DATE: Oct. 1, 2005
Bisons use three power-play goals to garner victory

BEMIDJI, Minn. (John Glas Fieldhouse) - The Manitoba Bisons took a 5-1 lead, then held off a furious third-period rally to hold off the Bemidji State men’s ice hockey team, 5-3, in an exhibition contest.

BSU played a young lineup, skating its freshmen while electing to sit the majority of the team’s veterans out of the contest.

“We wanted to throw our guys into a game situation since we haven’t even really skated yet,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. “We wanted to see how our guys got up and down the sheet and how hard these guys were going to compete so we could start to solidify a lineup for next week. We’re using this to try and get some line combinations for this next week and get some continuity.”

Manitoba scored three power-play goals on eight chances to account for the majority of its offense.

The Bisons picked up the game’s first two goals on a power-play marker from Kevin Saurette at 7:34 of the first and an unassisted even-strength goal fro Jon Cara at 9:02.

The 2-0 lead held until midway through the second until Tyler Scofield (Prince George, B.C.) helped the Beavers take advantage of a slashing penalty to Manitoba’s Eric Froystad. With help from Jake Bluhm (Red Wing, Minn.) and Riley Weselowski (Pilot Mound, Manitoba), Scofield found the back of the net at 8:22 of the second. The power-play goal pulled BSU within a goal, 2-1.

Manitoba scored the next three goals of the contest to take a 5-1 lead and seemingly put the game out of reach.

Steve Haddon scored an unassisted power-play marker at 10:25 of the second after David Deterding (Alexandria, Minn.) was whistled for slashing. Warren McCutchean also scored an unassisted power-play goal, his coming at 13:38 of the second after a hooking call against Mark Soares (Burnaby, B.C.). Andrew Skrabek completed the outburst with help from Lee Stubbs, scoring five-on-five at the 2:07 mark of the third.

BSU began its comeback attempt at 6:40 of the third. Lou Garritan (Pittsburgh, Pa.) cleaned up a loose puck after a wild scramble at the net, pushing it through a mob to pull BSU within three goals, 5-2.

Soares then picked up a power-play goal at 10:10 of the third. Deterding unleashed a slap shot from the left point, and Soares deflected the puck home to draw BSU within two.

BSU had two goals waved off in the final 9:50 of the third period. A Deterding bomb from the point was waved off when the Beavers were called for a man in the crease, and a Cody Bostock wrister from the blue-line was disallowed as BSU was whistled for a penalty just moments before the shot went off.

“We went out and played with some heart in the third period and we won it,” Serratore said. “We were down 4-1 and they got the first goal but we came back with two and then the two goals that didn’t count. Our special teams were a bit anemic but that’s what you expect when you haven’t even had a practice yet. We hit some pipes tonight and got some goals but overall I was happy with our guys tonight.”

Bemidji State rotated each of its three goalies in the contest, with each netminder getting one period of work. Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) allowed two goals with seven saves in the first period; Layne Sedevie (Bismarck, N.D.) also allowed two goals with four saves in the second, and Orlando Alamano (Fresno, Calif.) allowed one goal with seven saves in an 18:40 stint in the third period. BSU played the game’s final 1:20 with an empty net.

Krister Toews earned the win for Manitoba. He allowed one goal with 23 saves in two periods of action. Billy Flett played the third for the Bisons and allowed two goals on 10 shots.

Bemidji State opens its 2005-06 regular season one week from tonight when it opens a two-game non-conference series at Minn.-Duluth. Opening faceoff for Game 1 is set for 7:07 p.m. Central time at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center in Duluth, Minn.

--bsu--