Box Score BEMIDJI, Minn. – Led by its power-play unit, the Bemidji State University men's hockey team snapped its six-game losing streak Saturday night with a 5-3 victory over Northern Michigan University in Central Collegiate Hockey Association play. The Beavers went four-for-four with the man advantage including the game-winning goal scored by junior Elias Rosén with 2:57 left to play.
Rosén was a driving force for the Beavers' offense and totaled a career-high four points (1g-3a) in the game, all while on the power play. As the nation's four best power play, the Beavers totaled four power-play goals for the first time this season and first time since Feb. 15, 2013.
Following Rosén were fifth-year senior Ethan Somoza (1g-2a) and senior Owen Sillinger (3a) who each added three points while fifth-year senior Alex Ierullo (2g) and sophomore Lukas Sillinger each added two points.
Bemidji State started the game just like the night before by scoring the game's first goal this time Lukas Sillinger deflected a shot that squeezed past Wildcat goaltender Charlie Glockner for the game's first power-play goal just 4:35 into the first period.
Bemidji State carried the one-goal lead into the second period but the Wildcats answered back with their strongest period of the weekend by scoring twice during the middle frame and out-shooting the Beavers 18-9. Alex Frye started the Wildcat scoring with his fourth goal of the season 5:53 into the second followed by Hampus Eriksson's third goal of the season just 2:05 later to give NMU the 2-1 lead. However, with 8:05 left in the period, Ierullo tied the game for BSU with his 11th goal of the season for the Beavers' second power-play goal.
Each team would head into the second intermission locked in the 2-2 tie with the crucial third period coming up. Somoza got the Beavers started in the period with an even-strength goal, his eighth of the season, just 4:07 into the third to give BSU the lead. However, the Wildcats would answer once again and with 7:56 to play, AJ Vanderbeck would score his CCHA leading 19th goal of the season to even the score. After drawing a penalty late in the period, the Beavers would once again capitalize with the man-advantage when Rosén fired a shot from the point that found its way through traffic and hit the post and into the back of the net for the go-ahead goal with just 2:57 to play. The Beavers would then seal the game with an empty-net, power-play goal by Ierullo to snap their six-game losing skid.
Northern Michigan finished the game by out-shooting the Beavers 36-26 but sophomore Gavin Enright, in his first start since Jan. 1, backstopped the Beavers to victory by stopping 33-of-36 shots by the Wildcats and earning his fifth victory of the season.
Wildcats goaltender Charlie Glockner started the game and stopped five-of-six shots but left halfway through the game with an injury and Nolan Kent replaced him to earn the loss after stopping 16-of-19 shots.
Bemidji State will have its bye week next weekend and will return to play Feb. 18-19, by traveling to No. 1 University of Minnesota, Mankato to close out its season series with the Mavericks.
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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