BOYS HOCKEY

Landon Knott picked in WHL draft; Dom Arndt signs tender with Gillette

Jared Rubado — Fri, 09 May 2025 15:11:04 GMT

BEMIDJI – Two days after Noah Mannausau and Joey Fankhanel were selected in the USHL draft, another Bemidji-grown player was drafted to a different junior hockey league.

Landon Knott was selected in the eighth round of the Western Hockey League Draft with the 162nd pick by the Penticton Vees on Thursday afternoon.

Knott is a 2010-born, left-shot defenseman. He played in 22 games for the MN Blue Ox 14U AAA team this spring, scoring four goals and 18 assists. He helped the Blue Ox win USA Hockey’s Youth Tier I 14U championship in April.

Penticton is an expansion organization in the WHL. The WHL is a major junior hockey league that produces some of the game’s top prospects.

In addition to Knott’s selection, another Bemidji hockey player signed a junior hockey tender agreement.

Senior Dom Arndt signed a tender with the Gillette Wild in the NA3HL on Tuesday. Arndt played in 76 games for the Lumberjacks, scoring 20 goals and 49 assists over three seasons.

The Wild are based out of Gillette, Wyoming.

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Bemidji’s Joey Fankhanel, Noah Mannausau selected in USHL Draft

Jared Rubado — Wed, 07 May 2025 21:53:19 GMT

BEMIDJI – Bemidji High �� seniors Joey Fankhanel and Noah Mannausau waited with anticipation for their phones to ring on Tuesday.

In Phase II of the United States Hockey League Draft, Mannausau was selected in the third round with the 40th overall pick by the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Fankhanel went 14 picks later in the fourth round to the Waterloo Black Hawks.

“It was super exciting,” Fankhanel said. “I kind of froze when I saw my phone ringing. I didn’t know it was going to be that early. Fourth round? I didn’t think I’d go that high, but I’m glad I did and I know I can play with them.”

The USHL Draft is a two-phase event. The first is for players born in 2009. The second phase is for all other players eligible to play junior hockey.

Phase II goes until each team can fill a 45-man roster that includes a variety of players from different leagues, such as the Alberta Junior Hockey League, the North American Hockey League and, the United States Premier Hockey League, etc., along with the high school and international ranks.

Both Mannausau and Fankhanel knew they’d likely get selected on Tuesday.

“At the start of the year, when I was playing Elite League, I thought I could get drafted,” Mannausau said. “I played (Elite League) for two years, and I was a lot better in my second year. I was actually doing something on the ice out there.

“It’s very exciting to get drafted. My dad texted me and said, ‘Congrats.’ My mom was super happy, too. It was awesome.”

Mannausau played defense for the Lumberjacks for four seasons. He skated in 101 games, tallying 19 goals and 62 assists. He also played in 36 Elite League games, scoring six goals and 11 assists.

Mannausau signed his tender agreement with the Wisconsin Windigo in the NAHL on Nov. 18, 2024. He spent a month in Eagle River, Wisconsin, skating with the Windigo after finishing his BHS hockey career.

“You know where you need to be at a player,” Mannausau said. “Even though I was in the NAHL, you still know where you need to be at to play in the USHL. You have to be ready for that speed and strength so you can play at your best in these camps.”

Fankhanel, a forward, also played in the NAHL after Bemidji lost in the Section 8AA title game against Moorhead. He signed his tender with the Janesville Jets. He played nine games and had two assists.

“It’s a lot more physical and it’s a lot faster,” Fankhanel said. “Everyone is stronger. You always have to move your feet because it’s the only thing you can really control. You control the effort you give, and the skill and points will come from that.”

Fankhanel played three years with the Jacks, skating in 78 games and scoring 34 goals and 43 assists.

Later in May, Fankhanel and Mannausau will report to their respective main camps. Despite being drafted, they still have to make their teams to play in the USHL.

USHL rosters are finalized on July 10. All USHL teams must submit their 30-man protected list and an affiliate list.

“You just have to try and stand out any way you can,” Fankhanel said of trying out. “I need to show off my skating and keep moving my feet.”

“Play the style you know how to play,” Mannausau added. “Don’t try to be somebody you’re not.”

Fankhanel and Mannausau will have options if they aren’t rostered by Waterloo or Cedar Rapids. They can opt to play for the NAHL team they’re tendered with or play in a different junior hockey league.

