BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University men's hockey senior Ross Armour netted his first career hat trick to help the Beavers earn a 5-3 victory over University of St. Thomas Friday Night (Feb. 25) in Central Collegiate Hockey Association play. With the win, the Beavers earned three points in the CCHA standings and secured the third seed in the CCHA Playoffs along with home ice during the first round. 

Bemidji State will host the sixth seed which has yet to be determined and will either be Bowling Green State University, Northern Michigan University or Lake Superior State University. 

After a scoreless first period, Armour began the scoring frenzy with his first goal of the game, sixth of the season, just 1:46 into the middle frame. St. Thomas tied the game just 2:29 later when Grant Loven scored his fifth goal of the season. Armour scored his second goal of the game and second of the period at the 11:12 mark after his shot deflected off a defender's skate and into the back of the net to give the Beavers the 2-1 lead heading into the final intermission.

6:31 into the third period, sophomore Aaron Myers scored his first goal of the season after chasing his own shot that rebounded in front of the crease for an unassisted goal. Armour then completed his first collegiate hat trick five minutes later to put the Beavers up 4-1. The Tommies would make things interesting before the game's end however, when Luke Manning (11:17) and Joey Sofo (18:20) scored to pull UST within one. However, with the net empty, senior Ethan Somoza scored the empty-net goal with 44 seconds to play to seal the 5-3 victory and earn BSU three points in the CCHA standings. 

Ross Armour and Eric Martin had the special connection tonight with Martin earning the primary assist on all three goals of Armour's hat trick to tie a career-high with three assists.

Freshman Mattias Sholl was strong in net for the Beavers and turned aside 19-of-22 shots by the Tommies as the Beavers dominated play through most of the game and out-shot UST, 44-22, including 16-5 in the final period.

Bemidji State closes its series with St. Thomas and its regular season tomorrow when the two teams meet at 6:07 p.m., at Sanford Center. Bemidji State will honor its eight seniors, Ethan Somoza, Owen Sillinger, Alex Ierullo, Tyler Jubenvill, Ross Armour, Brad Johnson, Alex Adams and Tyler Kirkup before tomorrow's game for senior night.

The Beavers will then prepare to host the first round of the CCHA Playoffs in a best-of-three series scheduled for March 4, 5 and 6. Times are still yet to be determined as well as an opponent. Tickets will be made available soon.

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).

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