Box Score ST. PAUL, Minn. (Xcel Energy Center) – The Bemidji State University men’s hockey team’s attempt to defend its 2015 North Star College Cup title fell short Sunday as the Beavers were defeated, 5-2, by No. 3 St. Cloud State University.
The Huskies scored 80 seconds into the game and didn’t take their foot of the gas as Joey Benik and Patrick Russell each netted a pair of goals and SCSU goaltender Charlie Lindgren turned aside all 24 of BSU’s shots on goal.
Benik gave SCSU a 1-0 lead at the 1:20 mark of the first. BSU goaltender Michael Bitzer turned aside a shot from David Morely, but Benik was on the back door to tap in the rebound for his 16th goal of the season.
The Huskies took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission after Benik scored his second of the game at the 12:57 mark of the first.
The St. Cloud State lead swelled to 4-0 through 40 minutes of play as the Huskies out shot BSU 10-4 in the second period and got a pair of goals from Patrick Russell (5:23 and 14:18).
Russell’s second goal ended Bitzer’s night. He allowed four goals on 12 SCSU shots and 34:18 between the pipes. Reid Mimmack occupied BSU’s crease for the final 25:42, making 12 saves in relief.
Bemidji State’s Kyle Bauman ended Lindgren’s shutout in 9:56 into the third, netting his fifth goal of the season. Markus Gerbrandt was credited with the lone assist on the play to total a team-best four points (2g-2a) on the weekend.
After SCSU’s Mikey Eyssimont added an empty-net goal with 3:29 left in the game to go up 5-1, Phil Marinaccio scored on the power play to settle the score at 5-2.
BSU, now 11-11-5 overall, continues nonconference play after a week free of competition. The Beavers travel to University of Minnesota Duluth for a rare Tuesday matchup with the Bulldogs. The opening faceoff for the game originally scheduled for Oct. 9 is set for 7:07 p.m. at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn.
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.
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