Box Score
HOUGHTON, Mich. (John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena) -- A myriad of third-period goals lifted Bemidji State University men's hockey to a 5-2 win over No. 13 Michigan Technical University on Saturday night in Houghton, Mich. The Beavers scored four goals in the third period after trailing 1-0 to the Huskies to send BSU to the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Championship.
Senior Alex Ierullo and sophomore Lukas Sillinger each recorded two goals in the game, the 15th and 16th for Ierullo and 16th and 17th for Sillinger, while both chipped in one assist each. Senior Owen Sillinger added his 17th goal of the season, tying Lukas Sillinger for the team lead, as the game-winner to send the Beavers to the CCHA Championship on Saturday, March 19.
Michigan Tech struck first after a scoreless first period as Trenton Bliss notched his 12th goal of the season and a 1-0 MTU lead just under the 10-minute mark of the second. Less than two minutes later, sophomore Lukas Sillinger knocked down an MTU pass to keep it in the BSU zone and followed with a slapshot that bounced off the goalie and into the corner of the net to tie the game, 1-1. The unassisted goal, Sillinger's 16th of the season, came with 8:21 to play before the third period.
After totaling 14 shots on goal through the first two periods, the Beavers exploded in the third with 10 shots. The first of BSU's four third-period goals came from Ierullo as he stole an MTU pass in the BSU zone and put the puck in at the 9:46 mark. The game-winning goal came from Owen Sillinger and Ierullo's second goal of the game came within the next five minutes to push BSU's lead to 4-1. Lukas Sillinger added his second goal of the game on an empty-netter from the red line at the 16:57 mark.
Bemidji State will travel to Mankato, Minn., to take on No. 1 Minnesota State University, Mankato for the CCHA Championship at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center.
For more information on the Bemidji State athletic programs, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter (@BSUBeavers), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
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, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
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