BEMIDJI, Minn. (Sanford Center) -- Charlie O'Connor scored twice, while Nate Arentz and Brendan Harms each added a goal and an assist and San Rendle posted two assists to lead the Bemidji State University men's hockey team to a 6-1 victory over University of Alaska to open the Western Collegiate Hockey Association season Friday at Sanford Center.

Nine different BSU players logged at least a point to help the Beavers record their first six-goal game since a 6-1 triumph over University of Alabama-Huntsville Oct. 25, 2013 and snap a three-game losing skid.  O’Connor, who netted just two goals in all of his freshman season, posted a short-handed goal early in the third and scored again late in the period to put the game out of reach for the Nanooks.

Tied 1-1 after 20 minutes of play, Arentz stuck with the puck out of a scrum in front of the net to score the eventual game-winning goal—the first of his collegiate career—4:16 into the second.

After a dominant period of action, the Beavers completely stole momentum when Harms potted his third goal of the season with just six seconds left in the frame to go up 3-1.

Whistled six times for 15 minutes of penalties, the Beavers’ penalty-kill unit played a key role in the victory. BSU snuffed out all six of the Nanooks’ power-play opportunities and piled up a total of 15-blocked shots.

Bemidji State’s power play was also held scoreless in the game, failing to net a goal on either of its man-advantage opportunities and managed just one shot on the power play.

Outshot 27-24 in the game, BSU freshman goaltender Michael Bitzer earned his second victory of the season, stopping 26 Alaska shots. He improved to 2-1-0.

The Beavers, which climbed to 2-3-0 on the season and 1-0-0 in league play, will face the same Alaska (5-1-0; 0-1-0 WCHA) team tomorrow at 7:07 p.m. to wrap up the WCHA series.

Bemidji State men’s hockey notes:

• Going 0-for-2 on the man advantage tonight, marked the Beavers’ second consecutive game without a power-play goal.
• The Beavers have failed to score on their last 10 power-play chances.
• Bemidji State is now 3-for-22 (.136) on the man advantage this year.
• BSU is 5-2-1 all-time versus the Nanooks in a series that got its start Jan. 3, 1982.
• Bemidji State is 4-1-1 when hosting UAF all time.
• Bemidji State is 1-1-0 at home this season.
• BSU is now averaging 4.875 goals per game in eight all-time games versus Alaska. The Nanooks have posted just 2.5.
• O’Connors’s two-goal game marks his first multi-goal game of his career.
• O’Connor netted the second short-handed goal of his career in the game.
• After just five games, BSU has already collected two short-handed goals, matching its total from all of last season.
• In just four games of his sophomore campaign, O’Connor has surpassed his goal-scoring total of a year ago (2) and tied his freshman point total (2g1a).

• Brendan Harms logged a goal and an assist for his second multi-point effort in four games played.
• Nate Arentz logged the second multi-point game of his collegiate career with a goal and an assist.
• The game-winning goal was the first of Arentz’s career.

• With an assist on Arentz’s game-winner, Markus Gerbrandt has scored in four of the Beavers’ first five games of 2014-15 and leads the team with six points (3g-3a).
• Matt Prapavessis scored a goal in two consecutive games. The defender now has five points (3g-2a) in five career games versus the Nanooks.
• Phillip Marinaccio scored his first goal of the 2014-15 campaign. He has netted two of his six collegiate goals versus Alaska.
• BSU is 2-0-0 this season when Sam Rendle nets a point.
• BSU is 2-0-0 this season when Charlie O’Connor scores a goal.
• The six-goal game stands as the Beavers’ first since a 6-1 win over Alabama-Huntsville Oct. 25, 2013.
• BSU has outscored hits opponents 9-5 in the second period this year.
• Outshot 27-24 tonight, BSU recorded its first victory of the season when being out shot (1-3-0).
• BSU is 2-1-0 this season when scoring first.
• After netting six goals in tonight’s victory, since 1999-2000, BSU is 90-4-4 when scoring five or more goals.
• 2014-15 BSU men’s hockey stats
• 2014-15 BSU men’s hockey schedule
• Follow the Beavers on social media: We are on Twitter / Facebook/ Instagram / Pinterest
• Get TXTUpdates on Bemidji State soccer or any BSU athletic program deliver directly to you favorite mobile device.
• Download the BSU Soccer eCalendar

Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooded region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University sponsors 15 varsity athletic programs with NCAA Division I men’s and women’s hockey membership in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).

--bsu--