DATE: Dec. 17, 2005
Fighting Sioux blow open scoreless game with three second-period power-play goals

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (Ralph Englestad Arena) - Bemidji State and North Dakota played an evenly-contested first period which saw the teams scoreless after 20 minutes, but the No. 9/10 Fighting Sioux blew the game open with three second-period power-play goals en route to a 5-1 non-conference victory. T.J. Oshie had a hat trick for the Sioux, scoring the first two North Dakota goals in the second period and completing the hat trick with one of two UND goals in the final three minutes of regulation to cap the victory.

Bemidji State controlled play in the first period, out-shooting the Fighting Sioux 10-5. However, BSU garnered zero shots on goal during a five-minute power play after a checking-from-behind major and game misconduct to UND’s Mike Perpich at 16:47 of the first, and its inability to convert on the major led to a scoreless tie through 20 minutes.

Oshie broke the scoreless draw with two power-play goals in the first 5:39 of the second period to blow the game open for the Sioux. He needed 56 seconds to score with help from Travis Zajac and Rastislav Spirko after a tripping penalty to Matt Allen (New Westminster, B.C.) at 2:58, and his second goal at 5:39 came just 44 seconds after a tripping call against Cody Bostock (Salmon Arm, B.C.).

Chris Porter put the Sioux ahead 3-0 less than four minutes later, and essentially put the game out of reach.

BSU picked up its lone goal of the contest early in the third period, as Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) and Travis Winter (St. Cloud, Minn.) fed Blaine Jarvis (Gladstone, Manitoba) for his second goal of the season at 1:03 to pull the Beavers within two.

However, the Beavers were unable to draw closer, and North Dakota iced the game with two goals in the final two minutes. Oshie completed the hat trick with his 11th goal of the season at 17:31 of the third, and Drew Stafford lit the lamps for the 13th time this season with a short-handed marker at 18:21.

North Dakota’s special teams units were the difference in the contest, accounting for four of the five Fighting Soiux goals. UND went 3-for-6 on the power play and added Stafford’s short-handed goal in the third. The three Fighting Sioux power-play goals tied a season high by a BSU opponent; the Beavers also allowed three power play goals Nov. 18 at Ferris State.

The BSU power-play unit has allowed two short-handed goals in its last three games after going a span of more than 1,100 minutes without allowing an opponent to score short-handed.

“We shot ourselves in the foot with the penalties in the second period, and you could tell we didn’t have our legs,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. “When you don’t have your legs against a team like this, they’re going to take you apart.”

Sedevie suffered his first loss of the season, allowing a season-high five goals and falling to 6-1-1 on the season. He saved 21 shots, but tied his career high by allowing five goals in 59:52 of work. The loss was just the second for Sedevie in his last 12 decisions dating back to last season.

Jordan Parise picked up the win in net for the Fighting Sioux. He saved 25 of 26 shots faced in 59:41 of work and saw his season record improve to 10-4-1.

The BSU offense was held to a single goal for the third time in its last four outings, and over the last four games has scored a total of five goals (1.25 goals per game). In BSU’s first 12 games, the team had averaged 3.92 goals per game (47 goals in 12 games) and had been held under three goals just twice.

The loss drops Bemidji State to 1-11-1 in 13 all-time meetings with North Dakota.

BSU saw its season record fall to 9-6-1 and lost on Saturday for the first time this season. After a 7-1-0 start, BSU is 2-5-1 in its last eight games and is winless in its last four. North Dakota improved to 12-7-1 overall and snapped a five-game losing streak at Ralph Englestad Arena. Bemidji State is off next weekend, and returns to action Friday, Dec. 30 against Clarkson in the first round of Vermont’s holiday tournament in Burlington, Vt. BSU will face either Dartmouth or Vermont in the second game of the tournament on Dec. 31.

--bsu--