STORRS, Ct. - [box score] Two second-period power-play goals helped fuel a five-goal second period for the Bemidji State men’s hockey team, and a pair of short-handed goals in the third period provided insurance in a 7-2 non-conference victory tonight at Connecticut.

BSU’s seven goals are a season high and most by the team since also scoring seven in a 7-4 win over Niagara on Feb. 2, 2002. The five-goal margin of victory is BSU’s biggest in a road win since March 7, 2003 when BSU beat Air Force, 5-0.

Connecticut grabbed the early lead, taking a 1-0 edge at 17:20 of the first period on the second goal of the season from Chris Uber. That lead would hold into the first intermission, but BSU would need less than five minutes of the second period to get off to the races.

UConn’s Eric St. Arnauld was whistled for hooking at 3:41, and Luke Erickson needed less than a minute to make the Huskies pay. He scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season with assists from Andrew Murray and Brendan Cook to draw the game even at 1-1 and open the floodgates for the Beavers.

Murray scored his third goal of the season just 1:35 later on a five-on-five opportunity to give BSU its first lead at 2-1, and Cook scored for the fifth time this year with a helper from Erickson to extend BSU’s lead to 3-1 with the eventual game-winning goal. Ryan Miller scored his first career goal at 14:52 and Bryce Methven scored from Erickson and Murray at 16:09 to cap the five-goal period and stake the Beavers to a 5-1 edge.

Murray’s line dominated the second period, combining for eight points. Cook scored a goal and an assist from the left wing; Murray had a goal and two assists from the center and Erickson had a career-high three points on a goal and two assists from the right wing. The explosion helped BSU to its second five-goal period of the season (five goals in the first period at Findlay, Nov. 7) and just the third in its Division I era.

Methven’s goal was his 42nd career point, moving him into a tie for 39th place on the BSU career scoring list for defensemen with Tim Rood (1979-83) and Steve Lundeen (1984-86).

BSU then scored a pair of goals in the third period to ice the game. Wade Chiodo scored his sixth goal of the season short-handed to tie Erickson for the team lead at 2:08 of the third, and after Cole Koidahl’s third goal of the year drew the Huskies within 6-2 at 5:35, Chris Nathe scored his first career goal at 11:47 to stake BSU to a 7-2 advantage and the game’s final score.

The short-handed goal, combined with two power-play goals in the second period, gave BSU a season-high three goals on special teams. The eruption also gives BSU eight consecutive games with a power-play goal, extending its Division I-era record, and eight consecutive games with a special-teams goal to tie its Division I-era record.

BSU senior goaltender Dannie Morgan was the beneficiary of BSU’s offensive explosion, picking up his first win of the season. The Beaver defense allowed just 18 shots on Morgan, the fourth consecutive game BSU has allowed 20 shots or less, and Morgan notched 16 saves for the victory.

Connecticut’s Jason Carey took the loss, saving 27 of 32 shots faced in 40:40 of work. He was lifted in the third period, and Scott Tomes played the game’s final 18:10. Tomes allowed two goals on 15 shots faced. For the game, BSU out-shot UConn by a 47-18 margin, including 20-3 in the second period and 15-5 in the third.

BSU went 2-for-8 on the power-play with two short-handed goals, while holding UConn to 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Tonight’s win improves Bemidji State to 3-1-0 all-time against Connecticut and 10-1-2 against current members of Atlantic Hockey.

The victory is the 31st of BSU head coach Tom Serratore’s career, moving him into third place all-time at Bemidji State. He trails Vic Weber (42) and R.H. “Bob” Peters (702).

Bemidji State moves back to .500 on the season at 5-5-2 with the win, while Connecticut sees its season mark fall to 4-6-3. The Beavers are back in action Friday, Dec. 5 when they open a two-game College Hockey America series against the Wayne State (Mich.) Warriors. Opening face-off from the John S. Glas Fieldhouse on the BSU campus is slated for 7:35 p.m. Central time.

NOTES: Wade Chiodo scored 1-1=2 points and had 3-1=4 points in the series... Riley Riddell’s scoring streak ended at five games... Brendan Cook’s third multi-point game of the season (1-1=2 tonight)... Andrew Murray 1-2=3 points, most since 3/14/03 vs Findlay (2-1=3)... Luke Erickson career-high 1-2=3 points... Peter Jonsson season-high two assists.