BEMIDJI – With less than a minute left in regulation, Michigan Tech finally set up its offense in a 6-on-5 situation.
The Huskies pulled goaltender Derek Mullahy with two and a half minutes left in regulation. The Bemidji State men’s hockey team clung to its 2-1 lead.
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Then Stiven Sardarian found Logan Morell on the back door with 39 seconds left. It was the tying goal that snubbed the Beavers of a three-point Friday night at the Sanford Center.
It's the third time this season Bemidji State has given up an extra-attacker goal.
“We had momentum going through most of this game,” BSU freshman Jaksen Panzer said. “We kind of just said that we need to find a way to bear down and find a way to do it. … From now until the end of the season, every game we play is a playoff hockey game. That’s how we have to approach it.”
After a scoreless 3-on-3 overtime, Adam Flammang secured the second point up for grabs with a snipe on BSU’s third shootout attempt.
“The bench was down, and it kind of carried into 3-on-3, but it’s a big point,” head coach Tom Serratore said. “It’s still a big point.”
Bemidji State found itself on the better end of a 2-2 tie for the second time this season, and it came in a game where offense was hard to come by. Both goalies stopped over 90% of their shots, and room to maneuver in all three zones was limited.
The Beavers also blocked 27 shots, which is the most in any game they’ve played since Feb. 7, 2014.
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“We knew it was going to be a tight game,” Serratore said. “Goals are difficult sometimes when these two teams play. We played honest hockey, both teams. We’ve got a great rivalry with these guys.”
While longtime Michigan Tech (8-5-2, 6-3-2 CCHA) standout Blake Pietlia has moved on to play for Kalmar HC in Sweden’s HockeyAllsvenskan, shades of the 2024 Mason Cup stonewalling carried over to Friday night.
Mullahy was called on to make three saves on Grade-A Bemidji State chances in the first period. He stuffed Panzer on a breakaway before turning aside Eric Martin in the slot following a turnover on a breakout. Mullahy also gloved down Jackson Jutting in the slot to keep the game scoreless.
Mullahy set the table for Morell to give the Huskies a lead. Morell tapped home a pass from Isaac Gordon on the back door with one second left on the power play with just over four minutes left in the first period.
Panzer got a second breakaway chance early in the second period. Adam Flammang dished a sidewall pass to Panzer streaking through the middle of the ice. He slipped the puck through Mullahy’s five-hole to tie the game with his first career goal.
“Getting that first one under your belt, it’s something you dream of,” Panzer said. “ It felt really good. … We were talking on the bench about how we had to turn the tide at some point. Just a great play by (Austin Jouppi), great play (by) Flammer to get the puck up ice.”
Panzer played in just his sixth collegiate game on Friday. An injury to Reilly Funk against Lake Superior State on Dec. 7 opened the door for Panzer to slot in on the fourth line.
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“It’s a next-guy-up mentality,” Panzer said. “When your number gets called, when your name gets called, you have to make the most of it and do your part. You have to contribute in any way you can.”
“It was great to see,” Serratore said. “That line might’ve been our best line tonight. Because they played north. They just played honest and they played north. That’s why they saw a lot of ice.”
Mitch Wolfe had just one goal in his first 78 games with the Beavers (8-7-3, 5-4-2 CCHA). Now, the junior defenseman out of Andover has two in his last five games. He picked the top-right corner of the net through a screen to give the Beavers a 2-1 lead early in the third period.
“I think I’m just keeping it simple,” Wolfe said. “I’m just trying to get pucks on net. Eventually, they’re going to find their way in, so shoot the puck.”
Serratore was complimentary of Wolfe’s production defensively as well.
“Mitch is playing with confidence,” Serratore said. “He’s got good legs and he defends well, he can defend quick. Our whole D corps right now, I like their mentality.”
Bemidji State 2, Michigan Tech 2
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MTU 1 0 1 0 – 2
BSU 0 1 1 0 – 2
First period – MTU GOAL: Morell (Gordon, Williams) PPG, 15:46.
Second period – BSU GOAL: Panzer (Flammang, Jouppi) 5:45.
Third period – BSU GOAL: Wolfe (McLean, Lawson) 2:26; MTU GOAL: Morell (Sardarian, Pietila) EAG, 19:21.
Overtime – No scoring.
Saves – Sholl (BSU) 23; Mullahy (MTU) 30.
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