BEMIDJI – For five and a half periods, the Bemidji State men’s hockey team and Minnesota Duluth played with the scoreboard showing a tie or a one-goal lead.
Then Harper Bentz scored late in the third period for the Bulldogs.
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The UMD freshman out of Moorhead capitalized on Aaron Pionk’s rebound shot to his team ahead 4-2, and in a split-month, split-site series. The score held until time expired.
Bentz’s tally followed a near game-tying sequence for the Beavers. Kasper Magnussen found himself all alone on the back door in front of a yawning net but couldn’t get a solid stick on the loose puck.
“That’s how close hockey is,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. “We’re an inch away from tying the game with Kasper there. We’re an inch away from tying it up, and then 30 seconds later, we break a stick and they go up two. That’s hockey.”
Minnesota Duluth took the lead early in the third period. Owen Gallatin beat goaltender Mattias Sholl on a shot from the top of the circle to push the Bulldogs ahead 3-2.
It was the third time UMD took a one-goal lead on Tuesday night at the Sanford Center.
“I thought we played pretty good the last two periods,” fifth-year forward Austin Jouppi said. “But obviously, we have to know how to win a game in the third period. I think we still have a lot to figure out, a lot to tweak and a lot to work out in practice – kind of build off that, and, hopefully, win some conference games here soon.”
With six and half minutes left in the first period, AJ Macaulay delivered a hit on UMD’s Dominic James in the corner behind the BSU net. James’ foot rose upon contact and shattered the glass behind him.
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After a lengthy delay to install a new glass panel, Minnesota Duluth was given a power play. In the final seconds of the man advantage, Jayson Shaugabay snuck a shot under Sholl’s arm to put the Bulldogs ahead 1-0.
From there, the ice was tilted. UMD finished the first period with a one-goal lead and a 14-7 edge in shots on goal.
“The first period, we weren’t very good,” Serratore said. “They came into our barn, and in the first period, they won the period. Territorially, they won it. They had more juice than us in the first but I was proud of our guys for how they played in the second and the third.”
Jouppi grew up watching the Bulldogs, then he scored against them.
The fifth-year forward and Duluth native tied the game two and a half minutes into the second period by tipping in Macaulay’s shot from the point.
“Anytime you can score against the hometown team, it’s pretty cool,” Jouppi said. “Obviously, what’s more important to me is getting the win tonight, but it’s all right. I’m just looking forward to getting back at it and getting some more games in here, start stringing together some wins, hopefully.”
The tying goal held for just three minutes. Aiden Dubinsky retook the one-goal lead for UMD, finishing off a chaotic sequence that landed Sholl on his back deep in his crease.
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Bemidji State answered 79 seconds later on the power play.
After Joey Pierce took an interference penalty, Kirklan Irey finished off Magnussen’s rebound to level the game at 2-2.
“Sometimes, it’s a testament to the shooter,” Serratore said of how the power-play goal unfolded. “Putting the shot in the right spot, and, of course, if everybody is in the right spot, good things can happen a lot of the time. Of course, on the power play, we all know they have one less guy, too.”
Minnesota Duluth freshman goaltender Klayton Knapp was the difference for the Bulldogs. He stopped 26 shots – many of the high-danger variety – to earn a season split.
The Beavers opened the season with the first half of their series against the Bulldogs. It ended thrillingly, with Jackson Jutting scoring the overtime winner in a 4-3 triumph.
BSU finished its nonconference slate with a record of 3-4-1, with wins over Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota and North Dakota.
“I think we have one of the hardest nonconference schedules there is,” Jouppi said. “We play against a lot of really good teams, and that makes us better as a team, too. We’re just kind of learning from that and building on that. Every year is a new team, so it’s just continuing to get better. Hopefully, we can start stringing together some more wins here, too.”
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The Beavers were expected to be without Reilly Funk “for a while,” according to Serratore in his weekly press conference on Dec. 10. Funk suffered an upper-body injury in BSU’s second road game against Lake Superior State in the third period.
Funk, however, returned to the lineup before the start of the new year.
“It’s awesome having him back,” Serratore said. “He looked good tonight, you guys saw it, too. We talked about it between periods, he’s the heartbeat of our team. … He’s hard to handle. He’s 6-foot-2, maybe 6-foot-3 – whatever he is, 220 (pounds) – he moves well, has good puck skills and has a good brain. It’s nice to have those guys, it’s nice to have Funker back. It’s nice to have depth at center.”
Despite the loss, Serratore was satisfied with how the Beavers finished the game against the Bulldogs, as was Jouppi, who hopes it’s a precursor to another big second half.
“What’s fun about the second half is everything is spotlighted,” Jouppi said. “All of the points matter. They matter all year, but in the second half, you really start to notice them. You can see where we’re at in the standings and see how it’s going to end up. I’m really excited, I know the boys are really excited to get rolling down the stretch and string together some wins, play for home ice and, hopefully, win the conference.”
Minnesota Duluth 4, Bemidji State 2
UMD 1 1 2 – 4
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BSU 0 2 0 – 2
First period – UMD GOAL: Shaugabay (Bentz, Z. Plante) PPG, 15:18.
Second period – BSU GOAL: Jouppi (Macaulay, Funk) 2:29; UMD GOAL: Dubinsky (Smith, Fischer) 5:29; BSU GOAL: Irey (Magnussen, Parekh) PPG, 6:48;
Third period – UMD GOAL: Gallatin (Z. Plante, Bentz) 4:48; UMD GOAL: Bentz (Pionk, Menghini) 15:44.
Saves – Sholl (BSU) 30; Knapp (UMD) 26.
