EVELETH, Minn. – The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team used 11 goals and a program best 72 shots on goal as they routed Lindenwood University in the US Hockey Hall of Fame Face-off Classic at the Eveleth Hippodrome in Eveleth, Minn. BSU improves to 8-3-2 (4-3-1 WCHA) and Lindenwood falls to 1-12-0 on the season. The Lady Lions are in their first season of NCAA Division I play as they transition of being a club program.

The Beavers had eight different players score goals led by two goals apiece from Marlee Wheelhouse (Sr., D, Crookston, Minn.), Natasha Kostenko (Fr., F, Fannystelle, Manitoba) and Whitney Wivoda (Fr., F, Fairbanks, Alaska). M. Wheelhouse finished with two goals and two assists. Kostenko had two goals and two assists, as well. Sadie Lundquist (Jr., F, Cloquet, Minn.) had a goal and four assists. Emily McKnight (So., F, Roland, Manitoba) tallied three assists on the evening.

Alana McElhinney (Sr., G, Calgary, Alberta) picked up the win in net and notched the shutout stopping nine shots in two periods. Jessica Havel (Jr., G, Grand Rapids, Minn.) relieved McElhinney in the third period for her first official action as a Beaver. Havel picked up 10 saves in the one period. Sertich gave the call to Havel in between the second and third periods and received a rousing response from the rest of the locker room as the walk-on junior took to the crease at the Hippodrome. Havel was one of several players from the Northeast Minnesota area who took to the sheet for the Beavers.

Abby Williams (R-Jr., F, Alexandria, Minn.) wasted no time getting the onslaught started for the Beavers. Williams’ netted the puck with only 56 seconds ticked off the clock. Williams’ goal marks her second of the season. Molly Arola (Jr., F, Walker, Minn.) and Lundquist tallied assists on the goal.

Kostenko put the Beavers up 2-0 at the 9:56 mark with her first career goal. The netter was BSU’s first power-play goal of the game. The Beavers would finish the contest with four goal on seven power-play attempts. BSU has 18 power-play goals already this season. MacKenzie Thurston (Jr., F, Ottawa, Ontario) and Tegan Rose (Fr., D, Gibbons, Alberta) had assists on the goal. Rose’s assist marks her first point as Thursday was the first game she has appeared in so far this season.

Kostenko added a third goal for BSU less than two minutes later off assists from Arola and M. Wheelhouse.

Arola would put BSU up 4-0 less than one minute later as the Beavers tallied three goals in two minutes and 23 seconds. The goal was the first of the season for Arola. M. Wheelhouse and Kostenko had assists on the score.

Lundquist wrapped up the Beavers’ first-half barrage at the 15:49 mark with her seventh goal of the year. Erika Wheelhouse (Jr., D, Crookston, Minn.) and Wivoda assisted on the goal. Lundquist’s score was BSU’s second power-play goal of the contest.

Up 5-0 at the first period break, the Beavers would add to the tally in the second period as again they wasted no time out of the gate. Montana Vichorek (Sr., D, Moose Lake, Minn.) got involved in the scoring with her first goal of the game and BSU’s third on the power play. Lundquist assisted on the goal. 

M. Wheelhouse put the Beavers up 7-0 at the 3:17 mark in the second period off assists from Kostenko and McKnight. 

Kristin Huber (Fr., F, Kelowna, British Columbia) would put the Beavers ahead 8-0 at the 7:34 mark with her first career goal. All in all three different players (Huber, Kostenko and Wivoda) tallied their first career goals on the night. McKnight and Kimberly Lieder (Sr., D, Eagan, Minn.) had assists on the goal.

Wivoda rounded out the second period scoring with her first career goal off assists from Lundquist and Kristi King (So., F, Stillwater, Minn.).

The Beavers would round out the game with two more goals in the third period as M. Wheelhouse and Wivoda found the net for a second time.

 Lindenwood was led on the night by three players with four shots on goal. Briar Bache picked up 46 saves on the night after relieving Taylor Fairchild in the first period.

The Beavers will have the weekend off and won’t take the ice again until Fri., Nov. 18 against University of Minnesota Duluth in Duluth, Minn.