Feb. 28, 2003
BEMIDJI, Minn. -
[box score] The Bemidji State men's ice hockey
team failed to settle things in regulation for the 14th
time in 30
starts this season, setting the NCAA single-season record for
overtime games played in a 2-2 draw with the Niagara Purple
Eagles.
BSU
became the first team in NCAA history to play 14 overtime
games, and its eight ties this season is tied for fourth-most
in NCAA history. The record for ties in a season is nine, held
by three teams and last accomplished by this year's Minnesota
State-Mankato Mavericks. Niagara struck first, getting an unassisted
goal from Bernie Sigrist at 6:23 of the first period.
From there,
BSU scored two unanswered goals - a power-play goal from
Marty Goulet at 9:25 of the first and an even-strength
goal
from Brendan Cook just 54 seconds into the second period.
BSU
held the one-goal lead until 9:22 of the second period. Jeff
McGill picked up a loose puck at the edge of the crease in
BSU's
defensive zone and fired the puck off the boards behind the net
to clear. The puck ended up on the stick of Niagara's Joe
Tallari at the top of the right face-off circle, and Tallari
fired towards the net. The puck deflected off of teammate Hannu
Karru and into the net, evening the score at 2-2 for the eventual
game-tying goal.
The teams played a scoreless third period, with
Niagara limiting BSU to just four shots on net after it had
put up 22 in the first
two periods. "We played well defensively, but when we needed to
torque it up in the third [period] we didn't," BSU
head coach Tom Serratore said. "This
is more of a disappointing tie for us and a happy tie for
them."
The game featured
standout goaltending at both ends of the ice, as both Grady
Hunt and Niagara's Rob Bonk made several
fine saves on point-blank opportunities. Hunt saved 22 of 24
shots faced to earn his fifth tie of the season and see his
record move to 9-9-5; Hunt's five ties are a BSU single-season
record.
Bonk recorded 26 saves for the Purple Eagles and saw
his record also remain even at 7-7-2.
Goulet's power-play
goal was the 19th of his career and his 44th goal overall.
It was Goulet's 25th career goal
against CHA foes. He now stands at 95 career points and is
bidding to become the first player in BSU's Division
I era to top the 100-point plateau. Goulet's power-play
goal gave BSU a special teams goal in five consecutive games,
tying the team's
Division I-era record set on two previous occasions.
McGill
assisted on Cook's goal in the second period, extending
his scoring streak to three games (2-2=4 points). Riley
Riddell assisted on Goulet's power-play goal to run his scoring
streak to four games (1-4=5 points); he also has an assist
in four consecutive games.
Niagara's Joe Tallari assisted on
the game-tying goal, improving him to 25-24=49 points for the
season. He now needs
just one point to tie the CHA single-season scoring record,
held by former Eagle Mikko Sivonen (50 points, 1999-2000).
Tallari
is bidding to become just the CHA's second 50-point scorer.
With
the tie, Bemidji State must win tomorrow night's series
finale with Niagara in order to remain alive for the second
bye in the 2003 CHA Tournament. Niagara's tie, coupled
with Ala.-Huntsville's loss to Findlay, also leaves the
Purple Eagles still in the hunt for the CHA regular-season
championship.
The Chargers hold a three-point lead over Niagara with three
games to play in the regular season.
Bemidji State improved to
9-13-8 overall on the season and 7-6-4 in College Hockey America
play with tonight's tie. Niagara
moves to 13-15-5, 9-3-5 in the CHA. Niagara's five ties
in CHA play are a new league single-season record. The teams
wrap up their series tomorrow night; opening face-off is slated
for 7:05 p.m. Central time at John Glas Fieldhouse. SCORING SUMMARY
1/6:23/N - Bernie Sigrist (10) (unassisted) /
0-1
1/9:25/B - Marty Goulet (12, PP) (John Haider/3, Riley Riddell/9)
/ 1-1
2/0:54/B - Brendan Cook (8) (Jeff McGill/9, Anders Olsson/10)
/ 2-1
2/9:22/N - Hannu Karru (9, GT) (Joe Tallari/24) / 2-2
NU: Rob Bonk (65:00 / 9-11-4-2=26 saves / 2 GA / T, 7-7-2)
BSU: Grady Hunt (65:00 / 7-7-7-1=22 saves/ 2 GA / T, 9-9-5)
Penalties/Power Plays: NU: 3-6/0-3; BSU: 3-6/1-3
three stars: 1/Grady Hunt, BSU; 2/Rob Bonk, NU; 3/Marty
Goulet, BSU
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