FRASER, Mich. - [box score] Bemidji State’s Jeff McGill scored with 17:23 to play in the third in an extra-attacker situation to pull the Beavers within a goal, but Wayne State’s Keith Stanich scored a short-handed, empty-net goal with 14.9 seconds to ice a 4-2 Warrior win at the Great Lakes City Sports Arena. The win draws Wayne State to within one point of Bemidji State and Niagara for second place in the College Hockey America standings.

After scoring the game’s first goal on the sixth lamp-lighter of the season by Brendan Cook at 12:34 of the first, the Beavers gave up three unanswered goals and let Wayne State take control. The Warriors needed less than six minutes to answer on Nick Shrader’s second goal of the season at 18:22, then took the lead for good, 2-1, and 15:20 of the second. Dustin Kingston picked up his 13th goal of the season off the pass from Jason Durbin and Tyler Kindle.

The Warriors held the one-goal edge until midway through the third period, when Jack Redwood picked up his eighth goal of the season from Keith Stanich, the eventual game-winner, to put Wayne State ahead 3-1.

Bemidji State mounted a furious comeback in the final minutes, pulling starting goaltender Grady Hunt for an extra attacker at 17:00 of the third. The Beavers needed just 23 seconds for the move to pay off, getting McGill’s extra-attacker tally at 17:23 to pull within a goal, 3-2.

BSU returned Hunt to the ice but pulled him again for an extra attacker at 18:23 when Wayne State’s John Grubb was nailed for a holding the stick penalty. BSU again put an extra attacker on the ice and had a six-on-four on-ice advantage. But instead of forcing across the equalizer, BSU surrendered a short-handed, empty-net goal to Stanich at 19:45 to ice the win for the Warriors.

Marty Goulet assisted on McGill’s third-period goal, extending his scoring streak to a career-high eight games, which also ties for the second-longest streak in CHA history. Goulet has 6-8=14 points during the streak, which ties McGill (Oct. 26-Nov. 17, 2001) and former Beaver Stefan Bjork (Jan. 14, 2000 - Feb. 19, 2000) for the CHA’s second-longest streak. Niagara’s Kyle Martin holds the league record at 11 games in 1999-2000.

McGill’s extra-attacker goal in the third period was his 30th career goal and extended his personal scoring streak to five games. He has 4-3=7 points during the streak. It was also the first extra-attacker goal of McGill’s career and the first by a BSU player since Bill Methven scored in the third period of BSU’s 5-2 CHA Tournament loss to Alabama-Huntsville on March 16, 2002.

Grady Hunt took the loss in goal for BSU, marking just his second-ever loss against Wayne State. Hunt. Prior to tonight, Hunt had been 5-1-2 with a 1.85 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage in his career against the Warriors. The loss snaps Hunt’s personal four-game unbeaten streak.

David Guerrera earned the win in net for the Warriors. He saved 26 of 28 shots faced to even his season record at 10-10-2.

Neither team was able to capitalize on special-teams opportunities; BSU finished 0-for-6 on the power play while WSU went 0-for-5. The o-fer for Wayne State continues BSU’s historical domination of the Warriors on the power-play; all-time Wayne State is now just 3-for-71 (.042) against Bemidji State on the power-play.

The loss snapped BSU’s four-game overall unbeaten streak and was just BSU’s third loss in 13 games all-time against Wayne State. BSU had been 5-1-3 in its last nine games against the Warriors coming into tonight, but still lead the all-time series 7-3-3. It also marked BSU’s first-ever loss at Wayne State; BSU had been 2-0-2 in four road games in the series. Tonight marked the fourth consecutive game in the series the Warriors have held BSU to two goals or fewer, and the 13th time in 24 starts this season BSU has scored two or fewer goals.

The Beavers fall to 8-9-7 overall on the season, 6-4-3 in College Hockey America play. The Beavers hold at 15 points in CHA play, even with Niagara for second place in the league standings. Wayne State improves to 13-12-2, extends its unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) and moves above .500 for the first time since standing 2-1-0 after an 8-3 loss at Vermont on Nov. 1, 2002. The Warriors improve to 6-3-2 in the CHA, and with 14 points stand just one point behind BSU and Niagara for second place in the league. The teams wrap up their two-game CHA series tomorrow evening at the Great Lakes City Events Center. Opening face-off is set for 7:05 p.m. Eastern time.

SCORING SUMMARY
1/12:34/ B - Brendan Cook (6) (Anders Olsson/9) / 1-0
1/18:22/ W - Nick Schraeder (2) (Steve Nichols/3) / 1-1
2/15:20/ W - Dustin Kingston (13) (Jason Durbin/17, Tyler Kindle/14) / 1-2
3/12:50/ W - Jack Redwood (8, GW) (Keith Stanich/9) / 1-3 / GW
3/17:23/ B - Jeff McGill (9, EX) (Marty Goulet/12) / 2-3
3/19:41/ W - Keith Stanich (3, SH EN) (unassisted) / 2-4

BSU: Grady Hunt (59:25 / 10-7-5=22 saves / 3 GA / L, 8-5-5); empty net (0:35 / 1 GA)
WSU: David Guerrera (60:00 / 6-12-8=26 / 2 GA / W, 10-10-2)
Penalties/Power Plays: BSU: 6-12/0-6; WSU: 7-14/0-5