DATE: Feb. 10, 2006
Ryan Miller helps propel Beavers to 100th Division I-era victory

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Lawson Arena) - Ryan Miller (Fergus Falls, Minn.) posted his first career hat trick to help Bemidji State to the 100th victory in the program’s Division I era, as the Beavers cruised to a convincing 6-1 non-conference road victory at Western Michigan.

Miller needed less than four minutes after the opening faceoff to get his career night underway. Western Michigan’s Reid Yantzi was called for interference at 3:09 of the first, and with assists from Luke Erickson (Roseau, Minn.) and Tyler Scofield (Prince George, British Columbia) Miller scored at 3:53 to give BSU the early lead.

Blaine Jarvis (Gladstone, Manitoba) put BSU ahead 2-0 at 17:22 of the first period, a goal which would eventually be the game-winner. It gives Jarvis a goal in back-to-back games for the first time since Jan. 14-15, 2005 and is his fourth goal in his last five games played.

Yantzi found Brian Bicek for his third goal of the season at 8:39 of the second period, helping Western Michigan cut the BSU lead in half. It was as close as the Broncos would get.

Four players earned penalties during a scuffle at 10:20 of the second period, which included a 10-minute misconduct to Cody Bostock (Salmon Arm, British Columbia) and two roughing minors to the Broncos’ Matt Clackson. Seconds after the ensuing BSU power play concluded, Matt Allen (St. Cloud, Minn.) pushed BSU’s lead back to two goals with his third marker of the season with assists from Erickson and Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta).

Miller picked up his second goal of the night at 16:54 of the second to extend BSU’s lead to 4-1.

Sirianni picked up his team-leading 12th goal of the season 1:01 in to the third period, and Miller completed his hat trick with a short-handed goal at 5:07 of the period.

Miller’s hat trick is the first of his career, the second this season by a Bemidji State skater, the seventh in BSU’s Division I era and the 205th in the history of the Bemidji State program.

Riley Weselowski (Pilot Mound, Manitoba) assisted on both BSU goals in the third period, extending his career-long scoring streak to five games. He has eight points during the streak, and has 11 points in his last 10 games.

Miller’s hat trick was one of five multi-point efforts by a BSU skater in the contest. Allen and Sirianni each posted a goal and an assist, while Weselowski and Erickson each added two assists.

The victory was BSU’s sixth non-conference win of the season, establishing a Division I-era record. BSU posted a 5-9-1 record outside of College Hockey America last season.

Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) turned aside 27 of 28 shots faced to pick up the victory in goal for the Beavers, including 13-of-13 in the first period as BSU built an early two-goal advantage. He held BSU’s opponent to two goals or less for the sixth time in his last eight starts and evened his season record at 6-6-2.

Eric Marvin took the loss for Western Michigan. He allowed all six BSU goals against 20 saves and saw his season record fall to 1-1-0.

Each team committed seven penalties in the contest. BSU committed six minors and saw Cody Bostock draw a 10-minute misconduct, while the Broncos drew five minors, a 10-minute misconduct by Jonathan Lupa and a five-minute major for contact to the head to Chris Frank.

The victory improved BSU to 2-1-0 in its all-time series with Western Michigan and gives it a two-game winning streak in the series. It also helped BSU improve its Division I-era record against Central Collegiate Hockey Association foes to 6-13-1, including a 4-3-1 mark in its last eight games against CCHA foes since a 3-1 win over Lake Superior State on Dec. 4, 2004.

BSU saw its season record improve to 14-10-3 with tonight’s victory while Western Michigan saw its season mark fall to 6-21-4. The Broncos remain winless in non-conference play at 0-6-1 on the season. The teams wrap up their two-game non-conference series tomorrow at 7:35 p.m. at Western Michigan’s Lawson Arena. It will be BSU’s final non-conference contest of the season.

NOTES: Tonight’s win improved BSU to 100-114-25 in its seventh season at the NCAA Division I level... The six goals scored helped BSU extend its streak of consecutive games with at least one goal scored to 60, tying the longest streak in its Division I era... BSU scored two goals in each of the game’s three periods and has scored at least one goal in each of its last five periods played...

--bsu--