BEMIDJI, Minn. - The Bemidji State University women's hockey team skated to a 1-1 tie with Minnesota State University, Mankato Saturday afternoon to close out their Western Collegiate Hockey Association series and the 2021 calendar year. The Beavers (7-10-3, 4-10-2 WCHA) earned one point in the league standings while the Mavericks earned two after earning a 1-0 victory in the shootout.

Sophomore Hannah Hogenson stopped 28-of-29 shots to backstop the Beavers while fifth-year senior Lindsey Featherstone scored the lone goal for Bemidji State in the second period.

Minnesota State's Calla Frank made 24-of-25 saves for the Mavericks and denied all three Beaver attempts in the shootout to claim the extra point. 

For the second consecutive game, the Beavers and Mavericks skated to a scoreless first period. However, unlike last night, the Beavers would open the scoring in the second period when sophomore Gabbie Smith forced a turnover while forechecking and sophomore Taylor Nelson cycled the puck to a wide-open Featherstone in front of the net who fired home her fourth goal of the season to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead 8:37 into the middle frame. 

With each team's netminder tracking the puck well, Bemidji State would cling onto the one-goal lead until 12:33 remained in the third period. Minnesota State's Madison Mashuga shot a puck from the left circle that deflected off a BSU defender and found the back of the net for the equalizing goal. 

Each team battled to find the go-ahead goal but were unable to score during the remainder of the period to force three-on-three overtime hockey.

Minnesota State outshot the Beavers 5-4 in the extra frame and earned a 4-on-3 power play with one minute left but Hogenson remained strong in net and denied all chances by the Mavericks.

Bemidji State elected to shoot first in the shootout but missed on its first attempt while MSU's Sydney Langseth scored on the next attempt. The Beavers failed to tie the shootout with its remaining shooters and fell 1-0.

After scoring two power-play goals for the first time of the season the night before, the Beavers' power play came up empty in game two after earning six chances Saturday.

Bemidji State's penalty kill held the Mavericks off of the scoresheet including stopping a 4-on-3 power play during the overtime period.

BSU totaled 25 shots in the game compared to 29 for the Mavericks.

Hogenson moves to 6-7-3 on the season heading into the holiday break and is tied for fourth in the WCHA with a .925 save percentage.

Bemidji State will return to action in 2022 on Jan. 14-15 when it travels to University of Minnesota Duluth to take on the top-10 Bulldogs.

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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