The Bemidji State women’s hockey team headed into the first round of the WCHA Playoffs with some renewed confidence after going 6 for 9 on the powerplay in a weekend sweep against St. Cloud last weekend. However, the Beavers also knew that getting past UND wouldn’t come easy.

BSU hasn’t had much luck on Fridays or first games of series this season, only winning two of those games in league play all season. The good news is that on Saturdays, the Beavers are 12-4-1 and 9-3-1 after a loss.

Yesterday, the University of North Dakota took a 2-0 lead after the first period. BSU held them to a scoreless second period.

Late in the third and still down 2-0, Bemidji State pulled goaltender Zuzuna Tomcikova for the extra attacker in hopes of making it a one goal game. Unfortunately, UND would score an empty net goal to take a 3-0 lead.

The final five minutes saw BSU play their best hockey of the game, and Erika Wheelhouse would finally put the Beavers on the scoreboard with 1:36 left in the game. It would be Wheelhouse’s 8th goal of the season with the assist credited to Sadie Lundquist who notched her 23rd assist of the year. UND won the first game 3-1.

Game 2 is today at 2:37pm CT with live radio coverage beginning at 2:00pm on the Beaver Radio Network. The Beavers need to win Game 2 in order to have the chance at advancing to Game 3 on Sunday.

The winner of this series moves on to next weekend’s WCHA Final Faceoff at the Amsoil Arena in Duluth.