DATE: Jan. 13, 2006
Wayne State uses two third-period goals to complete rally and force overtime

BEMIDJI, Minn. (John Glas Fieldhouse) - For the first time in seven seasons at the Division I level, Bemidji State found itself pushed into overtime in a game in which it held a three-goal lead, as the Wayne State Warriors rallied for a 3-3 draw in College Hockey America play.

The draw, coupled with a 2-1 loss at Robert Morris on Jan. 7, gives Bemidji State its first two-game winless streak in College Hockey America play in nearly three years. BSU’s last winless streak in CHA play came in an 0-3-1 skid from Feb. 3-21, 2003.

The teams played a spirited first period, with the Beavers and Warriors combining for 27 shots on goal in an up-tempo stanza. The Warriors peppered BSU goaltender Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) with 15 shots in the opening period, the team’s most in a single period against BSU in more than two years.

Despite the barrage of shots, the game remained scoreless until the final seconds. With nine seconds remaining on the clock, BSU’s Andrew Martens (Friendswood, Texas) unleashed a shot from inside the blue line and picked up his fourth goal of the season. Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) and Ryan Miller (Fergus Falls, Minn.) assisted on the goal; the helper was Sirianni’s 30th career assist and 60th career point.

Each team started the second period down a skater, as Jake Bluhm (Red Wing, Minn.) and Nate Higgins were called for roughing after the buzzer to end the first period. Neither team scored on the four-on-four, and BSU’s David Deterding (Alexandria, Minn.) was called for cross-checking at 2:41 to leave the Beavers a man down.

With five seconds left on the penalty kill, Riley Weselowski (Pilot Mound, Manitoba) helped BSU push its lead to 2-0 with the first goal of his collegiate career. The short-handed marker, with assists from Matt Pope (Langley, British Columbia) and Cody Bostock (Salmon Arm, British Columbia) was the third short-handed goal scored by BSU this season and the team’s first in 845:33.

Less than six minutes later, Miller secured his fourth multi-point game of the season and eighth of his career with his seventh goal of the season to put Bemidji State ahead, 3-0. Bluhm picked up the assist, his fifth of the campaign.

The Warriors broke up the shutout and kick-started a three-goal rally with Derek Bachynski’s second goal of the season at 17:02 of the second.

Bachynski’s goal ended several lengthy shutout streaks for Climie: it was his first goal allowed in 104:33 of ice time, his first allowed in 103:45 of ice time against CHA opponents; and his first allowed in 85:18 of ice time against Wayne State.

BSU’s lead held at 3-1 until midway through the third period, when the Warriors put up two goals in a span of 2:22 to even the score at 3-3.

Greg Poupard pulled the Warriors within a goal with his first goal of the season at 10:44, and less than three minutes later, the Warriors would draw the game even at three. Derek Punches, again with help from May, scored his third goal of the season with the equalizer and force the overtime period.

The Warriors garnered the only shot on goal in overtime, and the teams skated to the 3-3 draw.

Climie saw his season record move to 4-5-2, and the draw was the third of his career. In each of his three career ties, BSU has blown third-period leads of at least two goals. He picked up 33 saves in the draw.

Wayne State’s Matt Kelly picked up 42 saves to earn hs third tie of the season for the Warriors. He saved 17 of 19 shots faced in the second period and stopped all 13 BSU shots in the third as the Warriors completed the three-goal rally.

Wayne State, which entered the game as the nation’s most-penalized team with an average of more than 27 penalty minutes per game, committed just four minor penalties for eight minutes on the evening. BSU was called for eight minor penalties. BSU went 0-for-3 with the man advantage, while the Warriors went 0-for-7. Wayne State is now scoreless in each of its last 38 power-play chances against BSU dating back to Nov. 23, 2004, and since the start of the 2001-02 season are 7-for-104 (.067) against BSU with the man advantage.

BSU saw its season record move to 10-8-3 with the draw and moved to 5-3-1 for 11 points in College Hockey America play. Wayne State moved to 4-12-3 on the season, 1-4-2 in CHA play for four points. The teams wrap up their two-game series tomorrow evening. Opening faceoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. Central time at BSU’s John Glas Fieldhouse.

--bsu--