BEMIDJI, Minn. - The Bemidji State women’s hockey team hadn’t played a game in nearly three weeks, and that might have been just the break it needed.

The Beavers returned to action Saturday afternoon by scoring four first-period goals en route to a 4-1 win over Vermont at John Glas Fieldhouse.

Lisa Kissick (Jr., Carman, Manitoba) got things started by blasting her first goal of the season into the net just 8:38 into the game. Brooke Collins (Jr., Pilot Mound, Manitoba) and Jessica Pullar (Sr., Elk River, Minn.) added assists on the goal that gave the Beavers their third 1-0 lead of the season.

BSU followed that up by jumping out to two, three and four goal leads. The Beavers have had two and three goal leads just once this year, both coming in the first win of the season, which was a 3-2 victory over Robert Morris on Nov. 16. This was the first four-goal lead of the season.

Ashley Leopold (So., Afton, Minn.) was whistled for checking 11:44 into the game, but it was the Beavers who took advantage of the Vermont power play. Erin Cody (Fr., Roseville, Minn.) stole a Catamount pass deep in their territory and, at the 12:49 mark, fired a one-timer top shelf past the UV goaltender for her second goal of the year, giving Bemidji State its second short-handed goal of the season and the first since the opening game of the 2007-08 campaign when Julie Rising (Fr., Millbrae, Calif.) scored short-handed against Minnesota State, Mankato. The two goals tied last year’s mark of short-handed goals in a season.

It didn’t take BSU long to add another goal, when Annie Bauerfeld (Fr., Woodbury, Minn.) scored at the 14:25 mark with assists from Cody and Wendy Bergh (Jr., Hallock, Minn.). Cody helped on her third career goal and Bergh notched her second career assist and point.

Tara Hiscock (Sr., Turtle River, Minn.) scored her first goal of the season and the 29th of her career with 3:15 remaining in the opening period. Kissick and Pullar added helpers on the goal, giving them the first and fourth multi-point games of their careers, respectively. Pullar tied her career high with two assists in the game, which was the second time she had accomplished the feat in her career and the first since Nov. 6, 2004.

Molly Morrison prevented the shutout by scoring a power-play goal with 3:56 left in the second period off assists by Jackie Thode and Saleah Morrison.

Emily Brookshaw (Sr., Webster, Wisc.) had 20 saves and allowed just the one goal in net for the Beavers. She improved to 2-13-3 on the season, increased her incredible save percentage to .927 and lowered her goals against average to 2.47. Kristen Olychuck (4-9-1) took the loss after allowing the four first-period goals and saving 31 shots.

Brookshaw now has 2,553 career saves, which puts her fourth all-time in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for most goals in a career.

The Beavers improved to 2-14-3 on the year and the Catamounts fell to 4-10-1, and have now goen 0-10-1 in their last 11 games. BSU moves to 2-0-1 all-time against Vermont and 2-5-1 against teams for the Hockey East Association.

Cody was credited with the game-winning goal, and now both game-winners have been scored by freshmen (Keeta Koalska (Forest Lake, Minn.)).

Bemidji State has now scored seven first-period goals, tying with the third period for most goals per period. The 4-0 lead after the opening frame was the first lead after one period all season, and the 4-1 lead after the second period was the second lead after two periods this year, with the other coming in the victory over Robert Morris.

BSU outshot the Catamounts 35-21, which tied for the most shots attempted this season and is the first time the Beavers have won when outshooting their opponent.

The four goals were the most scored since a 4-1 win over North Dakota Jan. 12, 2007. This also marked just the 12th time in school history the Beavers have scored at least four goals in a single period, and the first time since Jan. 25, 2003. BSU sports a 10-1-1 record in games when scoring at least four goals in one period.

BSU has already scored more goals this series than it has in any series so far this year, and will look to add to that total while sweeping its first opponent of the year during Sunday’s matchup with the Catamounts. The game will be played in the Glas and the puck is set to drop at 2:07 p.m.

NOTES: BSU went 0-for-4 on the power play while the Catamounts were 1-for-7...Bemidji State dominated in faceoffs, winning 37 out of 55...Hiscock, Franny Dorr (So., Roseville, Minn.), Monica Rawlings (Jr., Maplewood, Minn.) Cody, Bergh and Pullar were all better than .500 on their faceoffs. Hiscock 14-and-5, Dorr was 8-and-2, Rawlings was 6-and-2, Cody was 3-and-1, Bergy and Pullar were both 1-0.

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