Tommies salvage series split with Beavers after 2-1 victory

Bemidji State University women’s hockey sophomore Gabbie Smith scored the Beavers’ lone goal and the first of her collegiate career as University of St. Thomas salvaged a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series split with a 2-1 victory last Saturday afternoon. The Beavers fall to 1-1-0 (1-1-0 WCHA) to start the season while the Tommies earned their first win as a Division I women’s hockey program and improve to 1-3-0 (1-3-0 WCHA).

Smith opened the scoring in the game with the first goal of her collegiate career just 1:19 into the opening period after receiving a centering pass from junior Reece Hunt for a quick snap shot. Bemidji State entered the first intermission with the one-goal lead but St. Thomas responded in the second period when Maija Almich scored the Tommies’ first goal at home as a Division I program at 7:06 of the period.

The score remained tied entering the final period and each team battle to score the go-ahead goal. St. Thomas would win the battle and with 6:54 remaining, Luci Bianchi netted the go-ahead and eventual game-winning goal.

Bemidji State out-shot St. Thomas 29-25 but freshman goaltender Saskia Maurer bested the Beavers in her first collegiate start by stopping 28-of-29 shots. BSU’s Kerigan Dowhy earned her first loss of the season after stopping 23-of-25 by UST.

The Beavers earned three power plays during the game but came up empty on all three chances to fall to 0-for-6 with the extra skater on the season. BSU’s penalty kill however, stopped two power-play chances by the Tommies and improves to 5-for-5 this season.

Bemidji State will have this weekend off from action and returns to play Oct. 15-16 by traveling to Columbus, Ohio to face Ohio State University.