BEMIDJI, Minn. -- (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) -- The nationally-ranked Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team swept College Hockey America foe Robert Morris University Saturday at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse, 6-1, enlisting scoring help from 13 different skaters.
The victory brings the Beavers’ record to 7-0-1 overall and 4-0-0 in CHA play, while it extends their NCAA Division I-leading unbeaten streak to eight games. Undefeated through its first eight games, BSU is off to its best start since the 1984-85 squad opened the season 11-0-0.
For the seventh time in eight games, the Beavers were first to light their side of the scoreboard and once head coach Tom Serratore and his crew got the ball rolling, they didn’t look back.
Darcy Findlay (So., F, Bristol, Quebec) opened the scoring, netting his first goal of the season 8:46 into the first period. Emil Billberg (Jr., Stockholm, Sweden) and Brad Hunt (So., D, Ridge Meadows, British Columbia), who each posted multi-point nights, were each credited with an assist on the play. While the multi-point night was the first of Billberg’ career, Hunt’s three-assist outing is the third of the season and the 12th of his career.
Bemidji State built a 3-0 lead midway through the second when Tyler Lehrke (Sr., F, Park Rapids, Minn.) and Ian Lowe (Jr., F, Bradwardine, Manitoba) potted goals separated by 1:48.
RMU got an odd goal to break up the shutout before time would expire on the second period. A Denny Urban shot touched both posts and after a conference by the crew of officials, the Colonials were credited with a power-play goal and the teams skated to the third period with the Beavers ahead 3-1. The power-play marker was the first allowed by the Beavers in CHA play this season, snuffing out their opponents’ first 15 man-advantage opportunities.
The floodgates opened for BSU during the final 20 minutes. Already up by two goals, the Beavers added three more in the final stanza to win the game going away.
Matt Read (Jr., F, Ilderton, Ontario) put an end to the Beavers’ power-play slump netting his team-leading seventh goal of 2009-10 just 45-seconds into the third. The goal extended the junior’s scoring streak to five games and stood as his second point of the night and 22nd multi-point effort of his career.
Down 4-1, just 1:36 into the third, Robert Morris was supplied with its best opportunity of the night. BSU forward Jamie MacQueen (So., St. Thomas, Ontario) was whistled for a five-minute, high-sticking penalty setting up with a five-minute RMU power-play opportunity, but the BSU penalty-kill unit stood strong keeping the Colonial scoring opportunities to a minimum to protected the three-goal lead.
Rookie Jordan George (Fr., F, Madison, Wis.) potted his second goal in as many nights to put BSU up 5-1 with 2:39 to play. Ryan Adams (Jr., F, Deloraine, Manitoba) started the play with a pass out the boards to Aaron McLeod (Fr., F, Ottawa, Ontario), who found George on the left post.
Billberg netted his first goal of the season 50-seconds later to give the Beavers a five-goal lead, 6-1.
Each team was successful on 1-of-5 power-play opportunities, while the Beavers out shot the Colonials 40-28, which included a 17-shot first period for BSU.
Dan Bakala (So., G, Calgary, Alberta) turned away 27 RMU shots in 59:44 of action, picking up the win to improve to 6-0-1 on the season.
Eric Levine allowed six BSU goals in 59:56 of work between the pipes. Under the constant pressure of the BSU attack all night, he collected 34 saves in the loss.
Bemidji State now shifts its focus from CHA play to non-conference competition. A quick look at the docket reveals a trip to Mariucci Arena to face the University of Minnesota is facing the Beavers. The highly-anticipated match up with the Golden Gophers Nov. 14-15 marks the first time BSU and Minnesota have clashed since the 2003-04 campaign. The series gets underway Saturday with a 7:37 p.m. opening face off and will conclude with a rare Sunday evening affair (6:07 p.m.).
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