ST. CLOUD, Minn. – Last season, the Bemidji State University and St. Cloud State University women's hockey teams forced overtime in four of their six meetings in 2020-21. The 2021-22 season started in a similar fashion as St. Cloud State scored in the three-on-three overtime period to down the Beavers 2-1 in Saturday's season-opening exhibition.
Saturday's contest began like past game's before it with a tightly fought, hard to score battle. Neither team could find the back of the opposing team's net in the first two periods and were tied 0-0 heading into the third period. However, St. Cloud State's Jenniina Nylund would open the scoring in the game quickly into the final frame. The Beavers responded quickly, and just a few minutes later, freshman Alyssa Watkins tied the game. Fellow freshman Ella Anick and sophomore Kayla Santl assisted on Watkin's game-tying goal.
The third period ended in the 1-1 tie and after a discussion, the two teams decided to play the three-on-three overtime period to decide a winner. With under two minutes remaining in the period, SCSU's Emma Gentry scored the game-winning goal.
Despite losing the game, Bemidji State gained valuable experience heading into the official start of the season next weekend after dressing 27 of the teams 28 student-athletes.
Bemidji State and St. Cloud State will meet a total of four times during the regular season with their first meeting in St. Cloud, Minn., Dec. 3-4.
The Beavers drop the puck on the 2021-22 season next weekend and will face new Western Collegiate Hockey Association league member University of St. Thomas in Mendota Heights, Minn., to open the 2021-22 slate. The Beavers and Tommies will play a WCHA series scheduled for Oct. 1-2 at 6:01 and 3:01 p.m., respectively.
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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