Box Score LEWISTON, N.Y. (Dwyer Arena) -- The Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team’s chance at the final College Hockey America (CHA) Tournament title came to an abrupt ending Friday evening as the top-seeded Beavers were bumped from the championship round by No. 4 Niagara University, 5-4 at Dwyer Arena in Lewiston, N.Y.

BSU got a multi-goal effort from Ryan Cramer (Jr., F, International Falls, Minn.), but it was not enough.  The Purple Eagles scored first and snuffed out any opportunity BSU had to gain momentum with superb special teams play.  

In addition to scoring on one of its three power-play opportunities, NU scored a short-handed goal and held the Beavers’ power-play unit without a goal on six chances.

“That short-handed goal in the second period, obviously took the wind out of our sails,” said BSU head coach Tom Serratore.  “We bounced back and played with some desperation in the third period to make a game out of it, but every time we answered they answered back.  You know what, it was an exciting hockey game to watch I am sure.”

Bemidji State posted a 5-1-0 record versus the Purple Eagles during the 2009-10 regular season en route to its fourth straight conference crown, but NU nicked the Beavers at Dwyer Arena in mid-January, 6-4, while three of the teams’ other four games were decided by a single goal, so Serratore knew that beating this Purple Eagles team on their own ice would be no easy task.

“[Niagara] is a good hockey team,” Serratore commented.  “Early in the year they lost a lot of tight games. They have played well as of late, we’ve had some great games with them as of late and they are at home.  [Tonight’s game] was everything I expected.”

Up-tempo from the opening face off, the Purple Eagles were the first to light the lamp.  

Niagara’s David Ross won a face off in the Purple Eagles’ offensive zone, chipping the puck straight back to Tyler Gotto at the top of the right circle.  Gotto posted his 10th goal of the season on a shot that found its way though traffic and past the BSU goaltender Dan Bakala (So., Calgary, Alberta).

The Beavers responded to tie the game just 43 seconds later.  Senior blueliner Chris Peluso (Wadena, Minn.) tucked a laser just inside the left post, beating Niagara goaltender Chris Noonan stick side.  Fellow seniors Tyler Lehrke (F, Park Rapids, Minn.) and Chris McKelvie (F, New Brighton, Minn.) collected assists on the unlikely goal scorer’s first tally of the season.  With two goals to his credit, the last time Peluso scored was Nov. 10, 2007.

With time fading in the period, it looked as if the teams would head to the break in a 1-1 deadlock, but NU took a lead to the locker room after a Ryan Olidis placed a shot in the upper left corner sneaking in just above the glove of Bakala.

At the 11:31 mark of the second BSU began to reel the Purple Eagles back in, knotting the score at 2-2.  Cramer recorded his first of two on the night when Noonan went to play a Shea Walters (So., F, Hibbing, Minn.) shot and junior swept the puck past the outstretched pad of the goaltender.

Niagara regained the lead with 4:14 left in the second as Gotto and the Purple Eagles took advantage of penalty to Cramer, netting the game’s first and only power-play goal.  Two-minutes and 48-seconds later, NU cut BSU deep adding to their lead, 4-2, with a short-handed goal.  

With their backs against the wall, the Beavers turned up the intensity in the third period.  BSU out shot NU 17-7 in the frame getting goals from Walters and Cramer just 2:20 apart (10:25 and 12:45), but Egor Mironov snuck a goal in between (11:40) to keep Bemidji State at an arm’s length.

Just the fourth time the Beavers and Purple Eagles have in CHA Tournament play, Niagara’s 5-4 victory boosts its record versus BSU in tournament action to 3-1. The NU victory also evens the all-time series between the teams to 22-22-8.   

BSU is 10-7-0 all-time in the CHA Tournament, making appearances in nine of the 10 prior league championship events, the Beavers are now 6-4 in semifinal action and fails to make an appearance in the championship game for the first time since 2007 and just the second time since 2002.  

“You can’t feel sorry for yourself,” Serratore added.  “We expended a lot of energy and I understand that, but we’ll have to make sure we have some gas tomorrow.  It’s just a very important game.

The Beavers (23-9-3) will face the No. 2 seed Robert Morris University (10-19-5) at 3 p.m. (CST) in tomorrow’s third-place game.  The Colonials suffered a heart-breaking 1-0 loss to No. 3 University of Alabama-Huntsville in the first semifinal, setting up a NU/UAH championship at 7:05 p.m.

--bsu--