BEMDJI, Minn. (Sanford Center) – Tied 1-1 after 18 minutes of play, No. 14 Michigan Tech got a pair of 4-on-4 goals before the first period would expire to spark a scoring run and tilt the game in its favor for good. The Huskies would go on to defeat Bemidji State University 9-2 to avenge Friday’s 3-0 shutout and earn a series split.

The Huskies got the scoring started at the 11:17 of the first period when Malcolm Gould beat BSU goaltender Michael Bitzer for his eighth goal of the season. BSU responded at the 16:42 mark of the frame when a Ruslan Pedan shot was deflected past Jamie Phillips. But before the period would end, the Huskies would get goals, just 23 seconds apart, from Alex Petan (18:07) and Shane Hanna (18:30) to take a 4-1 lead into the intermission.

MTU used the aid of four second period power-play opportunities to increase its lead to 7-1 by the end of the session. Tyler Heinonnen scored two goals to lead the Huskies, the second of which stood as one of MTU’s two power-play tallies.

Myles Fitzgerald netted his second goal in as many games on a wraparound 3:33 in the to third, but the Huskies closed out the game with a pair of goals late.

Joel L’Esperance led all MTU scorers with a goal and three assists.

BSU used all three of its goaltenders, but Bitzer (10-13-4) was tagged with the loss.

The Beavers (14-13-5; 9-11-4 WCHA) wrap up the home portion of their 2015-16 season Feb. 26-27 when they host long-time rival University of Alabama-Huntsville (6-19-5; 4-15-5 WCHA) in a WCHA series. The teams open the two-game set at 7:37 p.m. Friday with the series finale set for a 7:07 p.m. puck drop at Sanford Center.

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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