The Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team (3-6-1; 3-3-0 WCHA) looks to snap a three-game losing skid this weekend as it returns to Sanford Center to host University of Alaska-Anchorage (5-3-0; 2-2-0 WCHA) in a two-game Western Collegiate Hockey Association series.

Since Bemidji State opened conference play 3-0-0, the Beavers have dropped three straight games and were swept in their first league series at Ferris State University last weekend. The Beavers saw a one-goal lead slip away, dropping the opener 5-4 in overtime before battling back from a 4-0 first period deficit Saturday only to fall 5-3.
Ten games into the 2013-14 season, sophomore Markus Gerbrandt has been the Beavers’ offensive sparkplug. Gerbrandt leads BSU with 10 points (7g-3a) and is the team’s top goal scorer with a career-high seven. Since Oct. 25, the forward from Edmonton, Alberta has six goals and an assist, leaving him atop the WCHA scoring list. After pacing BSU with 15 assists a year ago, Danny Mattson is back at it again. He leads the team with eight helpers and is second on the team with nine points. Andrew Walsh has shouldered the bulk of BSU’s goaltending duties. He is 3-6-1 with a 3.09 goals against average and a .902 save percentage.
Alaska-Anchorage rolls into Bemidji with a new head coach and a fresh start. After going 4-25-7 and finishing 12th in the WCHA standings last season, the Seawolves have already posted a 5-3-0 mark under Matt Thomas. Last weekend UAA swept University of Alabama-Huntsville, 3-1 and 6-1, to even its league record at 2-2-0.
The Seawolves are led by senior forward Matt Bailey, who has nine points (6g-3a), while fellow senior Jordan Kwas has a team-best five assists and is second on the team with eight points (3g-5a). Thomas has split time for his goaltenders. Senior Rob Gunderson has a 3-2-0 record with a 1.82 goals against average and a .916 save percentage, while newcomer Michael Matyas is 2-1-0 with a 3.27 goals against average and a .879 save percentage.

The Rivalry
The Bemidji State and Alaska-Anchorage rivalry is one of the newest on the Beavers’ docket. The teams first met Nov. 12-13, 2010 during BSU’s first rotation as a member of the WCHA. The Seawolves opened the series at Sanford Center with a 5-4 victory, but the Beavers have bounced back and are unbeaten in the last five meetings between the teams (4-0-1). Last season the Beavers hosted the Seawolves for a 2-2 tie and a 5-4 victory.

The Coaches
Tom Serratore (Bemidji State ‘86) is in his 13th season as BSU’s head coach and has an overall record of 204-193-50 (.523). In addition to directing the Beavers to records of at least .500 in seven of the last 10 seasons, Serratore’s teams have won CHA regular-season championships five times since 2003-04 and made trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010, with a 2009 appearance in the Frozen Four. He is a five-time CHA Coach of the Year recipient and was Spencer Penrose National Coach of the Year Runner-up in 2009.
Matt Thomas is in his first season at Alaska-Anchorage. The fifth coach in the history of UAA hockey, Thomas joined the Seawolves after nine years as a general manager and coach in the ECHL, which included leading the Stockton Thunder to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2012-13. With 342 career victories he ranks fifth on the all-time ECHL wins list.

BSU Notables:
• The Bemidji State University men’s hockey team suffered a WCHA series sweep at Ferris State Nov. 8-9. The Beavers dropped a 5-4 decision in overtime Friday before battling back from a 4-0 first-period deficit to fall 5-3 in the series finale. BSU falls to 3-6-1 overall and while the team is 3-3-0 in WCHA play.

• In a series that dates back to 1999, BSU is now 4-7-0 all-time versus the Bulldogs.

• BSU has failed to record a win in overtime this season falling to 0-1-1 in two OT contests.

• BSU is 0-5-12 in its last 17 overtime contests. The team’s last over time victory came at Lake Superior State Nov. 4 2011.

• Markus Gerbrandt led the Beavers offensively versus Ferris State. The sophomore piled up three goals, which included a pair of power-play markers, and two assists. His multi-goal effort Saturday was his third of the season.

• With eight points (6g-2a) in league play this season, Gerbrandt leads the WCHA in scoring.

• Graeme McCormack collected two assists for his first collegiate multi-point effort Nov. 8.

• This season no player has had more success on the road than Markus Gerbrandt. Including five points (3g-2a) at Ferris State, nine of his ten points (7g-3a) have come on the road.

• In 31 games as a freshman, Gerbrandt totaled five points (4g-1a). Through the first 10 games of his sophomore campaign he has a team-best seven goals to take the BSU scoring lead with 10 points (7g-3a).

• In BSU’s last four outings, Graeme McCormack has five points (1g-4a). The four-game point streak is the longest of his career.

• Cory Ward, BSU’s top returning goal scorer, continues to find the back of the net. Through 10 games, the sophomore has six goals to rank second on the team and has posted a goal in four of the Beavers’ last six games.

• Danny Mattson, the team’s leading assist man with eight helpers has netted a point in seven of the Beavers’ last eight games.

• Brad Robbins netted his first collegiate goal Saturday. It was his 31st game as a Beaver.

• Friday Phillip Marinaccio netted his first collegiate goal Saturday. He stands as the sixth BSU newcomer to find the back of the net though the Beavers’ first 10 games. Defenders D.J. Jones and Carter Struthers remain as the only new skaters without a goal.

• After struggling to win on Friday’s in 2012-13 (1-12-4), BSU is 2-3-0 in the first game of a series in 2013-14, which includes winning two of its last three Friday appearances. BSU has accounted for 19 of its 26 goals in Friday games. It took BSU 13 Friday contests or until Feb. 8 of last season to accumulate 19 goals on Friday.

• While BSU is averaging 3.8 goals per game on Friday in 2013-14, BSU has posted a meager 2.0 on Saturday.

• This season BSU has scored in excess of three goals six times and is averaging 2.90 goals per game through its first 10 appearances. In 2012-13, BSU scored more three or more goals in a game just 12 times the entire season and averaged 2.06 goals per game.

• BSU has been out shot 31.75 to 24.25 in home games this season and out scored 2.75 goals per game to 4.00. Bemidji State is 1-3-0 at home in 2013-14.

• Danny Mattson leads all BSU played with five points (1g-4a) in the Beavers’ four home games this season. Corey Ward leads BSU with two goals scored at Sanford Center this season.

• BSU got a pair of power-play markers in each game of its series at Ferris State to move to 8-for-37 (.216) on the season, while it is 6-for-22 (.273) to rank third in WCHA play. BSU has now netted a power-play goal in its last four games.

• BSU returns home to Sanford Center this weekend to host University of Alaska-Anchorage. The Beavers are 4-1-1 all-time versus the Seawolves, which includes a 2-1-1 mark in games played at Sanford Center. The Beavers are unbeaten in their last five meetings with UAA (4-0-1). BSU last lost to the Seawolves Nov. 12, 2010.

• Radoslav Illo and Danny Mattson have each experienced a tremendous amount of success versus UAA, racking up four assists apiece in six and four games, respectively. Sam Rendle has also had good fortune when playing the Seawolves in four game played, he has a pair of goals–accounting nearly 30 percent of his career goal-scoring output in four games.