Playing in the USHL, however, gives a player a near-direct path to Division I college hockey. More than 80% of players on current USHL rosters are committed to D-I programs, with the uncommitted players likely headed to college as well.

Both Fankhanel and Mannausau could’ve opted to play junior hockey instead of returning to BHS for their senior seasons. They stressed the importance of staying home instead.

“Growing up, you always want to play high school hockey,” Fankhanel said. “You watch the games as a kid, and it’s a dream come true to play for that team in high school. There’s nothing like playing for your school with your friends in front of the fans that come out to see you play. That’s important to me.”

“They went to state two years in a row when we were younger,” Mannausau added. “You play because you want to get there. We watched the kids before us get there. Obviously, we didn’t get there, but it’s fun trying. We had lots of fun, especially playing with our friends.”

Both Mannausau and Fankhanel credited their high school coaches.

Head coach Ben Kinne played for the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL in 2007-08 before playing college hockey at Bemidji State. Jim Scanlan, former Bemidji State women’s hockey head coach, served as an assistant on the Bemidji bench this season. He played goaltender for four years at BSU from 1978 to 1982.

“They did a lot for us,” Mannausau said. “They push us. It’s not just on the ice stuff. They push us off the ice to get better. Jim (Scanlan), he was very serious about being in the gym and getting stronger.

“Also, your behavior off the ice and being standup people, Ben is very big about that. You have to be a good person off the ice. DireBen says that you can be as mean as you want on the ice, but off the ice, you have to be nice.”

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Bison rain down triples to defeat Lumberjacks in Section 8-4A quarterfinals

Pioneer Staff Report — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 03:42:15 GMT

BUFFALO — The Lumberjacks had a good night from beyond the arc. But Buffalo had a great night.

The third-seeded Bison nailed 17 3-point shots to defeat the sixth-seeded Bemidji High �� boys basketball team 88-77 in the Section 8-4A quarterfinals Wednesday night.

After trailing 50-42 at halftime, Bemidji clawed its way back to just a three-point deficit in the second frame. A 3-pointer from Jaxon Boschee cut Buffalo’s lead down to 58-55, but the home team responded with some deep shots of its own.

The Bison nailed three straight triples for a 67-55 advantage. As the second half wound on, the Jacks were kept at arm's length by Buffalo.

Boschee ended the day with 26 points, tallying a team-high six 3-pointers. As a team, BHS finished with 12 triples. Austin Riewer was a major presence across the court, earning a double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds.

Jeron Huseby and Kobe Brown both played key roles as well for the Lumberjacks. Huseby collected nine points and four assists, while Brown put up seven points, five assists and three steals.

A collection of talented players, including Riewer, Boschee and Huseby, will return to Bemidji next year for their senior seasons. However, seniors Brown, Charlie Zellmann, Hudson Pink, Jack McNallan, Max Louvar and Keston Lee wrapped up their prep basketball careers in Wednesday night’s quarterfinal loss to the Bison.

Buffalo 88, Bemidji 77

BHS 42 35 — 77

BUF 50 38 — 88

Bemidji — Boschee 26, Riewer 26, Huseby 9, Brown 7, Zellmann 5, McNallan 2, Tverstol 2.

Buffalo — T. Jordan 16, Friesz 16, M. Jordan 15, A. Hegle 15, Sorenson 8, Torgrimson 8, Cebulla 6, Kotilinek 4.

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Moorhead exemplifies dominance, powers its way to Section 8AA title over Bemidji

Jared Rubado — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 04:09:02 GMT

THIEF RIVER FALLS – Moorhead hosted the Bemidji High �� boys hockey team on Jan. 7 in the only regular-season meeting between the two schools this season.

But most knew there would be another.

The Spuds spent most of the 2024-25 season ranked No. 1 in Let’s Play Hockey’s Class AA poll. Bemidji floated toward the bottom of the top 20 teams all year, creating a gap between BHS and the rest of the field in Section 8AA.

The two programs won their quarterfinal and semifinal games convincingly to book a rematch at the Ralph Engelstad Arena in Thief River Falls with the Section 8AA title on the line.

However, those who tuned in to the first iteration of this matchup on Jan. 7 witnessed a similar script.

Fifty days ago, the Spuds scored just 25 seconds into the game, then again just under three minutes later. It was enough cushion for Moorhead to sink the Lumberjacks in a 3-1 win with an empty-netter.

It took only eight seconds for Moorhead to take the lead in its 8-1 win on Wednesday night.

