BEMIDJI, Minn. – Bemidji State University Men's Hockey senior
Mattias Sholl turned aside 38 shots from No. 3 University of Minnesota to help the Beavers upset the third-ranked Gophers 3-1 Saturday night at Sanford Center. The win was just the third time the Beavers defeated Minnesota and first since 2016.
The win was also marked the first time the Beavers defeated the Gophers on home ice and handed Minnesota just its second loss of the season (10-2-0).
Sholl backstopped the Beavers providing 57 minutes of shutout hockey before his attempt at his third shutout of the season was foiled by a Gopher 6-on-5 goal with 2:12 remaining. However, the Beavers added an empty-net goal from senior
Donte Lawson to clinch the victory and provide the netminder from Hermosa Beach, Calif., a sigh of relief.
Bemidji State had just about as good of a start as it hoped for when junior
Kirklan Irey scored 21 seconds after the opening faceoff.
The goal was his third of the season and he would score his fourth before the period's end with an unassisted tally at 9:44 of the first period.
Sholl and the Beavers' defense stymied the Gophers high-powered attack from then on and held them scoreless through 57 minutes and 36 shot attempts. With their net empty, however, the Gophers finally broke through to end the shutout when Matthew Wood powered home his fourth goal of the season.
The Gophers would attempt at the game-tying goal with their net empty again but with just eight seconds remaining, Lawson sealed the game with his third goal of the season into the empty net.
The win pulled the Beavers and Gophers non-conference series to an even 1-1 split with BSU improving to 5-6-0 on the season while the third-ranked Gophers fell to 10-2-0.
Sholl earned his fifth win of the season and improved to 5-6-0 after making a season-high 38 saves.
The Beavers will now resume Central Collegiate Hockey Association play next weekend at Sanford Center by hosting University of St. Thomas.
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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