BEMIDJI, Minn. – The 2023 Ice Breaker Tournament got off to a rocking start Friday night at Sanford Center as junior goaltender Mattias Sholl broke a 34-year program record by making 57 saves in the Bemidji State Men's Hockey team's 4-3 overtime loss against (RV) University of Wisconsin Friday night.
 
Sholl bested the previous program record set by Steve O'Shea in 1989 by three saves however, the night was spoiled after the Badgers scored the game-winning goal during the three-on-three overtime to earn the victory.
 
The Badgers (3-0-0) were relentless in their offensive zone and out-shot the Beavers (0-1-0) 61-19 in the game but Sholl was tracking the puck well and kept the Beavers in it. He began the night by stopping 16-of-17 shots in the first period and then followed by stopping a whopping 27-of-28 shots in the second. He then turned aside 10-of-11 in the third and four out of five in the extra period.
 
Wisconsin's Joe Palodichuk wasted little time to get the Badgers on the board first in the game and scored his first goal of the season 2:35 into the opening frame.
 
However, after receiving a nice back-door feed from sophomore Mitch Wolfe, sophomore Kirklan Irey scored into the wide-open net for the Beavers' tying goal and first of the 2023-24 season at 9:30 of the period.
 

BEAVERS GOAL!!!!
Kirklan Irey from Mitch Wolfe and Jackson Jutting at 10:30 in the first period #GoBeavers #Beaverterritory pic.twitter.com/1SWuEZ9kJA

— Bemidji State Men's Hockey (@BSUBeaversMHKY) October 14, 2023

 
The first period ended in the 1-1 tie but the Badgers regained the lead in the second period when Cruz Lucius scored his first of the season at 12:05 of the middle frame. However, the Beavers answered 2:18 later when sophomore Lleyton Roed scored a power-play goal for his first of the season as well.
 

BEAVERS POWER PLAY GOAL!!!!
Lleyton Roed scores at 14:37 in the second period. Assisted by Eric Martin and Carter Jones! #GoBeavers #BeaverTerritory pic.twitter.com/3KniaFYTYa

— Bemidji State Men's Hockey (@BSUBeaversMHKY) October 14, 2023

 
Just like the first intermission, the second was locked in a tie as the two teams headed to an exciting third period. Bemidji State took its first lead of the game 2:41 into the final frame when senior Jackson Jutting scored off a pass from Irey that deflected off a Badger skate and onto the stick of Jutting.
 

BEAVERS GOAL!!!!
Jackson Jutting from Kirklan Irey and Austin Jouppi at 17:19 in the third period. Beavers take their first lead of the game! #GoBeavers #BeaverTerritory pic.twitter.com/BozUHAG4E1

— Bemidji State Men's Hockey (@BSUBeaversMHKY) October 14, 2023

 
The lead lasted only eight minutes when Simon Tassy scored a power-play goal with 9:12 to play.
 
The two teams would need the three-on-three overtime period to decide a winner and BSU earned momentum early in the extra frame after gaining a power play just 1:16 into the frame. However, the Beavers failed to capitalize with the man advantage and with just 49 seconds left, Lucius scored his second of the game to earn the Badgers the 4-3 victory.
 
Bemidji State earned six power plays in the game going 1-for-6 on the advantage while its penalty kill denied the Badgers on three of their four attempts.
 
Sholl and the rest of the Beavers will now get some much needed rest but continue the 2023 Ice Breaker Tournament tomorrow night by hosting Army-West Point at Sanford Center. Puck drop between the Beavers and Black Knights is scheduled for 6:07 p.m.
 
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).
 
--bsu--