Minnesota State commit and Mr. Hockey finalist Mason Kraft fed a seamless one-time pass to Evan Wanner on a 2-on-1 during the game’s first shift. Wanner beat a sliding Tate Metcalf to put the Spuds ahead 1-0.

“Obviously, you don’t want to be scored on right away, but things happen like that in hockey,” BHS head coach Ben Kinne said. “We stuck with it. It wasn’t perfect by any means but they played a really good game. The way Moorhead possesses the puck and can move the puck – especially through the neutral zone – it’s a hard team to handle.”

Five and a half minutes later, Zac Zimmerman made it 2-0. Moorhead pinned BHS in its zone for an extended shift, which led to Zimmerman finding a loose puck amid a chaotic flurry of shots to double the lead.

Three minutes after Zimmerman scored, Wanner made it 3-0 with his second on the night.

“The first three goals, we turn the puck over right away, get a 2-on-1 and score,” Kinne said. “The second goal, we weren’t strong enough on the wall. We had the puck on our stick, it goes on their stick, and all of a sudden, they score. The third one was in the neutral zone, it was on our stick and we weren’t strong enough to get it in deep. Moorhead turns around and gets it to go the other way and scores. Moorhead is the best transition team I’ve ever seen in high school hockey, and I’ve been around high school hockey for 25 years.”

Kinne made a change in goal, putting in junior Christian Hill in relief for senior Tate Metcalf.

It wasn’t until there was 6:22 left on the first-period clock that Bemidji had its first shot on goal. Charlie Stenehjem, however, shut the door. The Frank Brimsek finalist – the award given to the state’s top senior goaltender – made all five saves heading into the first intermission.

Stenehjem wasn’t as invincible to open the second period, though. The Lumberjacks got one back off the stick of Briggs Knott just 72 seconds into the middle frame to make it 3-1.

The other two Moorhead Division-I commits got in on the Spuds’ fourth goal. Augustana recruit Tyden Bergeson fed Carver Hasbargen, who found Michigan State commit Brooks Cullen to finish off the tic-tac-toe sequence and put Moorhead up 4-1 after two periods.

The second intermission is where the parallels stopped between the section final and the regular-season meeting on Jan. 7.

Cullen scored again early in the third period on the power play to put the game out of reach. Kraft added a second power-play goal with 10 and a half minutes left to make it 6-1. Cullen completed the hat trick with eight minutes left in regulation. Zimmerman also added his second goal late in the third period.

Metcalf returned to the game before Cullen’s third goal. He finished with 14 saves, while Hill had 17. Stenehjem stopped nine shots to send Moorhead to state for the 21st time in program history.

“You always have to be prepared,” Kinne said. “I try to remind our guys that you just never know. (Making the change) wasn’t indicative of how Tate was playing. We just needed to change something, needed a spark. Christian played well, for sure.”

Wednesday night was the sixth time Bemidji and Moorhead have played for a section championship. The most recent was in 2016, which was the Lumberjacks’ last trip to the Class AA state tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

In total, BHS has now played in 17 section championship games to Moorhead’s 30. The Jacks have been to state eight times, while the Spuds will be making their 21st trek to the X in search of the program’s first state championship.

“You saw the support today,” Kinne said. “I don’t know how many were Bemidji people, but it was over half. A lot of them were those Bemidji youth kids and their parents. Hopefully, they get inspired to be in these games, to be in these situations we played in tonight.

“I’ve been through it as a player. When you get that blue ribbon put around your neck, it’s the best feeling in the world. There’s no better feeling than stepping on the ice at the Xcel Energy Center. I played in an NCAA Frozen Four, I’ve coached NHL players. Trust me, there’s no better feeling than going to St. Paul with the group that you have. Hopefully, this was an inspiring thing for the youth kids and the kids on my team to get the hunger to get back here.”

Bemidji will look to replace a productive senior class. Knott, Metcalf, Noah Mannausau, Joey Fankhanel, Benji O’Leary, Nick Johnson, Conor Stodgell, Stonewall Gessner, Dom Arndt, Brady Nelson and Ephram Boucher are all set to graduate this spring.

“Those guys laid the foundation for what Lumberjack hockey should look like in how they do everything,” Kinne said. “It’s how they act in the classroom, it’s how they train, play on the ice, practice – all of those things. It’s unfortunate to run into a team that’s destined for greatness, and they happen to be in our section.

