DEC. 13, 2003

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - [stats] Junior wing Myles Kuharski scored an even-strength goal with four seconds to play in the second period, allowing Bemidji State’s men’s ice hockey team to take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission and give it the momentum it would need for its first win in Huntsville since 2000, as BSU toppled Alabama-Huntsville 5-3 tonight at the Von Braun Center.

Tonight’s victory was BSU’s first in Huntsville since Feb. 4, 2000 - the first road game between the programs as members of Division I - and snapped an eight-game Bemidji State losing streak at the Von Braun Center. The Beavers improved to 8-21 all-time against the Chargers with tonight’s win and have now won three of the last four meetings in the series.

After a scoreless first period which featured 11 combined penalties for 65 minutes and a brawl at the 14:44 mark with ejections to BSU’s Bryce Methven and Huntsville’s Jeff Winchester, Bemidji State drew first blood at 8:02 of the second period. Brendan Cook picked up his ninth marker of the season with assists from John Haider and Anders Olsson, giving BSU a 1-0 lead on a five-on-three power-play opportunity after penalties on Huntsville’s Doug Watkins and Keith Rowe. The tally gives Cook a career-high three power-play goals this year.

It took the Chargers just over 10 minutes to answer, as Brett McConnachie scored his fifth goal of the season at 18:13 to draw the game even.

But Kuharski came thorugh with four seconds to play in the period, giving the lead back to BSU with his third goal of the season, and second of the series, at 19:56 of the period. Kuharski’s marker would ultimately give BSU the lead for good.

Andrew Martens scored just 1:32 into the third period to give BSU a 3-1 edge, and Brendan Cook helped BSU off-set a high-sticking penalty to Riley Riddell with an unassisted, short-handed goal at 6:16 of the period to put the Beavers ahead 4-1. Cook’s short-handed lamp-lighter, his 10th goal of the season, would prove to be the game-winner. It is Cook’s third career short-handed goal and fifth game-winner.

Cook, who is the only player on the current BSU roster to score 10 goals in 2002-03, is the first BSU player to score 10 goals this year. Cook has two short-handed goals this season to tie BSU’s Division I era single-season record. Todd Knott had two short-handed goals in both 2001-02 and 2000-01. Cook’s two short-handed goals have come in his last three games.

In the middle of the third period, the Chargers would assemble a rally with two goals in a span of 6:07 to pull within a goal. Jared Ross scored short-handed at 9:51 after a Charger bench minor for too many men on the ice, and Brett McConnachie scored his second goal of the night - and fourth of the series - at 15:58 to pull within 4-3. The rally would be short-lived. Freshman Luke Erickson needed just 35 seconds to answer McConnachie’s goal, taking a pass from Cook to put the nail in the coffin and give BSU the 5-3 win. It was Erickson’s seventh goal of the season.

Layne Sedevie earned the start in goal for Bemidji State and picked up his first collegiate victory. He saved 18 of 21 shots faced, and BSU’s defense only allowed eight total shots on him in the first two periods of play. Sedevie improved to 1-2-2 with the win.

Sedevie out-duelled Scott Munroe, who saved 34 of 39 shots faced but fell to 1-4 on the season.

BSU’s defense was back in form, holding the Chargers to just 21 shots on net - only two in the second period, tied with two other periods for fewest shots allowed to an opponent in its Division I era.

BSU went 1-for-8 on the power play, and extended its own Division I era record with at least one power-play goal in 12 consecutive games. BSU’s Division I-era streak of four consecutive games with two or more power-play goals did come to an end. BSU has gone 17 for 71 (.239) with the man advantage in its last 12 games.

With tonight’s victory, Bemidji State improves to 8-6-2 on the season, 5-1-0 in College Hockey America. The Beavers will enter the Christmas break trailing first-place Niagara by two points in the CHA standings. Ala.-Huntsville drops to 4-6-0, 3-3-0 in CHA play. Bemidji State is off until Jan. 2-3, when it will tackle the Air Force Falcons in CHA play. Game 1 is set for a 7:35 p.m. faceoff at John Glas Fieldhouse on the BSU campus, while Game 2 will get underway at 7:05 p.m. at Hodgins-Berardo Arena in Coleraine, Minn. - the home town of BSU head coach Tom Serratore and his older brother, Air Force head coach Frank Serratore.

NOTES: Bemidji State has scored five or more goals in each of its last three games, the second-longest streak in the team’s Division I era; BSU had five or more goals in five consecutive games from Jan. 14-Feb. 4, 2000... BSU has scored a short-handed goal in Game 2 of each of its last three series... Brendan Cook scored 2-1=3 points tonight and has five goals in his last three games played... Wade Chiodo’s scoring streak ended at five games... Riley Riddell failed to score for just the second time in BSU’s last 10 games... Myles Kuharski scored his second goal of the series; it is his first two-goal series since Jan. 24-25, 2003 vs Air Force... Bryce Methven career-high 22 penalty minutes.