MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (St. Thomas Ice Arena) – Eric Martin posted three assists and Alex Adam logged a pair of goals to lead the Bemidji State University men's hockey team to a 6-1 victory over the University of St. Thomas Saturday at St. Thomas Ice Arena. The victory allowed the Beavers to claim the series sweep and improve to a perfect 6-0 in Central Collegiate Hockey Association road play.

In all, 10 different BSU players recorded at least one point as the Beavers posted their largest margin of victory since a 7-2 win over Ferris State Feb. 6, 2021. 

For just the fourth time this season, BSU's opponent scored first to put the Beavers in a hole early. Bemidji State took two penalties during the first three minutes of play and the second infraction led directly to a power-play goal for the Tommies.  Kyler Grundy scored at the 4:49 mark to put UST up 1-0.

It took over five minutes, but the Beavers answered. With 9:59 left in the first, Ethan Somoza found Will Zmolek on the blueline and the junior defender fired a wrister through traffic to even the score at 1-1. His third goal of the season also stood as the third goal of his collegiate career.

Tied 1-1 to open the second period, BSU got the benefit of a power play early and made the Tommies pay. With UST's Andrew Kangas in the penalty box for holding at the 2:36 mark, it took BSU just 35 seconds to take the lead. Elias Rosén scored on the team's first power-play opportunity of the evening with help from Owen Sillinger and Ross Armour. The helper extended Sillinger's point streak to nine games.

The Beavers took a one-goal lead into the third period, but that that changed quickly. BSU got goals from Alex Adams, Jere Vaisanen, and Lukas Sillinger during the first 9:08 of the period. Adams would add his second goal of the night with 2:17 left to bring the score to 6-1.  His second matched a single-game career-high for the senior.     

BSU made good on both of its power-play chances in the game, while its penalty-kill unit held the Tommies to one goal on five man-advantage opportunities.

Mattias Sholl collected his fifth win of the season in goal for BSU making 21 saves. He moves to 5-1-0 on the season.

The Beavers improve to 10-6-0 overall and 8-2-0 in CCHA play. Bemidji State returns to Sanford Center Dec. 10-11 when it hosts Minnesota State University, Mankato in a battle for first place in the CCHA standings. The Beavers and Mavericks open the series at 7:07 p.m. Friday with a 6:07 p.m. opening faceoff set for Saturday.

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 Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, respectively, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

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