“Every other year, this is a contending team for a state berth, and maybe a state title. I’m just so proud of that group. I’ve been around them for four years and coached them for two. They’re just a special group and they’re great kids.”

No. 1 Moorhead 8, No. 2 Bemidji 1

BHS 0 1 0 – 1

MHD 3 1 4 – 8

First period – MHD GOAL: Wanner (Kraft) 0:08; MHD GOAL: Zimmerman (Mickelson, Kraft) 5:40; MHD GOAL: Wanner (Zimmerman, Kraft) 8:37.

Second period – BHS GOAL: Knott (Fankhanel) 1:12; MHD GOAL: B. Cullen (Hasbargen, Bergeson) 9:41.

Third period – MHD GOAL: B. Cullen (Mickelson, Bergeson) PPG, 2:21; MHD GOAL: Kraft () PPG, 6:24; MHD GOAL: B. Cullen (Simonich) 8:57; MHD GOAL: Zimmerman (Kraft) 11:15;

Saves – Metcalf (BHS) 14; Hill (BHS) 17; Stenehjem (MHD) 9.

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4-goal flurry in 3rd period sends Lumberjacks past Rams to Section 8AA title game

Alex Faber — Sun, 23 Feb 2025 04:07:51 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Lumberjacks had a hard time getting past Abram Hinson for about two and a half periods.

In Saturday night’s Section 8AA semifinal at the BCA, the second-seeded Bemidji High �� boys hockey team had tilted the ice towards the offensive zone and sent plenty of high-danger shots toward Roseau’s senior goaltender through most of the night, but had just one first-period goal to show for it.

Hinson seemed intent on keeping the game deadlocked at 1-1, clinging on to teammate Isaac Baumgartner’s quick first-period goal.

It took a highlight-reel move from senior Joey Fankhanel for the Jacks to finally get another past Hinson.

Over seven minutes into the final frame, Fankhanel stole a loose puck in the neutral zone and crashed towards the net on a breakaway. With nothing but ice standing between him and the net, Fankhanel faked left, got Hinson to bite, cut back the other way and slipped in the go-ahead goal.

“That’s a big-time move that he made on a goalie,” BHS head coach Ben Kinne said. “I can’t explain how much growth he’s had this year and the amount of execution that he’s been able to put out there. … I was happy to see him get that chance, and that’s part of hockey; breakdowns happen, and we get a breakaway and he was able to put it home.”

Fankhanel’s strike seemed to solve the goaltending puzzle for BHS. The Lumberjacks ripped off three straight goals to close the third period, completing a 5-1 victory over sixth-seeded Roseau to punch their ticket to the Section 8AA final on Wednesday night against top-seeded Moorhead.

“We broke the ice a little bit and solved the goalie,” Kinne said. “We were just putting ourselves, still, in really good opportunities. … We stuck with it. The ice was tilted in our favor pretty much the whole game. We were hitting their goalie, right? And he made a couple of huge saves and stuck with it and gave his team a chance, but this is a carbon copy of the games we’ve played that have been 1-1, 2-1 going into the third. I’m just proud of our guys to stick with it, and we made it happen.”

Bemidji is heading to the section championship for the first time since 2016 when it qualified for the Class AA state tournament. Saturday night’s playoff game was also just the second home playoff game in nine years for the Jacks, the first being a 10-1 win over seventh-seeded Buffalo on Tuesday night.

“It feels amazing,” O’Leary said. “I had no doubt that we’d win it, we’ve been working towards this for years. Ever since we were growing up, honestly, back in elementary school playing together. So to get this win here at home, last home game, feels amazing.”

In a game much closer than the final score indicated, two of the Lumberjacks’ biggest goals came courtesy of O’Leary.

The Rams’ lone goal came just 1:07 into the game, as Baumgartner snapped a wrister on a loose puck in the slot for a quick 1-0 lead. BHS responded by immediately applying pressure in the offensive zone in search of the tying goal. It came less than four minutes later.

“It’s not new to us to be down by one,” O’Leary said. “We know what we need to do. We just kept playing our game.”

Junior Griffin Dewar let loose a shot from the point and O’Leary tipped it in at the net front to knot it up at 1-1.

“That was important,” Kinne said. “ I don't know if it was the 40-degree weather or whatever, the puck was bouncing a little bit, but our guys just have so much belief in themselves and they stick with it and execute our game plan as best they can.”

