MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – The Bemidji State University Women's Hockey team surged late against Lindenwood University but fell just short of the game-tying goal and lost 4-2 to the Lions in its 2023-24 season-opening game in Maryland Heights, Mo., Saturday night.
The Beavers (0-1-0) pulled within one of the Lions (1-0-0) at 3-2 with 7:34 to play but couldn't muster the game-tying goal before Lindenwood sealed the game with an empty-net goal to earn the 4-2 victory.
Special teams play was the deciding factor as Bemidji State failed to score on six power-play chances and surrendered two short-handed goals while also allowing two power-play goals to the Lions on their seven chances.
Lindenwood got off to a quick start in its home opener when Morgan Neitzke scored a short-handed goal just 3:15 into the opening frame. The Lions would add to their lead just before the period's end when Gigi Pora scored a power-play goal with 3:57 left in the period.
The Lions took the two-goal lead into the first intermission but the Beavers responded early in the middle frame when senior captain
Taylor Nelson converted a 2-on-0 rush with freshman
Kate Johnson 5:50 into the second period to score the Beavers' first goal of the season and pull BSU within one.
However, just 3:06 later, Lindenwood's Quinn McLaren scored a power-play goal to put the Lions back up by two.
The second period would end with the Beavers trailing 3-1 and the team's played 12:56 before the game's next goal when Nelson forced a turnover behind the Lions' net and found a wide-open
Gabbie Smith who buried the opportunity while the Beavers were short-handed.
The short-handed tally would be the Beavers' first short-handed goal since Nov. 27, 2021 when Lindsey Featherstone scored a short-handed goal also against Lindenwood.
The Beavers continued to attack looking for the game-tying goal and with 2:19 to play, they earned a power play and pulled goaltender Abbie Smith for the 6-on-4 advantage. Lindenwood's Sena Takenaka would take advantage of the empty net and send the puck 180 feet from her defensive zone and into the back of the net to seal the Lions' victory.
After being out-shot 15-6 after the first period, the Beavers out-shot the Lions 24-22 through the final two periods. LU finished the game out-shooting BSU 37-30.
Thompson recorded a career-high 33 saves to keep the Beavers in the game but she earns her first loss of the season. Her counterpart Natalie Ferenc was made key saves for the Lions late in the game and earned the victory after stopping 28-of-30 shots.
Bemidji State will attempt to salvage the series split tomorrow afternoon when the two teams play game two at 3 p.m.
For more information on the Bemidji State women's hockey program, tickets or schedules, visit BSUBeavers.com, follow the Beavers on X or Instagram (@BSUBeaversWHKY), 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 and women's hockey membership in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association and Western Collegiate Hockey Association, while its 13 NCAA Division II programs hold membership in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC).
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