ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Sullivan Arena) -- Brance Orban (Jr., F, Lethbridge, Alberta) netted a pair of goals and an assist, while Shea Walters (Sr., F, Hibbing, Minn.) added two goals to lead the Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team to a 5-4 victory over University of Alaska-Anchorage Saturday at Sullivan Arena.
The victory not only solidified the Beavers’ first road sweep of the season, it also pushed BSU past University of Wisconsin to claim ninth place in the final Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) standings at 17-16-3 overall and 11-14-3 in league play. As the No. 9 seed, the Beavers will travel to fourth-seeded University of North Dakota for a best-of-three opening round of the WCHA playoffs March 9-11. The opening game is slated for a 7:37 p.m. face off at Ralph Engelstad Arena Friday, while Saturday and, if needed, Sunday, contests are each set to begin at 7:07 p.m.
A match up of the WCHA’s two lowest scoring teams far exceeded its billing. A total of nine goals were scored in the series finale, including five in the second period alone. But it was the Beavers, who entered the final game of the regular season averaging 2.48 goals per game, that netted five goals to gain the victory, 5-4.
Twenty-four hours after holding UAA to one goal on just 15 shots on net, the Beavers found themselves down 2-1 at the end of the first period allowing the Seawolves a pair of goals on their first three shots.
The Seawolves got on the board just 4:22 into the game, on a Jordan Kwas goal and after the Beavers’ Walters answered to tie the game 1-1 a the 7:18 mark, Sam Mellor took a backdoor pass from Curtis Leinweber and Matt Bailey to send Alaska-Anchorage to the first intermission owning a 2-1 lead.
The seesaw contest continued in the second period. BSU and UAA would combine for 27 shots on goal and five goals scored in one of the wildest periods of BSU’s season.
The Beavers came out with a bit more jump in the second, but Jade Portwood and UAA bit just 37 seconds into the period to take their largest lead of the night at 3-1.
BSU caught a break at the 4:03 mark of the frame when Brad Gorham was whistled for interference. It took the Beavers’ power-play unit just 36 seconds to convert. After Walters won an offensive zone face off, Ben Kinne (Jr., F, St. Paul, Minn.) fired a shot on goal that was turned aside by UAA senior goaltender Dusan Sidor, but the determined unit would not quit and Walters found the back of the net on a second or third try from a scrum in front of the crease for his second goal of the evening.
Just under six minutes later (10:19) the Beavers struck again, this time on a blast from the point off the stick of freshman blueliner Matt Prapavessis (Oakville, Ontario). The rookie’s first collegiate goal evened the score at 3-3.
After the Seawolves had the go ahead goal waived off a the 12:33 mark, a Corbin Karl tally put UAA ahead, 4-3, at the 13:29 mark of the second.
Before time would expire on the frame (15:39), Orban netted his first goal of the night. The power-play goal sent the teams into the final 20 minutes of play with the score deadlocked at 4-4.
The teams settled down in the third period totalling just 11 shots on goal. At the 2:56 mark of the frame, Orban connected on his ninth goal of the season. The goal put BSU up 5-4 and the Beavers would answer the call late as UAA pulled Sidor for an extra attacker with 2:09 left. In addition, Orban was whistled for tripping and sent to the box supplying the Seawolves with a 46 second 6-on-4 opportunity.
The victory gives the Beavers a 3-1-0 lead in the all-time series as BSU has rattled off three straight wins over the Seawolves dating back to a Nov. 13 meeting last season.
Ticket packages for the Beavers’ first round playoff series at North Dakota are on sale now and can be purchased by calling 1-800-745-3000, logging on to Ticketmaster.com or by visiting the UND Ticket Office at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. The ticket office is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Series ticket packages are $40 for adults and $20 for youth.
Single-game WCHA first round playoff tickets will go one sale on Tuesday, March 6 at 10 a.m.
Single-game tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for youth. Single-game tickets are subject to availability.
BSU also has a limited number of tickets. Priority for purchasing first round tickets form BSU will be based upon current Beaver Pride membership level and contributions to BSU Athletics. Contact the Beaver Pride Office by 3 pm on Tuesday if you are interested in getting tickets through BSU.
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