BEMIDJI, Minn. - Emily Brookshaw (Webster, Wisc.) saved a shot from a Wisconsin player late in the second period Saturday afternoon at John Glas Fieldhouse to give her the all-time record for saves by a Bemidji State women’s hockey player.

That was only the beginning for the Beavers in terms of setting records.

Bemidji State (1-10-3, 0-8-2 WCHA) skated to a 0-0 overtime tie against the No. 2-ranked University of Wisconsin Badgers (10-4-2, 6-2-2 WCHA) a day removed from being defeated 7-0. This marked the first time BSU had ever shut out the Badgers, and also snapped a 20-game losing streak to UW that dated back to a 2-2 tie on Dec. 6, 2002.

The Beavers came out of the gates looking like a different team than the one that was defeated the night before. BSU controlled the puck for long stretches of the opening period, and even managed three shots on goal after only attempting one Friday. Bemidji State also allowed only 14 shots to UW, which were all saved by Brookshaw.

Erin Johnson (Fr., Farmington, Minn.) was the only Beaver to go into the penalty box in the first period, which was much better than the four penalties committed in the opening period of the first game of the series.

The second period was more of the same for the two teams. Wisconsin attempted 14 shots, BSU got off three and neither team was able to put one in the net thanks in large part to more unbelievable saves by Brookshaw.

Wisconsin cranked up the offense in the third period, and the Beavers didn’t help themselves by committing three penalties after only having three in the first two periods. The Badgers peppered Brookshaw with 20 shots in the final frame, yet she continued to fend them all off with amazing save after amazing save.

She finished the game with 50 saves, which is a career-high for her in that department. Her previous high was the 47 saves she had in a 4-0 loss to Minnesota Duluth Oct. 13 of this year.

Brookshaw now has 2,405 career saves, which broke the previous record of 2,379 held by Bre Dedrickson (1999-2003). Brookshaw also passed Dedrickson earlier in the season in career games played with 90 to Dedrickson’s 81.

The stellar Bemidji State goaltender also moved into sixth place in Western Collegiate Hockey Association history for career saves. Brookshaw’s career games played are good for eighth all-time in conference history, and she is one shy of tying for seventh on that list. She is ninth all-time in minutes played in WCHA history, and is also tied for 15th with her six career shutouts.

Speaking of shutouts, this was the first time Bemidji State had ever shut out Wisconsin in 36 games played in the series. This was also the first time UW had been shut out since Nov. 24, 2006, when the Badgers were shut out by Minnesota Duluth.

The tie with Bemidji State also marked just the eighth time in the last six years that Wisconsin had been shut out. Minnesota (3), Minnesota Duluth (2), New Hampshire and St. Cloud State are the only other teams that can boast a shut out of the Badgers during that span.

Bemidji State has now shut out a ranked opponent once in each of the last two seasons, with a 2-0 victory over then-No. 8 Minnesota coming on Feb. 9, 2007. This was also just the second time BSU has ever shut out a ranked opponent in its 10-year history. This was the 15th shutout in school history.

The Beavers have now gone three-straight weekends without being swept, but the road doesn’t get any easier next weekend. Bemidji State will leave the comfort of the home crowd for a weekend series (Nov. 30-Dec.1) with the University of Minnesota. Game times are set for 6:07 p.m. and 3:07 p.m., respectively.

NOTES: Erin Cody (Fr., Roseville, Minn.) and Eva Schwaerzler (Fr., Dornbirn, Austria) led the charge for BSU with three shots apiece...Julie Rising (Fr., Millbrae, Calif.) was the only Beaver to win a majority of her faceoffs, going 6-and-5...Every Badger who took more than one faceoff won more than they lost...BSU was 0-for-2 on the power play, and the Beavers fended off six UW power plays...Wisconsin took 14 shots on its power plays, yet were unable to score.

 

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