Starting the season off on the right foot, the Bemidji State University women’s hockey team skated to a 3-0 win over the Wayne State University Warriors at the City Sports Center. Three different players lit the red lamp as goaltender Zuzana Tomcikova (Jr., Bratislava, Slovakia) picked up her ninth-career shutout.

The Beavers jumped-out to an early lead scoring two goals in the first period, one on the power play. Just a little halfway through the first period on the second power-play opportunity for the Beavers, BSU’s Sadie Lundquist (So., For., Cloquet, Minn.) scored the first Beaver goal of the season. The play started when Marlee Wheelhouse (Jr., Def., Crookston, Minn.) fired a puck on net that was turned away by Warrior tender Delayne Brian. Lundquist was parked in front of the net and put the rebound in off of Brian’s upper left arm to score her third collegiate goal. Erika Wheelhouse (So., Def., Crookston, Minn.) also picked up an assist on the play.

Under four minutes later the puck found its way to the back of the Warrior net again, this time off the stick of Emily Erickson (R-So., For., Coleraine, Minn.). Senior co-captain Erin Cody (For., Roseville, Minn.) had control of the puck in the offensive zone and circled behind the Warrior net looking for a scoring opportunity. She found Erickson sitting short-side of the net who banged home the second goal for the Beavers.

The Beavers ended the first period dominating the shots department, out-shooting the Warriors 15-6. BSU also looked strong from the get-go, connecting on passes and having success breaking the puck out of their own zone.

The second period didn’t feature any goal scoring even though both sides had multiple chances as there were a total of six penalties were assessed. Bemidji State had four of the six power plays in the period and got six shots on goal in those opportunities. However, the WSU penalty-kill unit was successful in fending off the Beavers.

Starting off the third period, the Wayne State Warriors didn’t look as if they were going to let the Beavers walk out with an easy win. WSU fought back hard as the play evened up with only two penalties called in the period, one for each team. While the Warriors went to out-shoot the Beavers in the third period, it was BSU that would find the back of the net. Halfway through the period, Cody got her own goal, giving a goal to each player on her line. Erickson caused a turnover in the corner and the puck found its way into the front of the net. Lundquist and Cody were both in front of the net and Cody put in a rebound off of Lundquist’s attempt at the loose puck.

The forward line of Cody, Lundquist, and Erickson had six points in the game as each of the three had one goal and one assist.

For the game, BSU out-shot the Warriors 33-27.

The Beavers will return tomorrow afternoon to finish the weekend series against the Warriors. Game time is set to begin at noon.]