DULUTH, Minn. (Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center) - Two third period goals made the difference Friday as the Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team dropped the first half of a non-conference home-and-home series with the University of Minnesota Duluth Friday at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, 5-3.

Despite scoring first, netting a pair of power-play goals and keeping pace with the Bulldogs through two periods of play, the team ran out of gas down the stretch and came up shot in the series for the first time in five meetings.

Bemidji State capitalized on a five-minute major penalty to Minnesota Duluth’s Trent Palm netting the game’s first goal at the 13:17-minute mark. Despite failing to score on a 55-second, 5-on-3 opportunity, senior forward Blaine Jarvis (Gladstone, Manitoba) broke the 0-0 tie on a pass from Graham McManamin (So., D, Anchorage, Alaska) and Matt Pope (Sr., C, Langley, British Columbia).

The Bulldogs responded with a power-play goal of their own just four minutes later (17:16) when Josh Meyers and Andrew Carroll fed MacGregor Sharpe for his fourth goal of the season before the teams would skate off for the first intermission.

Just 1:17 into the second period, Travis Gawryletz was whistled for a penalty and the Beavers again took advantage of the extra player. McManamin netted the first goal of his collegiate career, 42-seconds into the power-play (1:59), on a slap shot from just inside the zone. Fellow defender Chris Peluso (So., Wadena, Minn.) was credited with the assist.

The Bulldogs again evened the score at 2-2 in the sixth minute of play. Justin Fontaine recorded the first goal of his career on assists from Andrew Carroll and Sharpe. The marker was followed by a go-ahead goal by Cody Danberg just 65-seconds later (6:26).

A barrage of BSU shots resulted in the Beavers' third goal of the night. After two rebounds, junior Matt Francis (F., Surrey, British Columbia) slipped the puck behind Alex Stalock from just outside the left post for his second goal of the season. Ian Lowe (Fr., C, Bradwardine, Manitoba) was credited with an assist along with Emil Billberg (Fr., F, Stockholm, Sweden) who recorded his first collegiate point on the play.

Six minutes into the third stanza, UMD’s Jordan Fulton checked the Beavers off the puck and Michael Gergen picked up the loose puck and fired it over the left shoulder of Matt Climie (Sr., G, Leduc, Alberta) to put UMD up for good.

Midway through the period, it looked as though BSU would again reel the Bulldogs in, when Pope skated in front of an lazy UMD pass. The senior appeared to have the goalie leaning, but wasn’t able to snap the shot off and Stalock recovered in time to the make the save and preserve the lead.

With 1:37 to go, the Bulldogs secured the win when Nick Kemp took a pas from Gergen and Fulton and beat the BSU goaltender giving the hosts a two-goal lead.

Despite a time out and a pulled goaltender for the final 1:23, the Beavers were unable to make any headway and dropped the game 5-3.

Climie turned away a total of 25 shots in the contest logging 58:37 between the pipes. The loss moves his season record to 7-4-2.

Stalock earned his seventh victory of 2007-08 making 26 saves in the contest including 12 in the second period.

The loss marked the first for BSU at the hands of UMD since Feb. 6, 2005--a streak spanning four games.

For the second time this season the Beavers were outshot in the contest. UMD used a 10-shot third period to finish the game with a 30 to 29 lead in shots-on-goal. BSU continues to hold a 592-403 (+153) advantage in shots on goal.

With the victory, Minnesota Duluth, 7-6-3 on the season, stretches its lead in the all-time series to 16-6-0.

Bemidji State, now 8-9-2 overall, returns to competition tomorrow when it makes the 150-mile trip back to Bemidji, Minn. to complete the non-conference set with the Bulldogs with the Blue Ox traveling trophy on the line. The puck is set to drop on at 7:05 p.m. at the John Gals Fieldhouse.

--bsu--