Sophomore forward Jordan George (Madison, Wis.) recorded a goal and two helpers, while senior captain Matt Read (F, Ilderton, Ontario) added a goal and assisted on another, but the Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team’s first road trip of 2010-11 didn’t get off to the start the team anticipated. Despite climbing to within a goal of the hosting Huskies midway through the third period, 4-3, SCSU added two goals late to separate itself from the Beavers and claim a 6-3 Western Collegiate Hockey Association victory Friday at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minn.
Read put the Beavers up early, taking passes from Jake Areshenko (So., D, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia), who logged his first point of the season with an assist on the play, and George before beating the SCSU goaltender, Mike Lee, just 3:11 into the game. But the lead would be short-lived. At the 12:04 mark of the period, Drew LaBlanc ignited a run of four consecutive goals by the Huskies, stretching to the 8:33 mark of the second period, when he scored his second power-play goal of the season. Ben Hanowski gave the Huskies their first lead of the night just three minutes later (15:13) sending SCSU to the first intermission owning a 2-1 lead.
The Huskies capitalized with BSU in the penalty box during the second period netting a pair of goals to extend their lead to three goals heading into the final stanza.
Hanowski netted his second goal of the night, this time on the power-play, at the 6:08 mark of the second and Garrett Roe put St. Cloud State up 4-1 just 2:25 later.
Sparked by a power-play goal by George in the opening minutes of the third period, his team-leading fourth marker of the season, the Beavers rebounded to within two goals of the Huskies. Ian Lowe (Sr., F, Bradwardine, Manitoba) continued the BSU comeback with an even-strength marker with 10 minutes to play, pushing the score to 4-3, but the Huskies got a goal from Aaron Marvin 1:24 later to snuff out any hope of a BSU rally. SCSU extended its lead to 6-3 in the closing moments of the game when Hanowski completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal.
Out shooting the Beavers 33-26 in the game, St. Cloud State earned the victory with superior special teams play. The Huskies converted three of seven power-play opportunities into goals, while their penalty-kill until stymied three of four Beaver power-play chances.
Lee piled up 23 saves in 60:00 minutes gaining the win between the pipes for the Huskies. His counterpart, BSU’s Mathieu Dugas (So., G, L’Assomtion, Quebec) recorded 27 saves, but allowed five goals and was tagged with the loss (0-1-1).