Just as soon as the first-half of its season started, the Bemidji State University women’s hockey team plays its final series of the 2020 calendar year this weekend when they travel to Minnesota State University, Mankato for a two-game series beginning Thursday, Dec. 17 and wrapping up Friday, Dec. 18. The series marks the first road trip for the Beavers (1-1-0, 1-1-0 WCHA) this season. Puck drop for each game of the series is scheduled for 2:07 p.m.

Bemidji State and Minnesota State will meet for the 88th and 89th meetings in the all-time series history. The Beavers lead the all-time series record at 44-30-13 (.580) and are 23-16-4 (.581) when playing at Mankato. Last season Bemidji State went 3-0-1 against the Mavericks and currently have a six-game unbeaten (4-0-2) streak against MSU.

Minnesota State continues its season after facing No. 2 University of Minnesota the previous weekend. The Mavericks fell in both games of the series by scores of 5-1 and 2-1. Minnesota State is tied for fifth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings with three points and sport a 1-5-0 (1-5-0 WCHA) record.

Minnesota State averages 1.50 goals per game early on in the season which is tied for fifth in the league while its defense allows 3.67 goals per game which is seventh. Minnesota State is second in the league on the power play and have converted on three of 26 chances (.115). However, its penalty kill ranks last in the league and has allowed three power-play goals on 23 chances (.870).

Bemidji State continues its 2020-21 season after splitting its first series of the season last weekend when they hosted St. Cloud State University. The Beavers and Huskies played two 3-on-3 overtime periods with SCSU earning a 3-2 victory in game one while the Beavers responded in game two with a 3-2 overtime victory.

Senior Clair DeGeorge scored the game-winning overtime goal for the Beavers in game two for her second goal of the game and ended the series with four points off of three goals and one assist.

For DeGeorge it was her eighth career game-winning goal and she is now tied for second most in program history.

Senior defensemen Kara Werth and Tina Kampa each posted two assists in the series to lead the Beavers’ blueline while Werth earned the primary assist on Friday’s game-winning goal.