BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – Ferris State University's Mitch Deelstra scored the game-winning goal with just 45.4 seconds remaining to send the Bulldogs to a 3-2 victory over the (RV) Bemidji State University Men's Hockey team Friday night in game one of their Central Collegiate Hockey Association series.
 
The Bulldogs (12-13-4, 9-9-3 CCHA) earned three points in the CCHA standings and leap-frogged the Beavers (11-13-5, 9-9-3 CCHA) for fourth place and home ice advantage in the first round of the CCHA Playoffs.
 
The first period played mostly as a back-and-forth battle between the two evenly matched teams and just like it looked as we would head into the first intermission locked at 0-0, fifth-year senior Ross Armour skated from circle-to-circle and sniped the puck over the blocker of Noah Geisbrecht to give the Beavers a 1-0 lead with just 29.4 left in the first period.
 
The Beavers would carry that lead into the first intermission but just 52 seconds into the second period, Ferris State's Jason Brancheau tied the game.
 
The second period would end all tied up at one but 2:16 into the third period, Antonio Venuto scored a short-handed goal to put the Bulldogs up 2-1. However, halfway through the period, Armour skated the puck into the offensive zone himself and beat Geisbrecht with a shot to the blocker side once again to score his second of the game and tie the game for the Beavers.
 
Just as it seemed as if we would be headed to overtime, Deelstra skated down the right wing and beat goaltender Mattias Sholl for the game-winning goal with just 45.4 remaining on the clock.
 
The Beavers will attempt to salvage a series split with the Bulldogs and jump back into fourth in the CCHA standings when the two teams meet for game two at 5:07 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).
 
--bsu--
  Read Full Article