DATE: Feb. 11, 2006
Broncos rally from two-goal first-period deficit to win first non-conference game of the season

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (Lawson Arena) - Western Michigan scored three second-period power-play goals to rally from a 2-0 first-intermission deficit, and Jason Moul scored 1:37 into overtime to send the Broncos to a 5-4 victory over Bemidji State in non-conference play. Shane Holman (Hibbing, Minn.) scored twice for Bemidji State in the losing effort, his first career multi-goal game.

Holman helped BSU pick up an early lead with his fourth goal of the season at 3:05 of the first period with assists from Jake Bluhm (Red Wing, Minn.) and Garrett Roth (Cary, Ill.).

Matt Pope (Langley, British Columbia) staked the Beavers to a 2-0 lead at 17:14 of the first, with an assist from Jean-Guy Gervais (Winnipeg, Manitoba).

Western Michigan began its rally five minutes into the second period. An obstruction-tripping penalty to Pope at 4:36 of the period led to the fifth Bronco power-play of the contest, and Brent Walton scored 28 seconds later to break up the shutout and get the Broncos on the board.

Mike Erickson scored his seventh goal of the season at 7:48 of the period, converting on a second consecutive Bronco power-play chance following a charging call against Holman to even the score at two goals apiece.

Holman’s second goal of the night came at 16:12 of the second period and briefly gave the lead back to the Beavers, 3-2. But Andrew Martens (Friendswood, Texas) was called for holding the stick just over two minutes later, and Dave Krisky scored the third Western Michigan power-play goal of the period at 19:42 to once again even the scoreboard, this time at 3-3.

The draw held until midway through the third, when BSU would again recapture the lead on the fourth goal of the season from freshman Tyler Scofield (Prince George, British Columbia).

Ryan Mahrle scored even-strength at 16:14 of the third to even the score at four goals apiece and eventually force overtime, where Moul’s third lamp-lighter of the season would give the Broncos a 5-4 victory.

Layne Sedevie (Bismarck, N.D.) allowed all five Bronco goals against 22 saves. He took the loss in goal for Bemidji State and saw his season record fall to 8-5-1. Sedevie’s five goals allowed tied his season high, set Dec. 17 at then-No. 9 North Dakota.

Daniel Bellissimo out-duelled Sedevie to pick up the win for the Broncos. He picked up 32 saves in 61:32 of work, allowing four goals and seeing his season mark improve to 6-19-4.

Riley Weselowski (Pilot Mound, Manitoba) had two assists for the Beavers, extending his career-long scoring streak to six games.

The teams combined for 22 penalties for 52 minutes in the contest, with the Beavers drawing 12 minor penalties for 24 minutes. BSU went 0-for-8 on the power play, dropping the Beavers to 1-for-29 (.034) with the man advantage over their last four games. Western Michigan converted on three of their 11 power-play chances in the contest, with the 11 chances representing the most by a BSU opponent this season.

The victory evened BSU’s all-time series against Western Michigan at 2-2-0 and snaps its two-game winning streak over the Broncos. In both series between BSU and Western Michigan, the road team has won Game 1 and the home team rallied to garner the split with a one-goal victory in Game 2.

BSU saw its season record fall to 14-11-3 with tonight’s loss while Western Michigan saw its season mark improve to 7-21-4. Bemidji State returns to action Feb. 17-18 with a two-game College Hockey America series against Robert Morris. The Beavers will hold a special ceremony to recognize their 50 Legends for 50 Years Team, named in honor of the program’s 50th season of intercollegiate competition, on Feb. 18. The series opens a six-game stretch against CHA foes to close out the 2005-06 regular season for BSU.

NOTES: BSU falls to 0-2-3 in overtime this year... BSU falls to 6-14-1 in its Division I era against Central Collegiate Hockey Association foes... BSU finishes the non-conference portion of its 2005-06 schedule at 6-6-2... BSU is now 8-7-0 on the road this season... Western Michigan’s three power-play goals tie a season high for a BSU opponent... Western Michigan won its first game of the season against a non-CCHA opponent (1-6-1)... Shane Holman’s first-period goal gave BSU at least one goal in a Division I-era record 61 consecutive games... Matt Pope assisted on Tyler Scofield’s third-period goal to score his 30th career point...

--bsu--