GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Ralph Engelstad Arena) - Bemidji State’s Nikki Eckebrecht (Hamilton, Ontario) picked up a goal and an assist in Bemidji State’s 2-1 comeback victory over the Fighting Sioux this afternoon. Eckebrecht scored the game tying goal for the Beavers and picked up an assist on Bemidji State’s game-winning goal.

North Dakota came out and controlled most of the first period of play as the Fighting Sioux outshot the Beavers 11-to-5. With some outstanding goaltending by Emily Brookshaw (Webster, Wis.) the Beavers were able to keep the score at a 0-0 deadlock going into the first intermission.

North Dakota picked up the game’s first goal at 9:06 of the second period, as Casie Hanson tallied her second marker of the season with help from Jade Schirado and Kelsey Fletcher. The puck was fired on net and Hanson picked up the loose rebound and squeaked the puck by Emily Brookshaw to give North Dakota a 1-0 lead.

The 1-0 lead lasted just 1:21 seconds. BSU balanced the scoreboard at the 10:27 mark when Nikki Eckebrecht (Hamilton, Ontario) picked up her second goal of the weekend and her third of the series with an assist from Kelly Hart (Ajax, Ontario). The assist was Hart’s team-leading eight assist of the season.

Bemidji State broke the 1-1 tie at 13:22 of the third period on the fifth goal of the season by Kelly Hart (Ajax, Ontario). Nina Ziegenhals (Sandt Augustin, Germany) took a pass from NIkki Eckebrecht (Hamilton, Ontario) and Ziegenhals found Hart in front of the North Dakota net for Bemidji State’s first lead of the contest. Hart’s goal proved to be the eventual game-winning goal.

Brookshaw continued to play stellar in net for the Beavers which helped the Beavers hold on to a 2-1 victory stopping all six shots that she faced in the third period.

With the victory this afternoon at the Ralph Engelstad Arena the Beavers picked up its second Western
Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) sweep of the season and its second series sweep in a row over the Fighting Sioux. Bemidji State improved its win streak over North Dakota to five games with the 2-1 victory.

Brookshaw saved 25 of 26 shots faced in 60:00 of work, seeing her record improve to 6-11-2 on the season. With the victory Brookshaw moved into second place in career wins with 16.

Brittany Kirkham saved 19 of 21 shots faced in 59:20 of work, seeing her record fall to 59:20 on the season.

North Dakota out shot Bemidji State 26-to-21 in the contest.

The teams drew a combined 10 penalties on the afternoon, six minor penalties on Bemidji State and four minor penalties on North Dakota. Neither team was able to take advantage of the man-advantage as Bemidji State went 0-for-3 on the power-play while North Dakota was 0-for-5 on the man-advantage.
With the weekend sweep BSU’s all-time record against North Dakota improved to 9-8-1 and to 6-4-0 in Grand Forks, N.D.

Bemidji State (7-11-2 / 5-8-1 WCHA) will have a couple weeks off over Christmas break and will be in action again on Jan. 5-6, 2007 as they will travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State. Opening faceoffs for the two-game set are slated for 6:07 p.m. and 3:07 p.m., respectively.

--beavers--