BEMIDJI, Minn. (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) -- The Bemidji State University men's ice hockey team got a goal early and clamped down defensively to pull out 4-1 victory over University of Alabama-Huntsville, Friday evening, to advance to the College Hockey America Tournament championship game for the sixth time in program history.

With their backs against he wall in the one-and-done tournament, the Beavers' top line of Matt Francis (Sr., F, Surrey, British Columbia), Matt Read (So., F, Ilderton, Ontario) and Tyler Scofield (Sr., F, Prince George, British Columbia) accounted for three goals and three assists to pace BSU offensive attack. From there, Matt Dalton (So., G, Clinton, Ontario) posted his 16th win of the season after turning away 25 shots in 60 minutes of action, while BSU blocked 21 shots making it tough on the Charger attackers all night.

The Beavers opened the scoring 4:40 into the game when Francis skated the puck into the zone and waited for last possible moment and threaded a pass from the goal line to the tape of Read who was on the back door for his 10th goal of the season.

Bemidji State took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission owning a 15-8 advantage in shots on goal after a solid period. In addition to Dalton's eight saves, the Beavers made it tough for UAH to get to its netminder blocking an additional nine shots.

The Beavers built a 2-0 lead at 1:06 of the second period netting a 5-on-3 power-play marker just 19 seconds into the man advantage. After Matt Baxter was whistled for tripping with Brennan Barker in the penalty box, 2009 CHA Rookie of the Year and first-team selection Brad Hunt (Fr., D, Ridge Meadows, British Columbia) fired a shot from the point and Scofield corralled the rebound and flipped the puck to Francis who buried his 12th marker of the 2008-09.

The Chargers cut the deficit in half just under six minutes into the second. Chris Fairbanks got behind the Bemidji State defensive pair and connected with Joe Federoff, who flipped the puck over the shoulder of Dalton.

With a 2-1 lead to open the third period, Brandon Marino (Sr., F, Riverside, Calif.) supplied BSU with a two-goal lead 2:22 into the stanza. Marino ripped an odd-angle shot from the near boards that caught Cameron Talbot by surprised and dribbled into the net. Chris McKelvie (Jr., F, New Brighton, Minn.) and Jamie MacQueen (Fr., F, London, Ontario) were credited with assists on the play.

The Beavers would add a an insurance goal with 44-seconds to play when Read potted an empty-net goal form the far blue line for the first multi-goal effort of his career. Dalton and Francis were each credited as helpers on the play as Dalton tied Layne Sedevie (2003-07) for the Beaver's Division I era record for career assists by a goaltender.

A key to the Beavers' success down the stretch has been its solid special teams play and tonight the team again won that battle. BSU converted one of its two power-play chances, while it held the Chargers scoreless on three man advantage opportunities.

In addition to Dalton's night between the pipes, Talbot stood in front of 29 shots, including 14 in the second period alone, but allowed three BSU goals and was tagged with the loss. he falls to 2-16-3 ion 2008-09.

Bemidji State, now 17-15-1 overall, draws the No. 3 seed Robert Morris University (10-17-7) in the 2009 CHA Championship game with a berth into the NCAA Tournament on the line. The Beavers are 2-3 all-time in the title game as the Colonials are in just their second championship game and are in search of their first trip to the big dance (0-1). The meeting will mark the seventh meeting between the teams since Jan. 30. BSU owns a 3-2-1 advantage in the season series and are 13-8-2 versus RMU all-time. The title game is set for a 7 p.m. opening face off at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse.