Nov. 12, 2004
[box score]
BEMIDJI, Minn. - The Bemidji State women’s hockey team generated a pair of power-play goals, but Minnesota State bested its mark by tallying three power-play markers to solidify a 5-2 win Friday at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. The Beavers have now recorded a goal with a player advantage in four consecutive games.
The two teams traded scores in the first period of play with each team scoring one goal. Minnesota State opened the game’s scoring at 5:13 of the first period with a power-play goal by Melanie Salatino. Sophomore Nikki Eckebrecht (Hamilton, Ontario) put the Beavers on the board just over two minutes later when she took a pass from junior Carly Napier (Toronto, Ontario) and blasted a quick shot near the right circle past goaltender Brittni Kehler to extended her point scoring streak to three games. Eckebrecht’s score was her fourth of the year, while Napier notched the second helper of the year on the goal.
The second stanza showcased four goals, three of which came on the power-play. Kerri Wallace put the visitors ahead 2-1 with a tally just 20 seconds into the period.
Bemidji State then erupted with back-to-back power-play lamplighters at 5:37 and 11:36 of the second period. Rookie Tara Hiscock (Bemidji, Minn.) used passes from sophomore Kelly Hart (Ajax, Ontario) and Jenny Schnickel (Coon Rapids, Minn.) and skated in near the front of the net and hoisted a top-shelf shot past Kehler to secure her second goal of her career. Hart’s helper was her team-leading fifth of the year and squad-best ninth point. Schnickel captured her first point of her final season with the second assist.
Carly Napier gave the Beavers their first lead of the contest at the 11:36 mark of the second frame after she knocked home a rebound off Sarah Zuelke’s stick. After chipping in a goal and assist on Friday, the junior center has recorded two consecutive multi-point games, a first for any Bemidji State player this season. Zuelke garnered her first point of the year with an assist, while junior Mandy Bambrough (Toronto, Ontario) was also credited with an assist on Napier’s goal, her second of 2004-05.
Minnesota State turned the tempo of the game back into its favor for the rest of the game, however, as the Mavericks converted two additional power-play opportunities with goals from Richelle St. Croix at 14:17 of the second period and Alycia Wilson at the 6:22 mark of the final period to regain a 4-3 lead over Bemidji State.
The Beavers had one final chance to tie the game up at 4-4 on the power-play with 1:37 left in regulation. BSU head coach Bruce Olson pulled his netminder freshman Emily Brookshaw (Webster, Wis.) to give the his team a favorable 5-on-3 advantage, but the move proved unsuccessful, as MSU’s Amanda Stohr tapped in an empty-net goal to put the game out of reach for Bemidji State.
The two teams each fired 30 shots in the game, but BSU outshot MSU 22-18 in the final two periods.
Brookshaw made 25 saves in a losing effort compared to Brittni Kehler who turned aside 27 Beaver shots to earn her second win of the year for the Mavericks.
Bemidji State will seek a series split with Minnesota State on Saturday at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. The puck will drop at 2:05 p.m.
Notes: BSU is winless in eight straight games against MSU, dating back to Oct. 25, 2002, when the Beavers handed the Mavericks a 6-2 loss at All Seasons Arena. By tallying a power-play goal in Saturday’s game Bemidji State has converted on five of its last 21 power-play chances, a span of four games. Freshman Jessica Pullar’s three-game point scoring streak was snapped in Saturday’s loss. Mandy Bambrough, Kelly Hart, Tara Hiscock and Carly Napier each netted points for the second straight game.
