DATE: December 8, 2006
Rob Sirianni’s second goal sparks three-goal rally in the third period

BEMIDJI, Minn. (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) - Bemidji State broke open a 2-2 tie with a three-goal third period, powering to its third consecutive victory over the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs with a 5-2 non-conference victory tonight. Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) scored two goals for the Beavers, including the eventual game-winner to set off the three-goal rally in the third period, while notching his first multi-goal outing since March 4, 2006 against Ala.-Huntsville.

The victory helped BSU extend its winning streak to three games and pushed its unbeaten streak to six (4-0-2), the longest unbeaten streak for the program since it won six consecutive games from Dec. 18, 2004 to Jan. 21, 2005.

The first period saw fireworks in the first two minutes, but then calmed for the final 18 as both goaltenders took over.

The Bulldogs were the first on the scoreboard, as Matt Greer took passes from Matt Niskanen and Jeff McFarland for a shot from the left circle. Greer’s second goal of the season at 1:37 gave the visitors the early 1-0 lead.

The lead lasted just 19 seconds, as Tyler Lehrke (Park Rapids, Minn.) picked up his first collegiate goal at the 1:56 mark of the frame. Joey Moggach (Brandon, Manitoba) took a pass from Matt Pope (Langley, British Columbia) and found Lehrke with a cross-ice pass at the right edge of the crease. Lehrke shoved the puck home to balance the scoreboard at a goal apiece.

From there, both teams saw strong efforts from their respective goaltenders to keep the game in check at 1-1. BSU fired 11 shots on Bulldog netminder Alex Stalock, who notched 10 saves, while BSU’s Matt Climie (Leduc, Alberta) turned aside seven of the eight UMD shots he faced in the period.

The period ended with a brief scrum in front of the Bulldog goal which saw nine minor penalties dished out - four on the Bulldogs and five against the Beavers. When BSU’s David Deterding (Alexandria, Minn.) drew an interference penalty early in the second period, the Beavers had six players in the penalty box.

The flurry of penalties left BSU with a 5-on-3 power-play to kill off in the second period, and Climie turned in several stellar saves on point-blank Bulldog shot opportunities to help preserve the 1-1 draw. In total, UMD peppered Climie with six shots in the first four minutes of the second period.

Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) gave the Beavers their first lead of the night at 7:07 of the second period. He picked up a loose puck in the BSU offensive zone after a Bulldog drop pass tipped off the top of the glass at center ice, Deterding fed him and he fired a one-timer which trickled over Stalock’s shoulder and just under the crossbar into the far upper corner of the net.

The Beavers were called for too many men on the ice at 15:57 of the second period, and that misue proved to be costly. The Bulldogs needed 52 seconds to take advantage of the penalty, picking up the third goal of the season – and second point of the night – from Niskanen. Josh Meyers found Mason Raymond from the point, and Raymond fed Niskanen at the right circle. From there, Niskanen unleashed a shot which struck a pipe behind Clime and deflected into the net, tying the contest at 2-2 at the 16:49 mark of the period.

Initially, the struck pipe seemed to continue a UMD trend from the game up until that point - the Bulldogs hit three pipes in the first two periods, with two on shots by Raymond alone.

Sirianni again helped the Beavers recapture the lead, hammering home his second goal of the night at 1:11 of the third period after a series of shots and rebounds against Stalock. Blane Jarvis (Gladstone, Manitoba) fired on Stalock, who went down and blocked the shot with his pads. The rebound went to Nathan Schwartzbauer (Wasilla, Alaska), who fired from the top of the crease. Sirianni picked up the loose carom to Stalock’s right, and fired true to stake the Beavers to a 3-2 lead.

Garrett Roth (Cary, Ill.) took advantage of a turnover by UMD’s Jason Garrison to put BSU ahead by two goals at the 5:22 mark of the third period. Garrison held the puck at the circle to Stalock’s right, but lost control and sent the puck skidding towards Stalock. Stalock went down to the ice in an attempt to freeze the loose puck, but it escaped to his left and went directly to Roth. Roth picked up the loose puck and fired on an essentially open net to put the Beavers on top, 4-2.

Travis Winter (St. Cloud, Minn.) chased Stalock at the 11:22 mark of the third period with his fourth goal of the season. Cody Bostock (Salmon Arm, British Columbia) fed Shane Holman (Hibbing, Minn.), who found Winter charging down the left wing and beat Stalock low.

Climie continued his strong play of late, saving 26 of 28 shots faced to run his personal unbeaten streak to six consecutive starts. He played all but three seconds of the victory, with the win improving his season record to 5-2-3. During Climie’s 4-0-2 unbeaten streak, he has saved 159 of 168 shots faced (.946).

Stalock took the loss for the Bulldogs, falling to 3-9-3. Josh Johnson played the game’s final 8:38 in relief and recorded

Winter’s goal gave BSU five goals for the game, tied for its most-ever in a game against the Bulldogs. BSU has scored five goals in each of its last two meetings with UMD, posting a 5-1 win over the Bulldogs in Duluth on Oct. 8, 2005.

The victory improved BSU to 5-15 all-time against Minn.-Duluth, but all five BSU wins have come in the last nine meetings in the series. The Beavers improved to 2-5 all-time against the Bulldogs in Bemidji.

Bemidji State (6-4-3) and Minnesota Duluth (4-9-3) wrap up their two-game non-conference series tomorrow night in the second half of the home-and-home at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center in Duluth, Minn. Opening faceoff for the contest is slated for 7:07 p.m. Central time.

NOTES: BSU’s Luke Erickson missed the contest and is expected to be out until after the new year with an ankle injury... BSU has seen its fourth line of forwards score a goal in each of its last three games and in four of the last six... Tyler Lehrke scored his first collegiate goal at 1:56 of the first period; the goal gives him a point in each of BSU’s last two games... Matt Pope’s first-period assist helped him run his scoring streak to three...

--beavers--