BEMIDJI, Minn. — The Bemidji State women’s hockey team returned to the ice after a 25-day hiatus hosting Minnesota State, Mankato on Friday night at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse. The Mavericks erased a two-goal lead by the Beavers to send the game into overtime. After a scoreless overtime the Mavericks went on to win the shootout 2-1 in three rounds.

“Give credit to Minnesota State for coming back tonight,” said head coach Steve Sertich. “I thought our chances were good in the shootout, but MSU played better tonight.”

The tie gives Bemidji State (6-11-4, 5-6-4-3 WCHA) one point in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings, while Minnesota State (4-6-5, 2-6-5-3) picks up two for the shoot-out win.

BSU looked a bit rusty starting off the first period getting out-shot 13-9, but the Beavers played to a 0-0 stalemate after the first.

In the second period, the Beavers found their stride netting two goals while out-shooting MSU 14-10.

Erin Cody (Jr., Roseville, Minn.) picked up her 11th goal of the season off a Minnesota State turnover. Erika Wheelhouse (Fr., Crookston, Minn.) stole the puck away from a Maverick winger along the boards while trying to break out. She then dished it off to Cody who skated into the slot and fired a shot at the top right corner of the net. MSU goaltender Paige Thunder got her glove on it, but ended up flicking the puck up and over her before trickling past the goal line.

Minutes later Bemidji State would go on the power play off of a slashing call. This time sophomore defenseman Montana Vichorek (Moose Lake, Minn.) would do the scoring. She received the puck after it was cycled by Franny Dorr (Sr., Roseville, Minn.) and Erika Wheelhouse. She then fired a shot from the point and put it top shelf past Thunder.

The Beavers would skate into the third period with the 2-0 lead.

Having gone winless in over a month, Minnesota State wasn’t ready to roll over that easily. Coming out in the third, the Mavericks put two quick ones in, tying the game up at 2-2 just under three minutes into the period. Bemidji State rode out the Maverick storm in the third period to go into an overtime period. Just before the end of the period however, the Beavers were caught with six skaters on the ice and had to enter OT down one player for a minute and a half of playing time.

The Mavericks erased the man advantage quickly into the OT period as they were assessed a penalty of their own. Moira O’Connor was called for hooking and enabled BSU to go on the power play. Unfortunately for the Beavers they were unable to score the game winner they were looking for after outshooting MSU 3-0 in OT and were forced to take the tie.

In the shootout Minnesota State went first sending Ashley Young. Zuzana Tomcikova (So., Bratislava, Slovakia) made the save to her right for her 15th shoot-out save of the season. Cody went first for the Beavers and put the puck in the back of the net to give BSU a 1-0 lead in the shooutout. However, MSU would score with their next two shooters, while Thunder put up a brick wall stopping Vichorek and Annie Bauerfeld (Jr., Woodbury, Minn.).

The one point for the tie now brings Bemidji State to 17 points in the WCHA standings. Wisconsin sits in third place, still with 19 points after losing to North Dakota 3-1 Friday night. The Beavers also increase their lead to three points over fifth place Ohio State after the Buckeyes dropped Friday’s game to Minnesota 5-2.

Bemidji State is now 12.1 percent (11-91) on the power play and 82.5 percent (80-97) on the penalty kill.

This is the fifth game in a row that Erin Cody has scored a goal in. In the last five games Cody has netted seven goals and tallied one assist.

Erika Wheelhouse is tied for first among freshman and first among defenders in scoring with eight points (0G, 9A).

Zuzana Tomcikova made 29 saves on 31 shots for a .935 save percentage. She is currently fifth in the nation with saves (527) and ninth in save percentage (.933).

Bemidji State keeps it’s unbeaten streak against the Mavericks alive with the tie extending the streak to five games. Out of ten total games that have entered into overtime between the two teams nine of them have ended in ties.

The Beavers will return tomorrow afternoon at 3:07 p.m. to wrap up the season series against the Mavericks.

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