DATE: Feb. 25, 2005
Beavers hold Bulldogs to just 20 shots on goal in losing effort

DULUTH, Minn. (Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center) [stats] - Minnesota-Duluth scored two goals in the final 1:36 of regulation to blow open a 2-1 game and cruise to a 4-1 victory over Bemidji State tonight in non-conference college hockey action.

After a scoreless first period, the Bulldogs scored twice in the first 7:28 of the second period to take control of the contest. Tim Stapleton picked up his 16th goal of the season at 3:47 to break the scoreless deadlock, and Matt McKnight added his fourth marker of the season at 7:28 to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0.

McKnight’s lamp lighter came on the third Minnesota-Duluth power-play opportunity of the night as the Bulldogs took advantage of a holding penalty against BSU’s Dave Deterding (Alexandria, Minn.).

The 2-0 lead for the hosts held until the 16:44 mark of the third when BSU finally solved Bulldog netminder Isaac Reichmuth. Taking a pass from freshman Jake Bluhm (Red Wing, Minn.), senior center Andrew Murray (Selkirk, Manitoba) beat Reichmuth for his 16th goal of the season to pull the Beavers within a goal, 2-1.

But as Murray’s goal would allow the Beavers to tighten the gap, a tripping penalty against the BSU captain just 21 seconds later would allow it to again widen to two.

Murray was whistled for the infraction at 17:07 of the third, and at 18:24 Evan Schwabe scored his team-leading 18th goal of the season for the Bulldogs to again stake the hosts to a two-goal lead, 3-1.

With 1:23 to play in regulation, BSU pulled freshman goaltender Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) for an extra attacker, and the Bulldogs needed just eight seconds to score on the open net. Josh Miskovich took a pass from Jeff McFarland off the draw and scored at 18:45 of the third for the game’s final 4-1 margin.

Bemidji State out-shot the Bulldogs 28-20 in the contest, but surrendered two power-play goals on six UMD opportunities. It marked the first time BSU has surrendered more than one power-play goal in a game since North Dakota went 2-for-3 on Jan. 28, 2005. BSU committed seven penalties for 14 minutes while the Bulldogs were called for five penalties for 13 minutes, including a five-minute boarding penalty to Justin Williams in the first period.

Climie saved 16 of 19 shots faced in the losing effort for the Beavers and saw his season record drop to 8-4-1. However, he extended to 10 his streak of consecutive decisions without allowing more than three goals.

Reichmuth saved 27 of 28 shots faced in a 60:00 complete game, seeing his season mark improve to 7-10-3.

BSU has been held to one goal twice in its last three games (1-2-0) and for the fourth time in its last 10 games. The Beavers have scored more than three goals in a game just three times in their last 13 starts dating back to Jan. 14.

Murray’s goal gives him 46-68=114 points for his career, extending his own BSU Division I-era record and moves him into a tie with Barry Dillon (41-73=114; 1966-70) for 30th place on BSU’s career scoring list. Murray needs one goal to move into a tie with Marty Goulet for second place on BSU’s Division I-era career list.

Bemidji State drops to 2-14-0 in its series against Minn.-Duluth, and has gone 2-3-0 in the last five meetings and 2-9-0 since moving to Division I in 1999. BSU drops to 3-41-3 in its Division I era against Western Collegiate Hockey Association foes, including 0-4-1 this season.The Beavers have been held to one goal or less in four of their five contests against WCHA foes this season.

The loss dropped Bemidji State to 19-11-1 on the season, while the Bulldogs saw their season mark improve to 13-15-1. The teams wrap up their home-and-home series tomorrow evening with a 7:35 p.m. faceoff at the John Glas Fieldhouse on the Bemidji State campus. The winner of tomorrow night’s contest will be awarded the Babe the Blue Ox traveling trophy, a traveling trophy which made its debut last year.

--bsu--