GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Ralph Engelstad Arena) -- Jake Sanderson scored an unassisted goal at the 11:02 mark of the third period to break a 1-1 tie and lift University of North Dakota to a 2-1 victory over Bemidji State University at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The Beavers and Fighting Hawks got the 2021-22 season underway Saturday evening meeting in Grand Forks, N.D. for non-conference exhibition game in front of 11,800 people. 

UND had BSU on its heels early. The Fighting Hawks outshot the Beavers 8-5 in the period and held BSU without a shot on goal for nearly 15 minutes. But BSU managed to generate some push back in the final minutes of the frame and used a power-play late to end the period with a flurry of shots in front of former Beaver goaltender Zach Driscoll.

Locked in a scoreless tie to open the second period, UND broke the deadlock at the 2:30 mark when Riece Gaber netted a goal 1:10 into UND's first power play of the game with help from Sanderson. Less than two minutes later (4:13) BSU answered getting a goal from its 2020-21 top scorer, Alex Ierullo. The senior was assisted on the scoring play by Owen and Lukas Sillinger.

UND finished the game wining the special teams battle going 1-for-2 on the man advantage, while it held BSU without a goal on three opportunities.

Driscoll secured the victory making 16 saves on 17 shots in 60 minutes between the pipes. 

All three of the Beavers' goaltenders saw one period of action. Junior Michael Carr got the start and turned aside all eight of the shots he faced. Newcomer Mattias Sholl played the second period and allowed one goal on seven shots, while Gavin Enright took the loss stopping 5-of-6 shots he faced in 18:45 of work.

The Beavers officially get the 2021-22 season underway Friday when they host University of Minnesota Duluth at Sanford Center to kick start a home-and-home, non-conference series with the Bulldogs. The opening faceoff is set for 7:07 p.m. Saturday, the teams travel to Duluth, Minn. to wrap up the series with a 7:07 p.m. puck drop at AMSOIL Arena.

--bsu--