DATE: Oct. 8, 2005
Beavers post first-ever series sweep of a WCHA opponent

DULUTH, Minn. (D.E.C.C.) - Bemidji State scored its most goals ever in a game against Minn.-Duluth, completing its first-ever two-game series sweep of a Western Collegiate Hockey Association opponent with a 5-1 victory over the Bulldogs.

Bemidji State’s five goals scored are its high-water mark in a 19-game series against Minn.-Duluth, surpassing the previous mark of four goals set in a 9-4 BSU loss on Feb. 15, 1948. In fact, BSU’s five goals are its most against a WCHA opponent since 7-6 win over Minnesota State in Tom Serratore’s debut as BSU head coach on Oct. 12, 2001 - a span of 30 games against WCHA foes. The four-goal margin of victory is also BSU’s largest against a WCHA opponent, surpassing the previous mark of two set on two previous occasions.

Bemidji State needed just five minutes to get on the board and set the tone for the historic victory. Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) forced a turnover at the Bulldog blue line and found Jake Bluhm (Red Wing, Minn.) streaking between the circles. Bluhm took the pass and faded to his left, pulling UMD goaltender Josh Johnson to the left. Bluhm then fired top shelf and behind Johnson, putting the puck in the upper-right corner of the net to give the Beavers a 1-0 advantage at the 5:00 mark of the first.

That advantage held through the first intermission, but BSU would quickly add to its lead in the second period.

Andrew Martens (Friendswood, Texas) needed just 25 seconds of the second to give BSU a 2-0 lead. He picked up a loose puck in front of the Duluth crease and fired an off-balance shot past Johnson with assists from Matt Pope (Langley, B.C.) and Luke Erickson (Roseau, Minn.). It was the eventual game-winning goal, giving Martens the winner in both games of the series. His two goals this weekend match his total from the entire 2004-05 campaign.

Tyler Scofield (Prince George, B.C.) was whistled for interference at 2:46 of the second, and it was a miscue which allowed the Bulldogs to break up the shutout. Matt Niskanen unleashed a wrister from inside the blue line, and the shot deflected off the skate of Justin Williams and past BSU goalie Layne Sedevie (Bismarck, N.D.) to pull the Bulldogs within a goal, 2-1, at the 3:28 mark of the frame.

The power-play goal was the first allowed by Bemidji State since 10:27 of the second period in a Feb. 26, 2005 loss to Minn.-Duluth, snapping a streak of 32 consecutive penalties killed by the BSU special teams. It ended a streak of consecutive minutes without allowing a power-play goal at 416:27, the third-longest streak in BSU’s Division I era and one of just three streaks to top 400 minutes.

The 2-1 margin was as close as the Bulldogs would get. The Beavers added to their lead 11 minutes later, when senior captain Jean-Guy Gervais (Winnipeg, Manitoba) scored his second goal in as many nights with help from Shane Holman (Hibbing, Minn.) and Ryan Huddy (Stony Plain, Alberta). His even-strength marker at 14:59 of the second gave BSU a 3-1 cushion.

The goal was the end of Johnson, as the UMD netminder was benched in favor of Nate Ziegelman with 5:01 to play in the second.

Jake Bluhm (Red Wing, Minn.) put BSU up 4-1 when Ziegelman made a mistake playing a puck in the final minute of the second period. Ziegelman left the crease to play a puck between the circles, and he overskated and allowed the puck to get behind him. Bluhm picked it up and fired on an open net to put BSU ahead by three at 19:06 of the second.

Bluhm’s goal made him the third Bemidji State skater in the program’s Division I era to score two goals in a game against UMD. He joined
Stefan Bjork (Jan. 7, 2000) and Rico Fatticci (Dec. 9, 2000) in that exclusive club. With his goal in last night’s 3-2 win, Bluhm becomes the first Division I-era BSU player to score three goals in a series with the Bulldogs.

Ryan Miller (Fergus Falls, Minn.) scored on a two-man advantage power-play at 13:58 of the third to give BSU its most goals ever in a game against UMD.

With the win, Bemidji State improves to 2-0-0 to mark the first time in the Serratore era, and for the first time since its inaugural Division I season in 1999-2000. Minn.-Duluth falls to 0-2-0, its worst start since it also opened 0-2-0 in 2000-01. BSU is back in action Friday, Oct. 14 when it makes its 2005-06 home debut in a two-game non-conference series against Minnesota State. Opening faceoff from the John Glas Fieldhouse is slated for 7:35 p.m. in Bemidji, Minn.

NOTES- Bemidji State scored the game’s first goal in both games of a series with UMD for the first time since the teams began meeting as Division I opponents in 2000... Numerous BSU players tied a BSU Division I era by scoring in two consecutive games to open a season... Holman’s assist on Bluhm’s first-period goal gives him a three-game scoring streak dating back to last year’s NCAA Tournament.
--bsu--