Box Score OMAHA, Neb. (Quest Center Omaha) -- In a game that the Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team was out played for two periods and out shot 27-16, the Beavers threw caution to the wind during the final 20 minutes, but fell short to University Nebraska-Omaha, 3-2, Saturday in nonconference play at Quest Center in Omaha, Neb.

The Mavericks, who were snake bitten, 3-1, 24-hours earlier, came out of the gates with a chip on their shoulder.  UNO had the Beavers on their heels from the opening face off.  The hosts converted their first power-play opportunity to opened a 1-0 lead 4:22 into the frame.  Eddie Del Grosso’s power-play goal for UNO was the first the BSU penalty-kill unit had allowed since Feb. 13 versus Robert Morris University--a streak spanning five games and 186:07.

Despite being out shot 13-3 in the first period, the Beavers, on the shoulders of solid play from goaltender Dan Bakala (So., Calgary, Alberta) skated into the locker room trailing by only a goal.

Just when BSU seemed to have righted the ship on an Ian Lowe (Jr., F, Bradwardine, Manitoba) wrister that evened the score 7:10 into the second stanza, UNO bounced back 61 seconds later to stretch its lead back to 2-1.  

Before the period ended, the Mavericks’ Rich Purslow added what would eventually become the game-winning goal, tipping a centering pass from Nick Fanto into the back of the net.

Trailing by two goals, 3-1, the Beavers came out of the second intermission with something to prove.  With a man from each team serving time in the penalty box and the teams playing four-on-four, Matt Read  (Jr., F, Ilderton, Ontario) and Chris Peluso (Sr., D, Wadena, Minn.) broke away from the UNO quartet for a 2-on-0 rush.  Peluso set BSU’s leading scorer up perfectly and Read rapped his team-leading 18th goal of the season across the goal line.

BSU applied consistent offensive pressure in the third and with 1:23 left in regulation, BSU head coach Tom Serratore pulled Bakala in for an extra attacker, but the Beavers were unable to deposit the equalizer.  

“They got the best of us for two periods.  We just had no legs,” Serratore commented after the game.  “But in the third period I thought we played with a little urgency and made a game out of it.

“I am glad we responded in the third period,” added the ninth-year head coach.  “Hopefully that will carry over to next weekend in Huntsville.”

BSU falls to 1-5-0 in the all-time series with Nebraska-Omaha with all six meetings taking place on the Mavericks home ice.

The Beavers (22-8-2; 13-3-0 CHA) turn their focus back to College Hockey America play.  Next week the team travels to Huntsville, Ala. to wrap up the regular-season with a league series with University of Alabama-Huntsville.  The series is set to begin at 5:30 p.m. Friday evening and will conclude with a 3 p.m. matinee Saturday.  Both games will be played at the Von Braun Center.

--bsu--