Box Score BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University women's hockey junior Clair DeGeorge scored twice in the final 25 seconds to lift the Bemidji State women's hockey team to a 3-1 victory over Minnesota State University, Mankato Saturday and earn three points in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings.
The Beavers move to 14-12-2 overall and 8-9-1-0 in WCHA play.
Minnesota State opened the scoring when Claire Butorac deflected a shot by Anna Wilgren past Bemidji State goaltender Lauren Bench just 6:00 minutes into the first period. The Mavericks skated into the first intermission with the one-goal lead and carried that lead for much of the second period as well despite BSU outshooting the Mavericks 12-4 in the middle frame. But just as the period looked to end, senior Jacqueline Kaasa snapped the puck from the right circle through traffic to beat goaltender Abigail Levy while on a BSU power play to tie the game at one with just four seconds left.
The Beavers carried that momentum into the final period and outshot the Mavericks 23-7 but Levy and MSU’s defense turned aside the Beavers attempts at the go-ahead goal. However, with just 25 seconds remaining, DeGeorge one-timed a Reece Hunt pass from below the redline and beat Levy far side to give the Beavers a 2-1 lead. Minnesota State pulled its goaltender on the ensuing faceoff and DeGeorge intercepted a Mavericks pass and tossed the puck into the back of the empty net just 11 seconds later to set a new program record for the fastest two goals, shattering the previous record of 44 seconds set by Kerri McEwen back in 1999.
Bemidji State finished the game out-shooting Minnesota State 46-22 while Levy finished with 43 saves and Bench earned 21 saves. Bench improves to 11-10-1 on the season and sets a new personal best with her 11th win of the season while Levy falls to 4-9-3.
Each team earned three power plays in the game and the Beavers’ penalty kill stopped all three chances by the Mavericks while their power play went 1-for-3.
Bemidji State returns to the road next weekend when they travel to No. 5 Ohio State University for a pair of WCHA games Jan. 31-Feb. 1.
Nestled in Northern Minnesota’s wooden region and located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, BSU 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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