BEMIDJI, Minn. – Northern Michigan University answered back Saturday night with a 5-2 victory over the Bemidji State University Men's Hockey team in game two of their Central Collegiate Hockey Association series at Sanford Center. The Wildcats earned the series spit with the Beavers after scoring four unanswered goals in the first 46 minutes of play.
 
The Beavers fall to 10-9-5 (8-5-3 CCHA) with the loss and sit fourth in the CCHA standings with 28 league points while the Wildcats improve to 12-12-0 (8-8-0 CCHA) and are sixth in the standings.
 
NMU's Connor Eddy started the game at the 11:32 mark of the opening period with his third goal of the season then Artem Shlaine made it 2-0 16:03 into the second period with his ninth goal. Just 22 seconds later Aiden Gallacher took the wind out of the Beavers' sails with his first goal of the season to make it 3-0.
 
Wildcats' AJVanderbeck made it 4-0 5:56 into the final period before Bemidji State got its first goal of the game at 11:14 when Elias Rosén scored his second goal of the season. BSU then pulled goaltender Mattias Sholl in favor of the extra skater while on BSU power-play for the 6-on-4 advantage with less than three minutes to play. The wildcats were quick to capitalize and Gallacher shot it into the empty net from his own defensive zone to extend their lead to 5-1.
 
Bemidji State was still able to score later on the power play when Ross Armour tallied his sixth of the season and first since missing time due to injury with 1:32 to play. It was too little too late however as the Wildcats earned the 5-2 victory and series split as the final buzzer sounded.
 
After being pulled after surrendering three goals in the first seven minutes last nights, NMU goaltender Beni Halasz responded to turn aside 35 of the Beavers 37 shots in the game to earn his 10^th win of the season. A night after earning his first collegiate shutout BSU netminder Mattias Sholl allowed four goals and made 17 saves in the game. He falls to 8-6-5 on the season.
 
Bemidji State finished 1-for-4 while on the power play while its penalty kill killed of three Wildcat power plays including a five-minute major to start the second period.
 
Bemidji State will now hit the road and travel to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., to take on Lake Superior State University looking to gain traction in the CCHA standings. The Beavers and Lakers will play game one of their two-game league series Friday, Jan. 27 beginning at 6:07 p.m. CT.
 
For more information on the Bemidji State men's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on Twitter or Instagram (@BSUBeaversMHKY), or like them on Facebook (facebook.com/BSUBeavers).
 
Located on the shore of Lake Bemidji, Bemidji State University 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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