MARQUETTE, Mich. — Bowling Green outlasted the Northern Michigan hockey team, 5-3, Saturday night at the Berry Events Center.

The teams entered the third period deadlocked at three apiece. John Schilling gave the Falcons the advantage right before the halfway mark of that frame, and Chris Nell made five of his 27 saves the rest of the way to prevent the Wildcats from evening the score.

Bowling Green took a 1-0 lead at 2:40 of the opening period by capitalizing on a Northern Michigan turnover. Frederic Letourneau came up with the puck and dished it across to Matt Meier for the score.

Brendan Jacques's first career goal tied the game at 7:38. Stationed in the high slot, Jacques deflected a Jordan Klimek point shot through Nell's five hole.

Filip Starzynski gave the Wildcats their first lead of the weekend at 13:17. After Philip Beaulieu went coast to coast, at one point muscling past a Falcon in the neutral zone, he dished the puck to Starzynski just above the right hash mark. Starzynski picked the left corner of the net to put Northern Michigan up by one.

With 49 seconds left on the clock in the period, Bowling Green evened the score when Friedman fired a shot from the point that beat a heavily screened Mathias Israelsson.

Just under four minutes into the middle stanza, Robbie Payne nearly re-gained the Wildcats' lead. After dancing around multiple Falcons in the left circle, he fired a shot on net that Nell just managed to bat away with his glove.

The Falcons regained the lead on Kevin Dufour wraparound strike at the 5:16 mark. But Northern Michigan responded at 18:34 after being awarded its first power play of the game late in the frame.

Seconds after the Sean Walker was released from the box to make a 5-on-3 Wildcat advantage a 5-on-4, Brock Maschmeyer took a Troy Loggins feed and blasted a bullet from just above the slot over Nell's glove.

In the first four minutes of the third period, the top line almost put Northern Michigan back on top. Payne found Darien Craighead alone in front, but Nell managed to make the save and then deny Dominik Shine's attempt to cash in on the rebound.

After Denver Pierce and Ryan Black nearly teamed to give the Wildcats the edge, Schilling went end to end to put Bowling Green ahead instead. Pierce won a battle along the boards in the neutral zone to spring Black behind the defense. Black pulled up and sent the puck back to Pierce, who couldn't get the best shot off. Nell denied Pierce, and the puck kicked out to Schilling, who carried it the length of the ice and then beat Atte Tolvanen stick side at 9:33. 

On a delayed penalty call with 4:17 left in the game, Klimek fired a shot off the right post and out. Payne appeared to net the equalizer just seconds into that man advantage, coming up with a Klimek rebound and sending a backhanded shot on net. Nell barely managed to keep the puck from crossing the line.

Matt Pohlkamp ultimately iced the game with an empty net goal at 18:51.

With the loss, Northern Michigan falls to 3-8-1 (1-6-1 WCHA). The Wildcats return to the ice on Nov. 11-12 at Bemidji State.

NOTES: Bowling Green leads the all-time series, 48-41-9 ... Israelsson and Tolvanen each made 10 saves ... Jacques was playing in his third career game ... Beaulieu's two-assist effort was the second of his collegiate career; he also recorded two at Ferris State on Oct. 21 ... Klimek also finished with two assists, matching his career high set on Dec. 5, 2014 against Bowling Green ... Maschmeyer's goal was his first of the season; he last found the back of the net on Feb. 6, 2016 against Alaska-Anchorage.