BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State Beavers ended the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves' two-game winning streak with a 4-1 Western Collegiate Hockey Association win Friday at the Sanford Center.
The Seawolves (5-4-0, 2-3-0 WCHA) remain tied for No. 4 in the WCHA with four points, while the Beavers (4-6-1, 4-3-0 WCHA) used a goal in each period and an empty-netter against UAA to leapfrog Bowling Green to No. 2 with eight points. Ferris State leads the league with nine points.
The Seawolves – who are now 3-1-0 when scoring first – struck first with sophomore forward Blake Tatchell's second of the season at 15:14, unassisted. A local of North Battleford, Sask., Tatchell had a shot blocked by a defender before he collected the rebound and wrapped around the net to beat netminder Adam Walsh with a backhand.
The momentum was cut short as the Beavers responded 88 seconds later when Markus Gerbrandt beat senior goaltender Rob Gunderson, top-shelf with a backhander at 16:42. Brad Robbins assisted on the play. Gunderson would keep the game tied going into the first intermission by stopping Robbins with a point-blank, glove save a couple minutes later.
With back-to-back power-play opportunities, the Beavers took their first lead of the night at 7:17 of the second with a strike by Rusian Pedan – UAA's first power-play goal allowed since Nov. 1 against Bowling Green. BSU would extend its lead to two at 8:01 of the third with Danny Mattson's man-advantage tally.
The Beavers would set the final 4-1 score with an empty-net goal, 21 seconds remaining in the game.
The Seawolves allowed a season-high 33 shots on goal by the Beavers, while finding the net 27 times. Gunderson (3-3-0), making his fourth straight start in net, registered 29 saves in the loss, while Walsh improved to 4-6-1 with 26 stops.
UAA was scoreless on four power-play opportunities, while BSU capitalized on 2-of-6 attempts. The Seawolves were tagged for six penalties, serving 12 minutes and the Beavers spend eight minutes in the box.
The Seawolves and Beavers will square off 30 minutes earlier tomorrow at 4:07 p.m. AST.