After Fankhanel’s go-head strike in the third period, it was O’Leary who kept the scoring party going, notching his second goal with under seven minutes to go. Junior Cal Mattfield added another goal less than four minutes later, and Bemidji put the finishing touches on its victory with an empty-netter from senior Conor Stodgell.

“Benji’s goal was fantastic, driving wide and getting into a really good spot and finishing,” Kinne said. “He had maybe one or two opportunities that looked exactly like that in the first two periods. And same with Cal Mattfield, Cal's been a clutch player for us, and finding himself in the right spot and just hitting that spot was great.”

With a semifinal victory out of the way, the only thing standing between the Lumberjacks and their first section title since 2016 is the top-seeded team in Section 8AA. Moorhead claimed a 4-1 victory over Elk River in Saturday night's other semifinal bout, setting up a championship match against BHS at a neutral site on Feb. 26.

“We’ve been in tight games a lot of times this year,” Kinne said. “Everybody remembers scoring 10 goals or whatever, but we’ve won a lot of games that have been tight. You look at the final score tonight, but that’s not indicative of how the game was played. For us, we’ve got to continue that. Whoever’s next, we’re excited for, so that’s our opportunity next.”

No. 2 Bemidji 5, No. 6 Roseau 1

RHS 1 0 0 — 1

BHS 1 0 4 — 5

First period — RHS GOAL: Baumgartner (Kvien) 1:07; BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Dewar, Arndt) 5:00.

Second period — No scoring.

Third period — BHS GOAL: Fankhanel (unassisted) 7:28; BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Arndt, Graber) 12:28; BHS GOAL: Mattfield (Knott) 13:58; BHS GOAL: Stodgell (Graber) ENG, 14:24.

Saves — Metcalf (BHS) 17; Hinson (RHS) 34.

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Jacks leave no doubt, live up to expectations in resounding win over Buffalo

Jared Rubado — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 04:09:44 GMT

BEMIDJI – Pressure is rooted in expectations.

The Bemidji High �� boys hockey team hasn’t faced the kind of pressure it did on Tuesday night in nearly a decade. The Lumberjacks entered the Section 8AA Tournament as the No. 2 seed, ensuring their first playoff contest at the Bemidji Community Arena since Feb. 20, 2016.

While it meant BHS got a chance to play in front of its home fans against seventh-seeded Buffalo to open postseason play, it also tasked a group of players with the expectation of taking care of business on home ice.

It took just 55 seconds for the pressure to subside in the Jacks’ 10-1 win.

Noah Mannausau fed Briggs Knott a 150-foot pass in the opening minute. Knott sniped the game’s first goal, sending the Bemidji faithful at the BCA into pandemonium.

Two and a half minutes later, Joey Fankhanel doubled the lead, forcing Buffalo to take its timeout before it registered a shot on goal.

“Last year, we’d be begging for goals like that,” Jacks head coach Ben Kinne said. “That start is what you want, and what a shot by Briggs Knott going up the ice there. We kind of just stayed with it, got a few more and finished off a really good team effort.”

It was just the beginning of a clinical effort for the Jacks’ top line.

Knott, Fankhanel and Cal Mattfield combined to record five goals and six assists for a total of 11 points.

“We were a little nervous still, but we knew everyone was going to come out and work their tails off to win this game,” Fankhanel said. “I think we all just love playing with each other. We work well together and find each other out there a lot. All we have to do is put it in the back of the net.”

After Conor Stodgell put Bemidji ahead 3-0 midway through the first period – a goal that led Buffalo head coach Aaron Johnson to make a change at goaltender – Mattfield scored his first of the night less than two minutes into the second period.

Bemidji weathered Buffalo’s push – aside from Harvy Yliato’s middle frame goal. Fankhanel and Mattfield each added another before the second intermission to give the Lumberjacks a 6-1 lead.

“They compliment each other really well,” Kinne said. “Cal Mattfield is a little bit of the anchor and allows the other two to be a little free. He holds it down and makes the right plays. And he got rewarded with a couple of goals.

“With Joey, you can see the speed and the talent he has on offense. I don’t know if I can find another 165-pound guy who’s as strong on the puck as Briggs Knott is. He doesn’t give it up very often.”

In the third period, Dawson Schoonover and Benji O’Leary scored 52 seconds apart in the opening three minutes to push the game to running time. Stodgell scored twice more to complete the Lumberjacks’ fourth hat trick this season.

“He’s had a big turn-around year,” Knott said. “It’s fun to see him get that success, especially after last year. He’s just a guy that comes to the rink every day and works his tail off. It’s fun to see that, and we need that.”

