Bemidji State University held a 4-3 lead over Ferris State University with 13:35 left in regulation Friday at Robert L. Ewigleben Ice Arena, but the Bulldogs would rally to push the game to overtime and steal the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series opener, 5-4, just 1:28 into the extra frame.
Five different Bemidji State players netted a point in the game led by defenseman Graeme McCormack (So., Thunder Bay, Ontario), who collected two assists for the first multi-point effort of his career.
Outplayed in the opening period, BSU battled back to keep pace with FSU, pushing play during the final 30 minutes and held momentum late in the third, but were unable to secure the victory.
The Beavers were out shot 22-6 in the first period, but managed to take an early 1-0 lead on Phillip Marinaccio’s (F, Fr., Nobleton, Ontario) first collegiate goal. Marinaccio generated the unassisted goal on his own, collecting an FSU turnover in the neutral zone and fired a shot on net from the high slot. The puck deflected off a Bulldog blueliner and beat C.J. Motte.
The Bulldogs answered just 1:01 later (11:02). Chad McDonald potted the goal with help from Jason Brinkley.
BSU goaltender Andrew Walsh (Jr., Dawson Creek, British Columbia) stood tall for the Beavers turning aside 21 Ferris State shots to allow the Beavers to escape the first period with score tied a 1-1.
The size and speed of Robert L. Ewigleben Ice Arena was on display during the second period. The teams combined for 22 shots, five penalties and four goals.
Ferris State took its first lead of the night at the 3:46 mark of the period as Andy Huff put back a Ryan Lowney rebound for an even-strength tally. Dom Panetta was also credited with assists on the play.
Just under five minutes later (8:43) the Beavers got their first power-play opportunity of the evening. It took BSU only five seconds to tie the game. McCormack fired the puck on net, but not before forward Markus Gerbrandt (So., Edmonton, Alberta) redirected the shot in front of the for his fifth goal of the season.
With 14:31 off the clock in the frame, Mitch Cain (F, Jr., Fort Frances, Ontario) was whistled for interference and the Bulldogs would take a 3-2 lead less than a minute later (15:29). FSU’s Kyle Schempp converted the Bulldogs’ first power-play goal of the evening with help from Gerald Mayhew and Connor Schmidt.
Seth Adams put BSU on the man advantage for the final 1:01 of the second period and BSU would knot the score before time would run out. Ruslan Pedan (D, Fr., Moscow, Russia) scored with just 22 seconds left in the frame to send the teams to the second intermission with the score tied 3-3. McCormack was credited with his second assist of the game on the play.
Cory Ward (F, So., Las Vegas, Nev.) put the Beavers ahead for the second time of the night at the 6:25 mark of the third period. The sophomore picked the pocket of a FSU player and skated from end to end before ripping his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
Midway though the third period the Beavers nearly converted on an odd man rush with Danny Mattson (F, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.) to Brendan Harms (F, Fr., Steinbach, Manitoba), but the Beavers missed the virtually open net to go up 5-3 and the Bulldogs would skate the other end of the rink and Justin Buzzeo would beat Walsh to tie the game 4-4 at the 10:23 mark.
Already 2-for-4 on the power play, the Beavers got another chance when Panetta was called for interference with 5:08 left in regulation. The Beavers didn’t get a goal on the man advantage, but swung momentum in their favor getting multiple quality opportunities as the power play expired.
The momentum would not last long. FSU dominated the overtime period. BSU was unable to clear the zone and the Bulldogs clamped down and got the game-winner from Jason Brinkley at the 1:28 mark of the five-minute extra frame.
Walsh finished the evening with 38 saves, but was tagged with the loss after surrendering all five of FSU’s goals. His record dips to 3-5-1 on the season.
Bemidji State, now 3-5-1 on the season and 3-2-0 in WCHA play, will attempt to salvage a series split tomorrow evening when it battles the same Bulldogs (6-2-0; 3-0-0 WCHA) team. The series finale is set for a 6:07 p.m. (CST) opening faceoff from Robert L. Ewigleben Ice Arena in Big Rapids, Mich.