BEMIDJI, Minn. - The Bemidji State University Men's Hockey team held off a late push by University of St. Thomas en route to its first Central Collegiate Hockey Association victory of the season Friday night at Sanford Center.
Jackson Jutting,
Jake McLean and
Lleyton Roed each scored for the Beavers as BSU took down the Tommies 3-2 in the first league game of the season. With the win the Beavers improve to 2-3-0 on the season and earn three points in the CCHA standings.
The Beavers opened the scoring in the game late in the first period when Jutting rifled a shot past Tommie goaltender Aaron Trotter for a power-play goal and his second of the season with 4:02 remaining in the first period.
The Tommies responded quick and just 48 seconds later, Cooper Gay tied the game at one.
The teams would head into the first intermission locked in the 1-1 battle but 4:28 freshman
Jake McLean found a good time to score his first collegiate goal after senior
Austin Jouppi forced a turnover behind the Tommies' net.
The Beavers then took a 3-1 lead when sophomore Lleyton roed scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season while on another BSU power play halfway through the middle frame.
Junior goaltender
Mattias Sholl would hold the Tommies scoreless through 40 minutes but did not return for the third period due to injury and senior
Gavin Enright took his place between the pipes for the deciding third period.
Enright turned aside the first five shots he saw but Luke Manning pulled UST within one with 2:32 to play to make things interesting.
After pulling Trotter in favor of the extra skater, the Tommies produced shot after shot against the Beavers' defense but the Beavers prevailed and earned the 3-2 victory.
Bemidji State finished the game 2-for-3 on the power play while its penalty kill denied St. Thomas on both of its opportunities.
Sholl earned the victory in net after stopping 11-of-12 shots while Enright played the final 20 minutes and stopped 10-of-11 shots.
The Beavers will now attempt to open CCHA play with a series sweep when the two teams meet for game two at 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).
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