BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Bemidji State University Men's Hockey team fired off for five goals in the second period and junior
Mattias Sholl backstopped the Beavers for his third career shoutout as BSU defeated Minnesota State University, Mankato 6-0 Friday night to clinch the program's second-ever MacNaughton Cup as Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular season champions.
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Senior
Jackson Jutting ignited the scoring frenzy for the Beavers (16-15-2, 14-7-2 CCHA) scoring 1:18 into the second frame and factored in on four of the Beavers' five goals in the period for a career-high, four-point night (2g-2a). On the other end of the ice Sholl was calm and collected in between the pipes and turned aside al 28 shots by the Mavericks (16-13-4, 12-9-2 CCHA) to earn his third career shutout.
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The Beavers secured three more league points and extended their win streak to five games, unbeaten streak to seven (6-0-1) and point streak to eight.
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Bemidji State wins its second MacNaughton Cup championship and first since 2017 as the league's regular season champion after previously winning the cup as a member of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.
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The Beavers also secured the top seed in the CCHA Playoffs and will host eight-seed Ferris State University at Sanford Center for the best-of-three Quarterfinal Round March 8-10.
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After a scoreless first period, Jutting scored his ninth of the season 1:18 into the second period with a wrist shot from the left circle that beat goaltender Alex Tracy to the far post and in.
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8:39 later he scored his second of the game after batting home his own rebounded shot for his second career two-goal effort and second of the season.
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Just 57 seconds later, freshman
Kasper Magnussen one-timed the puck from the slot and scored his fourth of the season to put the Beavers up by three with just over 29 minutes left in the game.
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The goals just kept coming for the Beavers and exactly one minute later, junior
Donte Lawson poked free a loose puck in the crease and into the back of the net for his third goal of the season and second goal over the past three games.
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The Beavers didn't stop at four and with 1:43 to play in the frame, senior
Eric Martin benefited from a Beaver bounce that deflected off a defender's skate and to the far post past new goaltender Keenan Rancier for his sixth of the year.
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BSU's scoring streak in the period ended at five and was the first time scoring five goals in a period since Dec. 12, 2020.
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Bemidji State put the bow on their championship bout with long-time rival Minnesota State when
Adam Flammang scored his ninth goal of the season 2:02 into the third period.
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Jutting finished the historic night recording two goals and two assists for his first four-point effort. 11 different skaters earned a point in the game with Jutting,
Rhys Chiddenton (2a),
Austin Jouppi (2a) and
Kasper Magnussen (1g-1a) each recorded two points.
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Sholl earned his fifth consecutive victory in goal for the Beavers and improved to 11-7-2 on the season. He is the conference's leading goaltender with a .600 winning percentage.
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Bemidji State ends the 2023-24 regular season tomorrow night with game two against the Mavericks at 6:07 p.m. The Beavers will honor their five seniors,
Gavin Enright,
Jack Powell,
Eric Martin,
Jackson Jutting and
Austin Jouppi before tomorrow's puck drop.
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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).
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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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