be stiffer competition Tuesday night with their surprising 3-1 record following just four wins in their final 15 games in 2019-20. The Falcons will need to expect a confident Colonials team ready to defend their home rink, where they have gone 3-1.

Following their game with the Colonials, the Eigner and the Falcons will play a home-and-home with the Mercyhurst Lakers, who will play their first games of 2020-21. The Lakers went 5-29-2 last season and have just one win since Nov. 16, 2019.

The Falcons’ chances of extending their streak are in their favor, but every game is pivotal in finding consistency in new systems and new roles in an ever-changing 2020-21 season.

Have a question or a comment for Jacob Messing? You can find him on Twitter @Jacob_Messing.