BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University men's hockey team evened its series with Bowling Green State University Saturday night (Mar. 5) with a 4-2 victory in game two of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association Quarterfinals. The Beavers and Falcons will now play a decisive game three tomorrow at 5:07 p.m., determine who goes to the semifinal round of the CCHA playoffs.

Freshman goaltender Mattias Sholl backstopped the Beavers (17-19-0) to victory after he turned aside 27-of-29 shots by the Falcons (15-18-3). Sophomore Lukas Sillinger and senior Brad Johnson each recorded a goal and assist while Will Zmolek posted two assists in the game. 

Bemidji State opened the scoring in the game when Lukas Sillinger scored a highlight reel, toe-drag goal 8:20 into the opening period for his 14^th goal of the season. BSU then increased its lead to 2-0 when Sam Solensky fired a shot the trickled its way through the pads of goaltender Christian Stoever at 15:12 of the period for his first goal since Dec. 3. 

The Beavers carried the two-goal lead into the first intermission and then extended their lead to 3-0 just 1:16 into the second period when senior Tyler Kirkup scored a short-handed goal. Bowling Green would answer 5:21 later with its first goal of the game with a goal from Sam Craggs. 

Craggs would score once again 3:26 into the third period to cut the Beavers' lead to one. However, Sholl and the Beavers defense held onto the one-goal lead for the remainder of the period and with 2:30 left play, senior Brad Johnson fired into the empty net to seal the victory for the Beavers by score of 4-2.

Bowling Green out-shot the Beavers 29-27 in the game with Stoever making 23-of-27 saves for the Falcons.

In a hard-fought, penalty filled game, the Beavers went 0-for-2 with the man-advantage but its penalty kill held the Falcons scoreless on their three chances including a short-handed goal.

The two teams face-off for the decisive game three to see who will earn a trip to the semifinal round of the CCHA Playoffs. If the Beavers win, they will travel to Houghton, Mich., to face Michigan Technological University for one game against the Huskies, March 12. Before then, BSU and Bowling Green will face-off for game three tomorrow evening at 5:07 p.m., from Sanford Center.

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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