It took 85:15, but Ferris State University put an end to Bemidji State University’s 2013-14 men’s hockey season Saturday, scoring a goal at the 5:15 mark of the second overtime period to win game two, 3-2, and sweep the Western Collegiate Hockey Association first round playoff series.
Bemidji State held a 2-1 lead for 32:58, but with just 45 seconds left in regulation, FSU’s Matt Robertson scored an extra-attacker goal to tie the game and force what is thought to be the second-longest game in BSU hockey history. After playing an entire overtime period without a goal, Scott Czarnowczan scored the short-handed goal to tip the game and the series in favor of the Bulldogs, 5:15 into the second overtime period.
Ferris State picked up where it left off on Friday night, as the Bulldogs got a goal from Brandon Anselmini just 3:50 into the opening period.
With just 5:23 remaining in the first, a FSU player was checked and his skate caught the glass behind the BSU goal shattering it. The broken glass caused a lengthy stoppage, resulting in an early intermission and the remaining time remaining in the first period was played immediately prior to the second start of the second period.
The Beavers came out of the stoppage with a spark. Seventy-seven seconds into the second, junior Phil Brewer (Cambridge, Ontario) took a pass from Cory Ward (So., F, Las Vegas, Nev.) and found the back of the net to tie the game, 1-1.
Five minutes later, Nate Arentz (Fr., F, Lakeville, Minn.) netted his third goal of the season to give the Beavers their first lead of the best-of-three series. Radoslav Illo (Sr., F, Bystrica, Slovakia) and Brendan Harms (Fr., F, Steinbach, Manitoba) were credited with assists on the play.
The Beavers would carry the 2-1 lead into the third period and would cling to the lead into the final minute in regulation before FSU would pull its goaltender C.J. Motte in an effort to generate offense with an extra attacker. The strategy would work as Robertson found the back of the net with 45 seconds left.
Jesse Wilkins (Fr., G, Calgary, Alberta) turned aside 38 shots in a career-high 85:15 between the pipes, but surrendered all three of the Bulldogs’ goals and was tagged with the loss. He finishes his freshman campaign 3-8-3.
The Beavers’ season comes to an end with an overall record of 10-21-7 and a 10-14-3 mark in WCHA play.
March 22, 1985, the Beavers played a triple overtime game versus Pittsburgh State, setting a record for the longest game played in BSU history. Until tonight, the Beavers had not played in a game stretched beyond the first overtime period.