Stodgell finished his junior season with just nine points, and only one of them was a goal. However, he stamped his case as the Lumberjacks’ most-improved player on Tuesday with his 14th, 15th and 16th goals. The senior forward has 21 more assists to his ledger for a season total of 37 points.

“To go from one goal to 16 is pretty impressive,” Kinne said. “He worked really hard and he’s competing, and he’s finding himself in good areas. It’s always been there – I could see it. The hockey sense and his ability to read the plays was always there. He just couldn’t execute as much last year. But this year, he’s finding the back of the net, and it’s fun to see.”

Most of Bemidji’s seniors were 9 years old the last time BHS won a home playoff game, with their teammates being even younger. Ben Kinne was an assistant coach at Saint Mary’s University, and Wade Chiodo served his ninth and final season at the helm for the Jacks.

“Just looking out at the crowd and seeing almost every seat filled, it’s special,” Kinne said. “I’ve been through it as a player, and this is my first time going through it as a coach at home. You want to be able to put on a show and be a team the community can be proud of, and I think our boys did that.”

BHS will get one more game at the BCA this Saturday. Kinne noted the pressure of being the higher seed while showing caution that upsets are looming. He was proven right about an hour after his game ended.

Sixth-seeded Roseau scored late in the third period to tie the game at 1-1 with No. 3 Sartell. The Rams finished the upset comeback in double overtime with a power-play goal.

“You never know anything this time of year,” Kinne said. “I talked about it with my group and my staff last year that St. Cloud went to Roseau as the No. 7 seed and knocked them off. These games can go either way a lot of times. We’re fortunate our kids are dialed in and focused.”

The time of the game is yet to be determined.

“We had a big crowd behind us with a lot of energy,” Knott said. “We were ready to play. It means a lot for these younger kids to see what Bemidji hockey is all about.”

No. 2 Bemidji 10, No. 7 Buffalo 1

BUF 0 1 0 – 1

BEM 3 3 4 – 10

First period – BHS GOAL: Knott (Mannausau) 0:55; BHS GOAL: Fankhanel (Knott, Mattfield) 3:23; BHS GOAL: Stodgell (Johnson, O’Leary) 10:30.

Second period – BHS GOAL: Mattfield (Knott) 1:46; BUG GOAL: H. Yliato (Dahl, R. Yliato) 3:39; BHS GOAL: Fankhanel (Mannausau) 8:07; BHS GOAL: Mattfield (Fankhanel, Knott) PPG, 12:57;

Third period – BHS GOAL: Schoonover (unassisted) 2:07; BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Johnson, Stodgell) 2:59; BHS GOAL: Stodgell (Arndt, O’Leary) 8:03; BHS GOAL: Stodgell (O’Leary) 11:02.

Saves – Metcalf (BEM) 18; Manuel/Preugschs (BUF) 22.

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Joey Fankhanel, Briggs Knott log big games in Bemidji’s win; Tate Metcalf reaches 1,200 saves

Pioneer Staff Report — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 04:19:55 GMT

BEMIDJI – Joey Fankhanel and Briggs Knott couldn’t be stopped on Thursday night.

Fankhanel had a hat trick and two assists, while Knott had a goal and three assists in Bemidji’s 6-2 win over Brainerd in the regular-season finale at the Bemidji Community Arena.

Cal Mattfield and Dom Arndt Also scored for the Lumberjacks, while Conor Stodgell, Noah Mannausau and Cal Mattfield all recorded at least one point.

Weston Herron and Richy Pyle each had a goal for Brainerd. Griffin Bartholomaus made a staggering 37 saves for the Warriors.

Tate Metcalf only had to make 10 saves to earn the win, but he did it while crossing a milestone. Metcalf reached 1,200 career saves at the BCA on Thursday.

Bemidji 6, Brainerd 2

BRD 1 0 1 – 2

BEM 1 2 3 – 6

First period – BRD GOAL: Herron (Haakonson) 1:54; BEM GOAL: Mattfield (Knott, Fankhanel) 11:27.

Second period – BEM GOAL: Fankhanel (Knott) 5:15; BEM GOAL: Fankhanel (Arndt, Stodgell) 16:32.

Third period – BRD GOAL: Pyle (Haakonson) 2:50; BEM GOAL: Knott (Fankhanel, Mannausau) 4:50; BEM GOAL: Fankhanel (Knott, Mattfield) 9:52; BEM GOAL: Arndt (unassisted) 12:15.

