BEMIDJI, Minn. (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) — The Bemidji State University men's hockey team got three third-period goals and junior goaltender Orlando Alamano (Fresno, Calif.) turned away all 22 Army shots as the Beavers completed the two-game series sweep over the Black Knights Saturday with a 3-0 victory.

Alamano and his corps of defenders turned in a superb performance. Aiding in the goaltender's first collegiate shutout, the Beavers blocked another 10 Army shots and created havoc for the Black Knights all evening.

Freshman Jamie Ruff (F,Rochester, Minn.) netted his first goal wearing the Green and White, giving BSU a 1-0 lead over Army early in the third period. Chris McKelvie (So., F, New Brighton, Minn.) and fellow rookie Ian Lowe (F, Bradwardine, Manitoba) were each credited with assists on the play. The helper was also the first collegiate point for Lowe.

Matt Pope (Sr., F, Langley, British Columbia) and Blaine Jarvis (Sr., F, Gladstone, Manitoba) each added empty-net goals during the final 25 seconds to secure the victory.

The Beavers came out of the gates aggressively from the drop of the puck. During the first period, BSU out shot the Black Knights 12-3.

BSU had multiple quality scoring chances during the period, but each time Jay Clark came up with the save. During the 12th minute, Riley Weselowski (Sr., D, Pilot Mound, Manitoba) generated a turnover as the Black Knights attempted to skate the puck into the BSU zone. He hit Pope in stride, who had beaten the defense, who returned the pass only for Weselowski's shot to be stopped by Clark.

Later in the stanza, Brandon Marino (Jr., F, Riverside, Calif) used his speed to break away from the Black Knight defenders for a 1-on-1 with the Army goaltender. Clark again stymied the BSU opportunity as the teams went into the first intermission locked at 0-0.

The second period was a 360-degree switch from the first 20 minutes. Army came out as the aggressor peppering Alamano with 13 shots against just three for BSU. But the BSU backstop would keep the Beavers in the game stopping all 13 second-period attempts to keep the score even at 0-0.

The third period belonged to BSU. The Beavers fired 13 shots on goal during the final 20 minutes with Ruff's lamplighter making the difference 4:11 into the period.

Alamano, now 4-2-0 on his career and 1-0-0 in 2007-08, posted his first win since a Jan. 6th victory versus Wayne State (Mich). It was the first BSU shutout since Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) posted 21 saves in a 1-0 win over Wayne State Dec. 1, 2006.

Army's Clark stopped 25 BSU shots falling to 0-1-0 on the year.

The win extends the Beavers' winning streak over Army to four games as the team is now 4-0 versus the Black Knights all-time.

The Beavers, 2-0-0 on the season, continue non-conference play next weekend when they host Merrimack College of Hockey East. The series is set for a 7:35 p.m. start Friday at the John Glas Fieldhouse with the finale scheduled for 7:05 Saturday.

--bsu--