The Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team (0-3-1) opens Western Collegiate Hockey Association play this weekend as it travels to Huntsville, Ala. to face long-time rival University of Alabama-Huntsville. The opening faceoff is set for 7:07 p.m. each night from the Von Braun Center.
Bemidji State notables:
• At 0-3-1 this season the Beavers seek their first victory of 2013-14 this weekend as they travel to the University of Alabama-Huntsville to open the WCHA season.
• In a series that dates back to the small college days and got its start in 1994, BSU holds a 38-28-4 edge, which includes gaining wins in 14 of the last 16 meetings (14-1-1).
• The Beavers are 13-19-3 all-time in games played in Huntsville, Ala.
• BSU last loss to the Chargers came Jan. 8, 2011 by the score of 4-3. That also stands as the last game between the teams played at Von Braun Arena.
• Only eight players on BSU’s current roster have experienced the BSU/UAH rivalry first hand and none have had more success than goaltender Andrew Walsh. In Walsh’s two career starts versus the Chargers he has a 2-0-0 record with 47 saves to go with a perfect 1.00 save percentage and .000 goals against average. He led BSU to a pair of shutout victories (3-0 and 5-0) Dec. 16-17, 2011.
• Matt Prapavessis has a pair of assists and a +5 rating in two games versus UAH.
• After a three-point (1g-2a) weekend versus Minnesota, Danny Mattson and Matt Prapavessis (3a) share the Beavers’ scoring lead with three points.
• Mattson contributed a power-play goal Friday night marking a continuation of a significant role on the man advantage. Last season, he netted 10 (2g-8a) of his 19 points while the Beavers were on the power-play to lead all BSU players.
• Mattson assembled his first multi-point game of 2013-14 and the sixth of his career Friday posting a goal and an assist.
• Tom Serratore opened the 2013-14 campaign with a roster featuring 10 players that didn’t have a single game of collegiate experience. Five of those players were in the lineup last weekend and two etched their names in the scoring column for the first time Friday. Brendan Harms and Ruslan Pedan each posted an assist in the loss.
• BSU’s sophomore class has accounted for the bulk of the Beavers’ scoring this season. BSU’s five second-year players have posted four goals and four assists for eight of the team’s 21 points (8g-13a).
• On a team that returns only 35 goals from a season ago, sophomore forward Cory Ward opened 2013-14 as the team’s top returning goal scorer and has come through in BSU’s first four games. He leads the team with two goals scored.
• Dating back to the end of the 2012-13 season, Cory Ward has posted eight points (6g-2a) in his last 10 games.
• After losing the third period Friday 3-1 and 2-0 Saturday, BSU has now been out scored 7-1 in the third this season.
• Bemidji State was out shot Friday night 37-21 and Saturday 31-25. BSU has now been out shot in each of its four games this season. In 2013-14, BSU is averaging just 20.75 shots per game while its opponents have posted an average of 35.75 (143-83).
• The Bemidji State penalty-kill unit held Minnesota to 1-for-8 on the man advantage Oct. 18-19. BSU has now snuffed out 17-of-20 (.850) opponent power-plays this season.
• The Beavers’ power-play unit has converted two of its 15 man advantage opportunities into goals (.133).
• The Bemidji State men’s hockey team is coming off a pair of nonconference losses to No. 3/5 Minnesota Oct. 18-19. The Beavers dropped game one 6-3 before falling in the series finale 5-1.
• Bemidji State is now 1-16-1 versus Minnesota all-time and has dropped nine straight games to the Gophers.
• Following two losses loss to Minnesota, BSU is 0-3-1 versus teams ranked in the top 15, according to the USAToday poll, this season. BSU was 1-11-3 versus the nations’ top 15 teams a year ago.
• BSU has compiled an all-time record of 1,005-531-104 (.641) in 1,644 games. Only 17 programs in the history of college hockey have piled up more wins.