Saves – Metcalf (BEM) 10; Bartholmous (BRD) 37.

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Jacks end 11-game, 6-year drought against Class A’s top-ranked Warroad

Jared Rubado — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 04:41:58 GMT

BEMIDJI – Trailing by one with less than 10 seconds on the clock, Warroad’s Gavin Andersen had a gaping net in front of him.

However, in came the sliding, outstretched leg of Bemidji High �� boys hockey senior goaltender Tate Metcalf. It was enough to cut down Andersen’s shot and secure a 4-3 win.

“Just get my body in front of it and hope it hits me,” Metcalf said. “That’s all you can do. It feels nice to win against anyone. But against these guys, it feels really good to beat them.”

For 11 consecutive head-to-head games, Warroad had gotten the better of the Lumberjacks. It’s a streak that dates back to Feb. 6, 2019, a day in which the Warriors shut out BHS 5-0. Warroad went on to win the next 10 meetings between the northern Minnesota rivals.

That streak ended on Tuesday night at the Bemidji Community Arena. The Jacks scored four consecutive goals and held on late in the third period to pick up their first win over Warroad since Nov. 27, 2018.

“It feels pretty special,” senior Dom Arndt said. “We’ve had this marked on our calendar for a long time. Unfortunately, we didn’t win when we were in Warroad, but we’ve been working in practice, and it paid off tonight.”

Bemidji outshot Warroad 12-3 in the opening period despite taking two penalties. But after a dominating opening frame, the Lumberjacks found themselves down 1-0 early in the second period.

Wyatt Hennum tipped Casey Hendrickson’s shot five minutes into the middle frame. The puck was redirected just enough to trickle out of Metcalf’s equipment and in.

Finn Hanson, Warroad’s goalie, entered Tuesday’s contest on a two-game shutout streak. However, it was snapped 55 seconds after Hennum’s tally. Taevon Welle beat Hanson on a bad-angle shot from the goal line to even the score.

“We always talk about the shift after a goal and how important it is,” BHS head coach Ben Kinne said. “I learned that from a longtime enemy, coach (Scott) Oliver. … You have to have the best shift of your game the next shift out after giving one up. We got a lucky bounce, they got a lucky bounce. That’s part of hockey. I feel like we’ve been on the short side of lucky bounces lately, but it’s part of the game.”

Benji O’Leary is on a heater.

The BHS senior forward scored thrice on Saturday in a 4-1 win over Elk River. He followed it up by giving the Jacks the lead with just under six minutes left in the second period. O’Leary won a board battle behind the net before beating Hanson through the five-hole.

“He’s finally being consistent, especially with the puck,” Kinne said. “I’ve never had worries about his game away from the puck. If you watch him, he’s a man out there. He can hunt that puck down and he’s strong on it. He just has some inconsistencies sometimes, whether it’s missing the net or just not making the right plays. But he’s starting to execute, and that’s a massive thing for us.”

With a minute left in the third period, Briggs Knott extended Bemidji’s lead to 3-1. He was fed a breakaway pass from Joey Fankhanel before beating Hanson with a high-glove shot.

It took just 88 seconds for the Lumberjacks to go ahead 4-1 in the third after O’Leary fed a drop pass to Arndt, who sniped the top-left corner.

After Arndt’s goal, Warroad found some life.

Mooney Shaugabay cut into the BHS lead with his 16th goal this season. Taven James picked up an assist to extend his point streak to 17 games.

It was a goal that sparked the Warriors into more offensive consistency. Warroad cycled through its top two lines for almost the entirety of the third period, as it did for much of Tuesday’s contest, and pressured Bemidji’s young defensive corps.

The pressure paid off with just under five minutes left in regulation. Taylor Humenik made it a one-goal game with a snipe from the half-wall.

“We eased up a little too much, we were a little too comfortable,” Arndt said. “I think we did kind of know that we had a good chance of winning, but we had to battle through it.”

In Warroad’s final push, it looked like it was deserving of its newly acquainted No. 1 Class A ranking in the Let’s Play Hockey poll released Tuesday afternoon.

“When teams are down by a goal, you can see how much desperation they play with,” Kinne said. “That’s playoff hockey, right? Our team needed to match that desperation. You need key things to happen at key times. We got big saves, we got guys battling and competing. I was happy we came out on top because this is a game that will pay dividends down the road.”

