Feb. 21, 2003
BEMIDJI, Minn. - [box score] Alabama-Huntsville managed just 26 shots on net but managed six goals, holding off a late Bemidji State charge in a 6-3 victory tonight at the John S. Glas Fieldhouse.

The Chargers out-scored BSU 2-1 in all three periods to run their unbeaten streak against CHA foes to 12 games and their winning streak over Bemidji State to seven games - the longest winning streak in the series.

Bemidji State scored first, picking up the seventh marker of the season from sophomore Andrew Murray just 4:15 into the game. But the Chargers would rip off four unanswered goals in a span of 15:46, starting with a Steve Charlebois goal at 8:23 of the first period. Karlis Zirnis gave UAH its first lead of the game with his 10th goal of the season at 9:11, and Jared Ross put the game away for the Chargers with two goals at 2:06 and 4:09 of the second. Ross’s second lamp-lighter would be the eventual game-winner.

BSU tried to claw its way back into the contest, pulling to within 4-3 on an even-strength goal by Wade Chiodo at 11:45 and a power-play goal from Brendan Cook at 8:17 of the third period but would get no closer.

The Beavers appeared to have tied the score at the 7:13 mark of the third period when Ryan Huddy unloaded from the top of the faceoff circles. Huntsville goaltender Scott Munroe went to his knees to attempt to block the shot with his pads, which he did before the puck got away from him and slid behind his body. The play was whistled dead before the puck crossed the goal line, and the equalizer was waved off.

The Chargers added two insurance goals in the third to ice the game, a power-play goal by Zirnis at 11:48 and an empty-net goal by Joel Bresciani at 19:02.

"You can’t be flat against a team like this," BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. "[The Chargers] were the better team tonight and they deserved the win."

Scott Munroe turned in a stellar effort in net for the Chargers. He stopped 39 of 42 shots faced, including 17 saves in the first period alone. He earned the win and improved to 11-4-1 on the year, continuing his late-season case for CHA Player of the Year honors.

Grady Hunt took the loss in goal for BSU, saving 20 of 24 shots faced in 58:22 of work. He saw his record fall to 8-9-4, dropping him under .500 for the first time this season. BSU surrendered an empty-net goal while playing with an extra attacker for the game’s final 1:38.

The teams continued their tradition of penalty-filled games, combining for 14 penalties for 36 minutes. BSU’s Jesse Balsimo drew a 10-minute misconduct in the second period for the game’s only major penalty. UAH finished 1-for-4 on the power play while BSU was held to 1-for-7 with the man advantage.

BSU falls to 5-20 all-time against Alabama-Huntsville with tonight’s loss, and has lost 13 of the last 14 meetings in the series.

Bemidji State falls to 8-13-7 overall on the season and an even 6-6-3 in College Hockey America play. Alabama-Huntsville improves to 17-9-3 overall, 12-1-2 in College Hockey America, and runs its unbeaten streak against CHA foes to 12 games (10-0-2). The Chargers can clinch the CHA regular-season championship with a win tomorrow and a Niagara loss at Wayne State. The Beavers and Chargers wrap up their two-game series tomorrow at 7:05 p.m. at BSU’s John S. Glas Fieldhouse.

SCORING SUMMARY
1/ 4:15/ B - Andrew Murray (7) (Jeff McGill/8, Peter Jonsson/10)
1/ 8:23/ A - Steve Charlebois (16) (Jeremy Schreiber/13, Jason Hawes/27)
1/ 9:11/ A - Karlis Zirnis (10) (Jared Ross/19, Jeremy Schreiber/14)
2/ 2:06/ A - Jared Ross (13) (Doug Watkins/6)
2/ 4:09/ A - Jared Ross (14, GW) (Craig Bushey/13, Ian Fletcher/7)
2/11:45/ B - Wade Chiodo (5) (Ryan Huddy/5, Jean-Guy Gervais/2)
3/ 8:17/ B - Brendan Cook (7, PP) (Bryce Methven/7, Riley Riddell/7)
3/11:48/ A - Karlis Zirnis (11, PP) (Craig Bushey/14, Mike Funk/20)
3/19:02/ A - Joel Bresciani (14, EN) (Jason Hawes/28, Steve Charlebois/9)

UAH: Scott Munroe (60:00 / 17-10-12=39 saves / 3 GA / W, 11-4-1)
BSU: Grady Hunt (58:22 / 7-10-3=20 saves / 4 GA / L, 8-9-4)
BSU: empty net (1:38 / 1 GA)
Penalties/Power Plays: UAH: 8-16/1-4; BSU: 6-20/1-7
three stars: 1/Jared Ross, UAH; 2/Scott Munroe, UAH; 3/Karlis Zirnis, UAH

POST GAME NOTES
TEAM NOTES
• BSU snapped a streak of five consecutive games in which it had scored two goal.

• Alabama-Huntsville posted its seventh consecutive win over BSU tonight, its longest winning streak in the series. It is also BSU’s longest losing streak to any CHA foe. Huntsville became the first current memeber of the CHA to post 20 all-time wins over BSU. BSU’s 20 losses to Alabama-Huntsville are its sixth-most to any opponent.

• Alabama-Huntsville killed six BSU penalties tonight (1-for-7), tied for ninth-most by an opponent in BSU’s Division I era (since 1999).

• Alabama-Huntsville’s power-play goal at 11:48 of the third marked the sixth consecutive game BSU has allowed a special-teams goal (power-play or short-handed)

• Bemidji State’s power-play goall at 8:17 of the third extended the team’s streak of consecutive games with a special-teams goal to four; that is tied for the third-longest streak in BSU’s Division I era.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES
• Bryce Methven’s assist in the third period gives him 8-26=34 points for his career, tying him with Jim Roo (1981-85) and Travis Johnson (1997-2000) for 45th on BSU’s career defenseman scoring list.

• Andrew Murray has two goals in BSU’s last three games after scoring just one goal in BSU’s previous 18 games.

• Jeff McGill’s assist on Murray’s goal in the first period snapped his personal three-game scoreless streak.

• Jean-Guy Gervais’ assist on Wade Chiodo’s second-period goal was just his second career point and his first since an assist against Wayne State on Nov. 15, 2002

• Brendan Cook scored his first career power-play goal.

• Riley Riddell’s assist on Cook’s power-play goal gives him back-to-back games with an assist for just the second time this season.