HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (Von Braun Center) -- The University of Alabama-Huntsville opened a 4-0 lead before Aaron Miller got Bemidji State University on the board, Friday, and the Chargers cruised to a 5-1 victory to open a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series in Huntsville, Ala.

The game marked the first WCHA loss BSU has suffered since Dec. 1, snapping an eight-game winning streak and a string of 10 league games without a loss (8-0-2).

The Chargers scored the only goal of the first period on a play by Josh Kestner at the 6:36 mark. UAH built a 3-0 lead by the end of the second period on goals by Madison Dunn and Hans Gorowsky. Dunn notched the eventual game-winner at the 3:32 mark of the second before Gorowsky netted the Chargers' power-play goal at the 17:25 mark.

UAH finished the night 1-for-2 on the man advantage.

Opening the third with a three-goal cushion, Tyler Poulsen found the back of the net just 3:10 in, for his sixth goal of the season, with help from Dunn. Miller ended Jordan Uhelski's bid for a shutout at the 4:06 mark, taking a pass from Leo Fitzgerald and Dan Billett, for his second goal as a Beaver and first since Nov. 11. But the goal was too little too late as BSU was unable to generate any additional scoring despite out shooting the Chargers 31-24 in the game.

Dunn and UAH would add a short-handed, empty-net goal with 1:32 to play to put the game out of reach. It was Dunn's game-high third point of the night.

BSU finished the night 0-for-3 on the power-play and surrendered its first short-handed goal since Nov. 11.

Michael Bitzer was in net for BSU. He made 19 saves, while allowing four goals. His second loss since Dec. 1, the senior moves to 13-7-6 on the year.

Bemidji State, now 13-8-6 overall and 10-5-4-2 in WCHA play, will attempt to salvage a series split when it faces UAH again tomorrow. The series finale is set for a 7:07 p.m. opening puck drop from the Von Braun Center.

For more information on the Bemidji State men’s hockey program, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers or @BSUMHockey), like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers) or sign up for the TXTUpdates from BSUBeavers.com text-messaging system through the "Multimedia" pull down menu on the main page of BSUBeavers.com.

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).

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