DATE: FEB. 21, 2004
Career-best three-point night sparks 4-2 victory

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - [box score] Junior forward Jean-Guy Gervais scored a career-high three points, having a hand in the final three goals for the Bemidji State men’s ice hockey team in a thrilling 4-2 victory over the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers. The victory helped Bemidji State clinch a first-round bye in the 2004 College Hockey America tournament, scheduled for March 12-14 at the Tri-City Arena in Kearney, Neb.

After Huntsville’s Craig Bushey scored on a power-play opportunity at 10:08 of the second period to even the score at 2-2, Gervais took over. BSU goaltender Layne Sedevie found forward Myles Kuharski streaking up the right-side boards, and Kuharski flipped the puck to Gervais who hammered home what would be the game-winning goal at 11:50 of the second.

He then sealed the victory with an empty-net goal at 19:37 of the third. Gervais played give-and-go with Kuharski in a two-on-one breakaway, and Gervais buried his fourth goal of the season to give BSU the 4-2 victory.

Gervais’ first goal capped a wild second period, which saw the teams combine for four goals in a span of just 4:35. Jared Ross, who would finish with a goal and an assist to give him 2-2=4 points for the weekend, got the Chargers on the board first with a power-play goal at 2:52 of the second period. BSU’s Rob Sirianni, playing on the first line tonight in place of an injured Luke Erickson, evened the score at a goal apiece with his sixth marker of the season on the power play at 7:15.

Kuharski gave BSU the lead just 65 seconds later, firing a gorgeous wrister from the top of the right circle which beat Charger goaltender Scott Munroe high for his fifth goal of the season.

Bushey’s power-play marker to even the score at 2-2 followed less than two minutes later, and Gervais needed just 1:42 to cap the flurry and put the Beavers ahead for good. That game-winner came after Gervais was mauled by two Chargers at center ice. Referee Todd Anderson whistled the penalty but Gervais never lost control of the puck. He charged through the hit and broke free to score while falling to the ice.

Gervais and Kuharski set career standards with three points apiece. Gervais finished with 2-1=3 points, with his two goals tonight matching his previous career total in 61 games. Kuharski assisted on both Gervais goals and finished with 1-2=3 points, his first multi-point game since Feb. 15, 2003 at Neb.-Omaha. Kuharski’s two assists also established a career high. The duo’s fireworks highlighted an outstanding performance by BSU’s third line, centered by freshman Ryan Miller. Matched against Ross’s line for the Chargers all night, Miller’s line finished with 3-3=6 points and was a combined +9 in the contest.

“We played Beaver hockey tonight,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. “If we want to win a championship, that’s the kind of effort we need for 60 minutes. It was definitely a complete 180 from last night’s effort [in a 3-3 draw]. I’m proud of our effort. Hopefully it will piggyback into next week.”

The victory gave Serratore 42 for his coaching career at Bemidji State, moving him into a tie with Vic Weber for second place on BSU’s career wins list.

Sedevie was again strong in net for Bemidji State. He picked up his fifth win of the season, saving 14 of 16 shots faced and not allowing an even-strength goal in the contest. The victory continued his domination of CHA foes in his freshman season - he is now 5-0-1 in six starts against CHA foes this season, including a 2-0-1 mark in three starts against the Chargers. Overall, Sedevie improved his record to 5-4-3.

Munroe took the loss for Huntsville. He saved 33 of 36 shots faced in 59:35 of work, falling to 4-8-1 on the year.

While after tonight’s win Bemidji State still trails in the all-time series with Ala.-Huntsville, 9-21-1, BSU is 4-1-1 in the last six meetings - its most-successful run in the history of the series.

The victory improves Bemidji State to 16-11-3 overall, 13-2-1 in College Hockey America play, while Huntsville falls to 10-12-4, 9-6-1 in CHA play. BSU’s lead over Niagara for first place in CHA held at one point when the Purple Eagles defeated Air Force, 5-1, earlier tonight. Bemidji State is back in action Feb. 27-28 when it travels to Air Force for a two-game CHA series. BSU is 9-0-1 in its last 10 games against Air Force, its longest-ever unbeaten streak against a CHA opponent.

NOTES: The teams combined for 15 penalties for 41 minutes in the contest, 31 for 73 minutes for the weekend series... Ala.-Huntsville had eight penalties for 27 minutes, including a five-minute checking-from-behind major and subsequent game DQ to Dominik Rozman... Power play: UAH 2-6, BSU 1-6... BSU allowed two power-play goals in a game for just the seventh time this season... UAH’s four power-play goals in the series tie for most allowed by BSU in a weekend this year... BSU has out-shot each of its last 20 home-ice opponents (37-16 tonight)... Layne Sedevie recorded his second assist of the season tonight, most by a BSU goaltender since 1996-97 (Neil Cooper, 2)... Sedevie’s two assists tie him with Grady Hunt (2) for BSU’s Division I-era career record for assists by a goaltender... Andrew Murray has a point in five of six games since returning from an 11-game injury absence... Brendan Cook’s assist gives him 33 points this season, tied with Stefan Bjork (1999-2000) for second-most in BSU’s Division I era... Jean-Guy Gervais’ empty-net goal was first by a BSU player since 11/14/03 against Minn.-Duluth (Cook); it was his first career empty-netter... Rob Sirianni first career power-play goal.