BEMIDJI, Minn. (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) — No. 18 Niagara University extended its unbeaten streak versus Bemidji State University to five games Friday using a third-period short-handed goal to hold off the Beavers and gain a 3-2 victory in the College Hockey America opener for both teams.

After playing to a 1-1 tie to finish the second period, the Purple Eagles posted a pair of goals during the first 10 minutes of the final stanza to make the difference in the contest and claim two points in a race to defend their CHA championship.

The Beavers came out of the gates strong to dominate the first period and held a 12-4 advantage on shots on goal but failed to score despite creating several quality scoring opportunities. Between the strong BSU offensive attack and the play of its defenders, BSU’s goaltender Orlando Alamano (Jr., Fresno, Calif.) didn’t face a shot on net during the first 12:21 of play.

Entering period two locked in a scoreless tie, it was the Beavers that first lit the scoreboard when Blaine Jarvis (Sr., F, Gladstone, Manitoba) scored his team-leading third goal of the season, dragging the puck across the slot and sliding it just under the open glove hand of the Niagara goaltender. Sophomore Joey Moggach (F, Brandon, Manitoba) and second-year defender Chris Peluso (So, Wadena, Minn.) each recorded their first assists of the season to help put BSU up 1-0. But before the time would expire on the period, Niagara’s Egor Mironov would net the equalizer with help from Vince Rocco and Bryan Hacyk to send the teams to the locker rooms with the score knotted at 1-1.

Niagara would break the tie jut 5:26 seconds into the final stanza when Trevor Foster came out of traffic in the corner to feed Ryan Annesley on top of the right face off circle for a slap shot that beat Alamano.

During the tenth minute NU would build a two-goal lead, 3-1, short a man. With 8:16 on the clock, Tylor Simpson was whistled for tripping a BSU player in front of the Niagara net to give the Beavers their third power-play chance of the evening. One-minute, 28-seconds into the BSU man advantage, Rocco would come up with the puck and feed Haczyk to finish the 2-on-1 short-handed play.

Sophomore John Vadnais (D, Stillwater, Minn.) would fire a shot form the point past Juliano Pagliero for his first goal of the season to reel the visitors to within a goal, 3-2 with 9:10 to play in regulation. BSU head coach would elect to pull Alamano with 1:20 go to use an extra skater on the attack but the Beavers were unable to pull off any last-second heroics versus Niagara this time, falling for the fifth consecutive game.

Special teams were a virtual non-factor in the contest as each team failed to score on any of their three power-play opportunities.

Alamano made 15 saves in the contest as he fell to 1-2-0 on the season.

Niagara’s Pagliero recorded 12 saves in the first, nine during the second and 13 in the final period to finish with 34 saves in the win. He is 4-1-0 in 2007-08.

Niagara (5-1-0 overall; 1-0-0 CHA) improves to 17-11-7 in the all-times series and pulls up to 7-5-5 all-time at the Glas.

The Beavers, 2-5-0 on the season and 0-1-0 in CHA play, look to put an end to their current five-game losing skid tomorrow when they host the Purples Eagles for the second game of the two-game set. Opening face off is set for 7:05 p.m. at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse.

Notes: With a 36-18 advantage in shots on goal Friday, BSU has now out shots its opponents by a 229-153 margin yet has been out scored 17-12... BSU drops fifth straight or first time since it lost five in a row during the 2002-03 season...The current BSU three-game skid at home is its first since it lost five straight at the Glas during the 2000-01 season... Failing to net a power-play goal on three chances Friday, BSU is now 2-31 on the man advantage.

--bsu--