BEMIDJI, Minn. – University of St. Thomas scored just 17 seconds into the hockey game and used the lead to skate to a 3-1 victory over the (RV) Bemidji State University Men's Hockey team in game one of their Central Collegiate Hockey Association series Friday night in Mendota Heights, Minn.
 
The Beavers remain with 36 points in the CCHA standings but fall to fifth after Northern Michigan University earned three points at Bowling Green State University. The Beavers and Wildcats are tied with 36 points in the league standings but NMU holds the tie breaker over the Beavers.
 
Lucas Wahlin gave the Tommies (11-20-2, 10-13-2 CCHA) the start they wanted and scored just 17 seconds after the opening face-off for his sixth goal of the season. The Beavers had to claw and scratch their way to get back into the game after surrendering the early goal but with just 2:39 left in the first period, fifth-year senior Ross Armour got just enough of a Carter Jones shot to redirect it past UST goaltender Aaron Trotter to even the score for the Beavers.
 
The goal was Armour's team-leading 12^th of the season and third goal in five games.
 
The teams would head into the first intermission still tied at one and played most of the second period still tied but with 2:21 left in the frame Cooper Gay retook the lead for the Tommies with his fourth goal of the season.
 
The Beavers fought hard to find the equalizing goal in the final period and out-shot the Tommies 7-5 in the period but Trotter and their defense was too tough to crack through and kept BSU off the scoreboard. Wahlin would eventually seal the victory for St. Thomas when scored into the empty net with 20.6 seconds left and cap-off the 3-1 win.
 
Bemidji State out-shot St. Thomas 27-23 in the game but falls to 13-15-5 on the season.
 
Sophomore goaltender Mattias Sholl stopped 20-of-22 shots for the Beavers but falls to 10-11-5 on the season.
 
The Beavers finished 1-for-3 while on the power play while their penalty kill held the Tommies scoreless on their two chances.
 
Bemidji State will attempt to keep its home-ice hopes alive tomorrow evening when the two teams close out the regular season at 6:07 p.m. from Saint Thomas Ice Rink. BSU will need at least one point and help from Bowling Green State and Lake Superior State Univeristy to secure home-ice advantage for the first round of the CCHA Playoffs.
 
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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