Oct. 10, 2003
Three different BSU players score three points in rout

BEMIDJI, Minn. - Three Bemidji State skaters had three or more points, leading the Beavers to a dominant 7-1 victory over the Concordia-Montreal Stingers in a men’s ice hockey exhibition tonight at the John Glas Fieldhouse.

Bemidji State dominated all facets of the game, out-shooting Concordia 50-17, converting on two of six power-play chances and holding the Stingers scoreless on six tries with the man advantage.

Sophomore Ryan Huddy, eventually named the game’s first star, got the scoring started just 57 seconds into the game, taking a pass from Riley Riddell and Anders Olsson.

The visitors from Montreal evened the score at a goal apiece, getting a lamp-lighter from Yannick Noiseux on the first Stinger shot of the contest at the 7:45 mark of the first.

That draw would be short-lived, however, as BSU’s John Haider put BSU ahead for good off a pass from Andrew Murray and Brendan Cook just one minute and 16 seconds later.

Lou Garritan and Myles Kuharski scored for BSU in the second period, and Cook, Huddy and Olsson lit the lamps for the hosts in the third to wrap up the blowout.

Cook, Haider and Olsson led the way for BSU with three points apiece on the evening - each had a goal and two assists. Olsson was also a game-best +4, while Haider and freshman Luke Erickson were each +3. Huddy scored two goals, what would have been his first career multi-goal game had the contest counted, and was +2.

The contest was up-tempo and physical, and particularly in the third period was frequently interrupted with penalties. After an innocent-enough start which saw each team commit just one minor penalty each in the first period, the teams combined for seven minors - four on BSU - in the second and nine penalties in the third. Concordia was called for six penalties in the third, including a 10-minute misconduct call on Derek Legault after he was called for tripping at the 6:47 mark. BSU took advantage, scoring twice on power-play opportunities in the third period. BSU’s penalty killers were strong, however, holding the Stingers scoreless in six chances with a man advantage.

BSU used three different goaltenders, one in each period. Pre-season first-team All-CHA pick Grady Hunt played the first period, saving six of seven shots faced to get the win. He allowed Concordia’s lone goal on the first Stinger shot of the game. Dannie Morgan saved all four shots he faced in the second period, and freshman Layne Sedevie saved all six Stinger shots in the third.

The win improved BSU to 3-1-1 in five international exhibition games since the program moved to Division I in 1999-2000. The Beavers have opened their season with an international exhibition win each of the last two seasons and have now won three consecutive exhibition games.

Bemidji State, a near-consensus pre-season favorite to win College Hockey America, opens its 2003-04 season Friday, Oct. 17 against Clarkson. Opening face-off from The Glas is scheduled for 7:35 p.m. Central time. Concordia-Montreal continues its three-game American exhibition tour tomorrow night at North Dakota.