BEMIDJI, Minn. – Arizona State University's TJ Semptimphelter stymied the Bemidji State University men's hockey team and recorded a 40-save shutout as the Sun Devils (1-2-0) earned a 3-0 victory over the Beavers (0-1-0) Friday night in BSU's first action of the season.
 
Arizona State opened the scoring with 4:28 left in the first period when Matthew Kopperud scored hir first goal of the season.
 
After a dominant second period by the Beavers where BSU out-shot ASU 20-7 in the middle frame, Semptimphelter and the Sun Devils skated into the second intermission clinging to the one-goal lead.
 
However, just 3:04 into the third period, ASU's Jackson Niedermayer socred his first goal of the season to hand the Sun Devils the critical two-goal lead with under 20 to play. Bemidj State couldn't solve Semptimphelter and after an empty-net goal with 21 seconds to play, ASU earned the 3-0 victory at Sanford Center.
 
Bemidji State finished the game out-shooting Arizona State 40-20 including 29-14 in the final two periods.
 
Sophomore goaltender Mattias Sholl started game one in between the pipes and allowed two goals on 19 shots for 17 saves.
 
Bemidji State earned one power play in the game and totaled three shots while Arizona State earned two power plays and the Beavers' penalty kill successfully killed off each attempt allowing just one shot on goal.
 
Bemidji State will play to split the series tomorrow night when the two team's face-off again at Sanford Center at 6:07 p.m.
 
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 hockey in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and women's hockey in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
 
--bsu--