Instead, they were 50 feet away from their section – trying to make it back from an MSU goal that was scored only 26 seconds earlier.

The two quick MSU goals in the third period tied the game and then gave the Spartans a lead which they would carry through the rest of the period en route to a 3-2 victory over Bowling Green on Friday night.

“You went from a game where you were really frustrated and didn’t have a good feel to it and then all of a sudden you are ahead and the whole mentality changes,” MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

The victory extends the Spartans’ (10-18-5 overall, 7-14-4-3 CCHA) unbeaten streak to five games.

Two of the Spartans goals came off the sticks of MSU’s top two point getters, senior forward Matt Schepke and freshman forward Daultan Leveille.

But the third, and eventual game-winning goal, came from the most unlikely of candidates – as freshman defenseman Brock Shelgren scored his first collegiate goal.

Comley said he didn’t like the way his team competed in the first two periods when they fell behind 2-1 going into the final frame, and there was reason for concern, as the Spartans were 1-14-0 in games where they trailed going into the third period.

But Leveille said the Spartans rallied and put together what he called “our best third period in a long time.”

“Usually the third periods go the other way for us,” Leveille said. “They score on us in the third period and turn things around on us. But this time we made a comeback in the third.”

The Falcons opened up the scoring at 13:44 of the first period on the power play when a shot from the point made its way through traffic and beat senior goaltender Jeff Lerg.

At the 16:25 mark, the Spartans looked to get on the board. Schepke flew down the left wing and burned a defenseman before dishing the puck out to junior forward Jay Sprague who was wide open in front of the net. But the puck had too much pace, and Sprague was unable to deflect it into the net.

Then with 1:17 left, Schepke again set up an offensive opportunity. He threaded the needle and sent a crisp pass through the neutral zone that sprung sophomore forward Dustin Gazley on a breakaway. Gazley made a quick deke and brought the puck to his backhand, but was unable to elevate it – resulting in a right pad save from Bowling Green goaltender Jimmy Spratt.

At the start of the second period, the Falcons came flying out of the gates and recorded six shots before the Spartans could record one.

But the tides quickly turned in favor of MSU six minutes into the second period when Schepke was off on a breakaway for the Spartans. However Bowling Green’s Brian Moore caught up with Schepke and dumped him to the ice.

A penalty was called and Schepke made the Falcons pay on the ensuing power play.

Schepke had the puck at the right boards and circled through the high slot before unleashing a slapshot that beat Spratt to his stick-side.

The Falcons kept the pressure on the Spartans late in the second period and Lerg was forced to make a handful of spectacular saves — the best coming with 6:14 left when he went post-to-post to make a blocker save on a shot ripped from the high slot.

However, with 5:20 left in the middle frame, the Falcons were able to get one by Lerg when a Bowling Green forward was left unmarked in front of the Spartans net and simply had to deflect a pass from the corner into the net.

Instead of hanging their heads after falling behind again, the Spartans regrouped and battled hard in the third period.

MSU’s determination paid off and at 6:06 when Leveille notched the game at 2-2. He received a pass at the blueline and split through two Falcons defenders before firing a quick snap shot into the top shelf from what seemed to be an impossibly close angle.

“I made it though the first defenseman and they collapsed,” Leveille said. “The puck bounced on me and I just got it through the two (defensemen). I knew Spratt was going to go down, expecting it not to go up, so I just had to get it up high. I was fortunate to get it right under the bar.”

Then 26 seconds later, with the same line on the ice, Shelgren took a slapshot from the blueline near the right boards that traveled through numerous bodies in front and past Spratt to give the Spartans the lead.

“I was coming in from a line change and they tried chipping it out,” Shelgren said. “It was right there for me and I just wound up and tried to put it on net and it went in for me. So it just worked out.

“I watched it go in, but I was still kind of surprised.”

The Spartans had two lengthy 5-on-3 power plays in the third period but were able to convert to cushion the one goal lead.

But more importantly, MSU sealed up the victory and didn’t allow Bowling Green to tie the game.

“I’ve been really encouraged that our best period has been our third period the last couple games,” Comley said. “We cut down the shots against and increase the shots for and we outscore our opponents in the third period.”

The Spartans will look to complete the weekend sweep at 5:05 p.m. tomorrow at BGSU Ice Arena – a game which Shelgren thinks will present a new set of challenges for the Green and White.

“I’m sure they will be a lot more fired up, especially after losing one like they did tonight,” Shelgren said. “Because it’s their senior night they will be a lot more fired up for that too.”