DATE: December 30, 2006
Tigers rally past Beaers with three unanswered goals

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Colorado Springs World Arena) - The No. 8-ranked Colorado College Tigers rallied from a 2-1 first-period deficit, scoring three unanswered goals and adding a goal with 18 seconds left in the third period to skate to a non-conference series split with Bemidji State, 5-3. Rob Sirianni (Edmonton, Alberta) scored two goals and junior goaltender Orlando Alamano (Fresno, Calif.) had 35 saves in the loss.

Bemidji State picked up the game’s first goal on Sirianni’s sixth marker of the season, helping the visitors take advantage of a Kris Fredheim slashing penalty. Sirianni had help from Blaine Jarvis (Gladstone, Manibota) and Ryan Miller (Fergus Falls, Minn.) to give the Beavers an early lead at the 4:41 mark of the first period. Jarvis recorded an assist for his fourth consecutive game, and extended his scoring streak to seven games - the longest by a BSU skater this year.

BSU’s lead held until midway through the period, when Colorado College balanced the scoreboard at a goal apiece on the fourth goal of the season by Braydon Cox at the 11:07 mark with assists from Brandon Polich and Kris Fredheim. But the Beavers climbed back in front at the 16:43 mark, picking up the second goal of the season from Tyler Scofield (Prince George, British Columbia) - and the first since Nov. 18 against Niagara.

The 2-1 lead for BSU held through the end of the first period, but the Tigers needed less than 90 seconds of the second period to again tie the score. Jarvis was called for an interference penalty with two seconds remaining in the first period, and Addison DeBoer picked up his fourth goal of the campaign 1:24 into the second period to pull the Tigers even.

Colorado College grabbed its first lead of the series on Jimmy Kilpatrick’s seventh goal of the season, an even-strength marker at 17:58 of the second which staked the Tigers to a 3-2 lead they’d take into the third period. Brian McMillan helped push the lead to two goals with his first goal of the season at 5:14 of the third.

BSU cut the lead to a goal on Sirianni’s second marker of the night, an even-strength goal at the 7:25 mark. Sirianni’s two goals marked his second multi-goal game in BSU’s last six outings and helped extend his scoring streak to a season-high six games. Sirianni has piled up 5-7=12 points during the streak, and has three multi-point games in his last four starts.

But, the Beavers could draw no closer, and Andreas Viassopoulos added an insurance marker with 18 seconds remaining in regulation for the game’s final 5-3 margin.

For the second consecutive night, Bemidji State was out-shot handily, but unlike last night’s contest which saw BSU score three times on 14 shots on goal and get a 40-save effort from its goalie the Beavers could not overcome the dramatic shot differential. Colorado College piled up 40 shots while holding BSU to 20 shots on goal, and out-shot the Beavers in all six periods of the series. Tonight, BSU managed just six shots in the first period - but scored twice - four shots in the second period and 10 shots in the third. BSU has allowed 40 or more shots on goal in each of its last three games.

Alamano suffered the first goaltending loss of his career despite piling up a career-high 35 saves; he had a total of 57 saves in his previous two appearances this season. He had 13 saves in the first period; 10 in the second; and 12 in the third in the losing effort and saw his season record fall to 2-1-0.

Matt Zaba saved 17 of 20 shots faced in a 60-minute complete game victory for the Tigers. He improved to 9-4-1 on the year.

The teams combined for 14 minor penalties in the contest, and two of the five Colorado College goals were scored on the power-play. BSU took eight penalties and managed to kill just six of eight Tiger power-play chances, while the Tigers drew six minor penalties and held BSU to 1-for-6 with the man advantage.

The loss snapped Bemidji State’s five-game winning streak against WCHA competition and saw the Tigers take a 2-1 lead in the all-time series between BSU and Colorado College.

Bemidji State’s Division I-era record unbeaten streak was snapped at 10 consecutive games, a streak which had dated back to a 3-0 shutout of Robert Morris on Nov. 11. BSU also saw its Division I-era seven-game winning streak come to a close.

Bemidji State (10-5-3) returns to College Hockey America play on Jan. 5-6, 2007 when it plays host to the Wayne State (Mich.) Warriors. The series will be the second of three between the Beavers and Warriors this season; BSU posted 1-0 and 4-2 wins over Wayne State in Detroit on Dec. 1-2. Opening faceoffs are scheduled for 7:35 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Central time, respectively, from BSU’s John S. Glas Fieldhouse.

--beavers--