ORONO, Maine– The Bemidji State University women’s hockey team used a balanced offensive attack to trounce the University of Maine Black Bears 7-0 Saturday evening at Harold Alfond Sports Arena in Orono, Maine. The Beavers had 12 different players score on the night. BSU improves to 3-1-2 (0-1-1-1 WCHA). Maine falls to 4-2-0 (0-0-0 Hockey East). The series sweep marks the first time Bemidji State has picked up two victories in a weekend since Jan. 21-22, 2011 when they upended Minnesota State University.
The seven goals on the game marks the most for BSU since netting eight goals Oct. 26, 2001 in a 8-1 win over St. Cloud State University. The most goals ever recorded by the Beavers occurred Dec. 4, 1999 in a 15-3 victory over Wayne State University.
The Beavers earn the sweep over the Black Bears, a team that like Bemidji State received votes this week in both the USCHO.com poll and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll after last week earning two wins over No. 9 Quinnipiac University.
The Beavers got off to the races from the onset of Saturday’s game as Montana Vichorek (Sr., D, Moose Lake, Minn.) put the Beavers on the scoreboard 35 seconds into the first period when she tallied her second goal of the season. Sadie Lundquist (Jr., F, Cloquet, Minn.) and Emily Erickson (R-Jr., F, Coleraine, Minn.) were credited with assists on the goal. The assist was the second of the season for both Lundquist and Erickson.
The 1-0 lead in the first period marked only the second time this season the Beavers scored the first goal over their opponents. BSU went ahead 1-0 over No. 10 Providence College in what was eventually a 3-1 victory over the Friars Oct. 1.
BSU strengthened their lead to 2-0 at the 17:58 mark in the second period when Erickson netted a rebound off a shot from the outside for the Beavers. The goal marked the fourth goal of the season for Erickson. Lundquist and Tess Dusik (So., F, Oak Bluff, Manitoba) were credited with assists on the goal. The assist was Lundquist’s third of the season and Dusik’s first of the year.
Bemidji State extended their lead to 3-0 56 seconds into the third period when Erickson put the puck through Maine goaltender Kylie Smith’s five hole. The goal was Erickson’s fifth of the season and marks BSU’s second short-handed goal of the year as Mackenzie Thurston (Jr., F, Ottawa, Ontario) was serving a penalty for tripping. The goal was unassisted. Vichorek scored Bemidji State’s other short-handed goal this season in BSU’s 3-1 victory over Providence.
Rachael Kelly (Fr., F, Rosemount, Minn.) put the icing on the cake at the 7:07 mark in the third period when she lifted the puck up and over the shoulder of Maine’s Smith to put BSU ahead 4-0. Up and over the shoulder. The goal was Kelly’s second of the season. Freshman Whitney Wivoda (F, Fairbanks, Alaska) and Kimberly Lieder (Sr., D, Eagan, Minn.) had assists on the goal. The assist was the first point scored in Whivoda’s career. It was the first assist of the season for Lieder.
The Beavers added a fifth goal 14 seconds later at the 7:21 mark when Erika Wheelhouse (Sr., D, Crookston, Minn.) added her second goal of the weekend off assists from Lundquist and Dusik. The assist was the fourth of the season for Lundquist and the second of the season for Dusik.
Maine responded to the fifth goal by pulling Smith in goal with over 12 minutes left in the game in order to gain the extra skater to help aid on the offensive end of hte ice. Just over a minute later at the 8:43 mark Molly Arola (Jr., F, Walker, Minn.) added the second goal of her career with an empty netter. Thurston was credited with the assist.
The Black Bears left the net empty and were able to hold off the Beavers for almost seven minutes until BSU added a second empty-net goal from Lauren Williams (Sr., F, Eagan, Minn.). Abby Williams (R-Jr., F, Alexandria, Minn.) and Vichorek had assists on the goal. The goal was L. Williams’ first point of the season. A. Williams had her third assist of the year while Vichorek added her fifth assist of the season.
Alana McElhinney (Jr, G, Calgary, Alberta) was dominant in goal for the Beavers notching 17 saves in her first win of the season. The shutout was McElhinney’s third of her season and her first since the 2009-10 season.
Erickson led the Beavers with two goals and an assist and finishes the weekend with three goals and an assist. Lundquist added three assists. Vichorek also had a goal and an assist on the night finishing with one goal and two assists in the series. Dusik finished the weekend with a goal and two assists.
BSU returns to conference play next weekend as they host St. Cloud State University at Sanford Center Oct. 21 and 22.
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