When Kinne took over the BHS boys program (17-5-2) in the summer of 2023, he made it a point to not only be in these games against teams like Warroad (17-6-1), but also to win them. In his second year at the helm, his vision is coming to fruition.

“It all starts with belief,” Kinne said. “That’s a massive thing for us. Our room in there believes in each other and what they can do. It wasn’t perfect by any means, but they had that belief that they could get it done.

“It’s cliche, but this isn’t a one-season thing. This has been our goal to get to our destination all year, starting back last summer. We put ourselves in these situations, and this is all you can ask for.”

Bemidji 4, Warroad 3

WAR 0 1 2 – 3

BHS 0 3 1 – 4

First period – No scoring.

Second period – WAR GOAL: Hennum (Hendrickson, Hontvet) 5:11; BHS GOAL: Welle (unassisted) 6:06; BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Kringen, Arndt) 11:03; BHS GOAL: Knott (Fankhanel, Kringen) 15:58.

Third period – BHS GOAL: Arndt (O’Leary) 1:28; WAR GOAL: Shaugabay (James, Andersen) 4:09; WAR GOAL: Humeniuk (unassisted) 12:19;

Saves – Metcalf (BHS) 11; Hanson (WAR) 31.

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Benji O’Leary’s hat trick, Noah Mannausau’s assist record send Jacks past Elks

Pioneer Staff Report — Sun, 09 Feb 2025 03:32:36 GMT

BEMIDJI – In a rematch of last year’s Section 8AA quarterfinal, the Bemidji High �� boys hockey team reversed its fortunes.

The Lumberjacks’ season ended in Elk River last February in a 3-1 loss. On Saturday at the Bemidji Community Arena, BHS beat the Elks 4-1.

Benji O’Leary scored three of those goals. After Briggs Knott broke the scoreless tie in the first period, O’Leary netted a hat trick in the second and third periods.

Senior Noah Mannausau assisted on three of Bemidji’s four goals. It puts him at 58 career assists, which broke Rocky Copiskey’s (2013-16) unofficial program for 57 career helpers.

Will Jansen scored the lone goal for Elk River in the third period. Tate Metcalf stopped 22 shots for the Lumberjacks (16-5-2), while Gavin Greniuk made 26 saves for the Elks (10-12-2).

Bemidji 4, Elk River 1

ER 0 0 1 – 1

BHS 1 2 1 – 4

First period – BHS GOAL: Knott (O’Leary, Mannausau) 16:17.

Second period – BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Mannausau, Arndt) 4:19; BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Kringen, Mannausau) 8:32.

Third period – ER GOAL: Jansen (St. Clair) 2:11; BHS GOAL: O’Leary (Stodgell) 6:54.

Saves – Metcalf (BHS) 22; Greniuk (ER) 26.

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Green Wave storms back to earn tie with Lumberjacks

Pioneer Staff Report — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 04:42:35 GMT

BEMIDJI – The hockey cliche about two-goal leads was evident on Thursday night at the Bemidji Community Arena.

The Bemidji High �� boys hockey team led 3-1 entering the third period against East Grand Forks, which the adage states is the hardest lead to keep in sports. The Green Wave tied the game with third-period goals from Jace Panzer and Cooper Hills. Panzer, the brother of Bemidji State men’s hockey freshman Jaksen Panzer, scored short-handed four and a half minutes into the final period before Hills tied the game with less than four minutes left in regulation.

The game ended in a 3-3 tie after a scoreless overtime.

Joey Fankhanel opened the scoring with a power-play goal five minutes into the first period. Nate Valley doubled the lead to open the second period. Hunter Varnson cut Bemidji’s lead in half with a power-play goal before Briggs Knott scored to take a 3-1 lead.

Christian Hill stopped 25 shots for BHS, while Noah Schindele made 37 saves for EGF.

Bemidji 3, East Grand Forks 3

EGF 0 1 2 0 – 3

BHS 1 2 0 0 – 3

First period – BHS GOAL: Fankhanel (unassisted) PPG, 5:18.

Second period – BHS GOAL: Valley (Welle, Mannausau) 2:24; EGF GOAL: Varnson (Bues, Hills) PPG, 8:24; BHS GOAL: Knott (Mannausau) 14:50.

Third period – EGF GOAL: Panzer (unassisted) SHG, 4:23; EGF GOAL: Hills (Lovejoy, Panzer) 13:19.

Overtime – No scoring.

Saves – Hill (BHS) 25; Schindele (EGF) 37.

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