HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Von Braun Arena) - On a night in which special teams were major contributors for both teams, it was an even-strength goal by sophomore Chris McKelvie (New Brighton, Minn.) late in the third period that would get the Bemidji State University men's ice hockey team to overtime and out of Huntsville, Alabama with three points after a 3-0 victory Friday and a 3-3 tie tonight in the first series of the season versus University of Alabama-Huntsville.

Of the six goals that were recorded in the contest, three came on the power-play, one was a short-handed and two came with the teams playing five-on-five hockey, although one came before a player could return to play after a new expired penalty.

Special teams scoring should have seemed a bit foreign to the Beavers Saturday as they went into the game ridding a streak of more than 134 minutes without allowing a power-play goal and Chris Peluso (So., D, Wadena, Minn.) netted the first BSU goal on the man advantage since Cody Bostock's (Jr., D, Salmon Arm, British Columbia) lamp-lighter up a man versus St. Cloud State University Oct. 27th. The goal, a bullet through traffic with 6:26 gone in the first period, was the first of Peluso's collegiate career. Graham McManamin (So., D, Anchorage, Alaska) and Joey Moggach (So., F, Brandon, Manitoba) were credited with assists on the play.

Eight minutes and six seconds later (14:32), the Chargers would even the score, at 1-1, just 21-seconds into a 5-on-3 situation. UAH would add another power-play tally (16:01) before Travis Winter (Jr., C, St. Cloud, Minn.) could escape from the box to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission.

UAH gave the Beavers their second power-play opportunity of the game at the 5:01 mark when Tyler Hilbert was be whistled for interference. Although BSU was not able to score during the two minutes Hilbert served in the box, Winter netted his fourth goal of the season before Hilbert could return to play to even the score, 2-2 (7:02). On the scoring play, UAH's Brandon Roshko was sent to the box for hooking put BSU up a man again, but it was the Chargers' special teams that would come up big on this opportunity as Matt Sweazey posted his second goal of the game finding Matt Climie's (Sr., G, Leduc, Alberta) five-hole for UAH's first short-handed marker of 2007-08 (7:26).

Before time would run out on the second stanza, McKelvie would knot the score at 3-3. The sophomore skated the puck behind the net and wrapped it around to feed Tyler Lehrke (Sr., F, Park Rapids, Minn.) for a one-timer. The Charger goaltender Blake MacNicol would get a pad on the shot but McKelvie's stick pushed the loose puck past the goalie (15:47).

A scoreless third period would force the teams to decide the game in extra time marking the first overtime contest for each team this season.

Both BSU and UAH would have one power-play chance in the extra session and Bemidji State managed to out shoot the Chargers 2-0, but neither team would find the back of the net settling for the 3-3 tie.

In all, 12 penalties were called against BSU as the Beavers spent 32 minutes in the box, including a 10-minute penalty called on Brandon Marino (Jr., F, Riverside, Calif.) as the third period got underway. The Beavers gave UAH nine power-play opportunities with the Chargers making good on two of them.

BSU was 1-for-4 on the man advantage.

Coming off consecutive shutout victories, Climie in net for the Beavers' third consecutive game, turned away a total of 24 shots to gain the tie and move to 3-1-1 on the season.

Alabama-Huntsville's MacNicol also made 24 saves in the contest to bring his 2007-08 record to 1-3-1.

The Beavers improve to 20-26-3 all-time versus UAH and are now 6-17-2 when facing the Chargers on their home ice. BSU has posted a 8-1-2 record versus UAH since Mar. 6, 2006.

The three points the Beavers (4-5-1; 2-1-1 CHA) take out of Huntsville slide BSU into second place in the College Hockey America standings, just one point behind defending conference champion Niagara University. BSU continues league play on the road next weekend as it travels to Wayne State University for a two-game set. Each contest is scheduled for a 6:05 p.m. start.

--bsu--