DATE: Jan. 21, 2006
Beavers score three third-period goals to erase second-intermission deficit and earn series sweep

BEMIDJI, Minn. (John Glas Fieldhouse) - Bemidji State scored three goals in a span of 7:44 in the third period, rallying from a 3-2 deficit to complete a two-game series sweep of Air Force, 5-3, in a College Hockey America contest. Freshman Brandon Marino (Riverside, Calif.) scored his first collegiate goal at 14:42 of the third period to give BSU the lead for good.

Following the template established in Game 1, Bemidji State scored the game’s first goal in the game’s opening minutes, and Air Force rallied with two consecutive goals to take the lead.

Ryan Huddy (Stony Plain, Alberta) kicked off a four-point night which would tie his career high with that opening goal for BSU. Matt Charbonneau took a tripping penalty for Air Force just 1:39 after the opening faceoff, and Huddy scored the first of five consecutive power-play goals to open the game at 2:53 of the period with assists from Luke Erickson (Roseau, Minn.) and Tyler Scofield (Prince George, British Columbia).

It took until midway through the period for Air Force to issue its response. Riley Weselowski (Pilot Mound, Manitoba) picked up a holding penalty at 10:23, and with two seconds left in the penalty Mike Phillipich pulled the Falcons even with his sixth goal of the season.

Juha Keinänen (Tampere, Finland) was called for interference at 13:57 to put Air Force on the power play, and Josh Schaffer put Air Force ahead 2-1 with his sixth goal of the season at 15:26.

The 2-1 Falcon lead held until midway through the second period, when BSU would take advantage of a holding penalty to the Falcons’ Brian Reese. Reese picked up the call at 9:21, and with help from Huddy and Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) Matt Pope (Langley, British Columbia) pulled the Beavers even, 2-2, with his sixth goal of the season.

Air Force recaptured the lead, 3-2, by picking up its third power-play goal of the contest - its most ever in a single game against BSU - with 11 seconds to play in the second period. Sirianni and Erickson were each called for tripping at 17:08 and 18:45, respectively, to briefly leave BSU skating two men down. Josh Print picked up his second goal of the season at 19:49 to give the Falcons a one-goal edge.

That lead held until the eight-minute mark of the third period, when Sirianni balanced the scoreboard with his team-leading 11th goal of the season. Huddy picked up his second of three assists on the marker, and Weselowski notched his fourth helper of the series. Sirianni’s goal was the first even-strength marker of the contest, breaking a string of five consecutive power-play goals to open the scoring.

Marino scored his first collegiate goal just over six minutes later to give BSU its first lead since Huddy’s marker in the game’s opening minutes. With assists from Sirianni and Matt Allen (New Westminster, British Columbia), Marino gave BSU the lead for good at 14:42 of the third.

BSU iced the victory with its third power-play goal of the contest, as Shane Holman (Hibbing, Minn.) picked up his second goal of the series and third of the season at 15:51 with assists from Sirianni and Huddy.

The helper capped Huddy’s first four-point game in more than a year and secured his 80th career point. He became the seventh player in BSU’s Division I era to reach the 80-point plateau for his career.

It was not a night which will end up on the highlight reels of either penalty killing unit, as BSU and Air Force combined to score six power-play goals on just 12 chances. The Beavers committed six minor penalties for 12 minutes while the Falcons were issued eight penalties for 27 minutes - including a five-minute major and a game misconduct to Blake Turnquist for checking from behind in the third period. The Falcons went 3-for-5 on the power play after BSU had held its opponents to 2-for-32 (.063) over its previous five games. BSU scored three times on seven chances with the man advantage.

Layne Sedevie (Bismarck, N.D.) saved 26 of 29 shots faced to pick up the victory in goal for the Beavers. He saved all four shots he faced in the third period as the Beavers completed their comeback, and used the win to improve his season record to 8-3-1.

The win was the 25th of his career, and he played his 2,500th career minute in net in the third period to become just the 11th goaltender in Bemidji State history with 2,500 minutes played, 1,000 saves and 25 wins in his career.

Ian Harper took the loss for the Falcons and fell to 2-5-1. He saved 21 shots in 57:58 of work; the Falcons played the game’s final 2:02 with an empty net.

BSU saw its season record improve to 13-8-3 with tonight’s victory and moved to 8-3-1 for 17 points in College Hockey America play. Air Force falls to 5-14-1 overall and 3-7-0 against CHA opponents. Bemidji State is off next weekend and returns to action Feb. 3-4 for a critical two-game CHA series at Ala.-Huntsville.

NOTES: Matt Pope extended his career-long scoring streak to four games with a power-play goal in the second period.

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