DATE: Feb. 18, 2006
Erickson, Miller put up two goals each as BSU completes series sweep

BEMIDJI, Minn. (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) - Bemidji State’s Luke Erickson (Roseau, Minn.) and Ryan Miller (Fergus Falls, Minn.) scored two goals apiece to help propel the Beavers to a 5-2 victory and a two-game series sweep over the Robert Morris Colonials in a crucial College Hockey America contest.

Erickson put up his first multi-goal game since a record-setting four-goal night against Niagara on Dec. 3, snapping out of a slump which had seen him score just one goal in 66 shots on goal over his last 13 games played. He opened the game’s scoring with a power-play goal at 8:58 of the first period, with assists from Matt Pope (Langley, British Columbia) and Tyler Scofield (Prince George, British Columbia).

He staked BSU to a 5-0 lead with an even-strength goal, his 12th goal of the season, at 13:04 of the second period.

Miller’s goals came in a span of less than five minutes in the first period as BSU stormed to an early three-goal advantage. He put BSU ahead 2-0 with an even-strength marker at 11:35 of the first with an assist from Ryan Huddy (Stony Plain, Alberta), then hammered home his team-leading 14th goal of the season to help BSU convert on its second power-play opportunity in as many chances with help from Erickson and Pope at 16:07.

Miller also assisted on Erickson’s second lamp-lighter to help him tie his career high with 2-1=3 points.

Erickson finished with 2-1=3 points on the night, marking his first multi-goal game since the 4-1=5-point effort in an 8-1 win over Niagara on Dec. 3, while Miller’s 2-1=3 points continued a torrid pace which has seen him throw up 6-1=7 points in BSU’s last four games.

Brandon Marino (Riverside, Calif.) scored his second goal of the season at 3:21 of the second for the fourth BSU goal of the night.

The game followed a similar pattern to Game 1, with BSU taking a 5-0 lead and the Colonials scoring a pair of unanswered goals for the final 5-2 margin. Chris Margott broke up the shutout with his 10th goal of the season at 13:33 of the second, coming just 29 seconds after Erickson’s goal to put BSU ahead 5-0, and Sean Berkstresser wrapped up the game’s scoring with his eighth goal of the campaign at 8:53 of the third.

Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) started the Saturday game of a weekend series for the first time this season, and delivered a 25-save effort to pick up his eighth victory of the season. He allowed only two Colonial goals, marking the eighth time in his last 10 starts he has held BSU’s opponent to two goals or less. The win also continued Climie’s historical domination of Robert Morris. He improved to 6-0-0 in his career against the Colonials with a 1.30 lifetime goals-against average and a .939 save percentage.

Christian Boucher took the loss in goal for the Colonials. He saved 31 of 36 shots faced, and took the loss to fall to 7-15-3 on the season. His five goals allowed are his most in a single game against BSU since the first meeting in the series, on Jan. 14, 2005, when he also allowed five goals.

The game was chippy early, as the teams combined for six minor penalties in the first period, but from there the teams settled and the game saw just 13 minor penalties for 26 minutes, including seven on the Beavers. BSU went 2-for-4 on the power play, converting on each of their first two chances in the contest, while Robert Morris went 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

The win improved BSU to 7-1-0 all-time against Robert Morris, and a perfect 4-0-0 in Bemidji. BSU’s five goals tonight tied its series high against Robert Morris, set Jan. 14, 2005 in the first meeting between the programs and tied in last night’s 5-2 BSU win. BSU has averaged 4.75 goals per game against the Colonials in Bemidji, as opposed to just 2.75 goals per game in four road games in the series.

Bemidji State saw its season record improve to 16-11-3 with tonight’s victory, and the Beavers move into a first-place tie in the CHA standings with Ala.-Huntsville at 10-5-1 in league play pending the results of Ala.-Huntsville’s road game at Air Force tonight. Robert Morris falls to 9-17-3 overall and 5-9-2 against CHA. BSU travels to Niagara next weekend for its final road series of the season, Feb. 24-25.

NOTES: BSU recognized its 50 Legends for 50 Years Team during a pre-game ceremony, to honor the top 50 players in the history of the program; 2005-06 is BSU’s 50th season of intercollegiate competition... BSU retired the No. 10 jersey worn by Bryan Grand, one of the 50 Legends honorees, following the Legends ceremony; Matt Pope will continue to wear the number for the remainder of the season, and it will be officially retired for the 2006-07 season... Tyler Scofield extended his scoring streak to a career-high four games with an assist in the first period... Matt Pope extended his scoring streak to three games with two assists; he has two multi-point games in his last three starts... BSU out-shot Robert Morris 36-27; the Colonials had 13 shots on goal in the third period after combining for a total of 14 in the first two periods.

--bsu--