HOUGHTON, Mich. – The Bemidji State men’s hockey team didn’t quite pull out a regulation win against Michigan Tech on Saturday in Houghton, Mich., but the Beavers made sure they didn’t go home empty-handed.
Looking for a sweep against the Huskies, BSU held a 2-1 lead late in the third period, but Tech’s Kyle Kukkonen scored on an empty-net power play at 18:07 to level the contest at 2-2.
That sent the game to overtime, and while neither team scored in the extra session, Jackson Jutting gave Bemidji State the 2-1 shootout victory with a successful shot that clinched a five-point weekend for the Beavers.
In the shootout, Mitchell Martan scored first for BSU (2-1-1, 1-0-1 CCHA) in the third round, but Logan Pietila matched him to keep MTU (2-2-1, 0-1-1 CCHA) alive. After both teams couldn’t convert in the fourth round, Jutting put one in for Bemidji State in the fifth frame. Nick Nardella didn’t match, and the Beavers picked up the extra point in the CCHA standings.
Martan also commenced the scoring in regulation, netting a goal at 18:46 in the first period off Jere Vaisanen’s assist. BSU fortified the lead with Lleyton Roed’s third score of the weekend at 16:38 in the second.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Huskies started to bite back in the third period, though, taking advantage of some power-play chances to settle the score. Kukkonen lit the lamp for Tech with a man advantage at 7:24 in the frame, then added his second down the stretch after MTU had pulled goaltender Max Väyrynen.
Michigan Tech found its equalizer late, but Bemidji State ultimately took home the bigger prize in the shootout thanks to goalie Mattias Sholl, who saved four of five shots faced. In regulation and overtime, Sholl recorded 23 saves, while Väyrynen compiled 24.
The Beavers next face St. Cloud State in a home-and-home series on Friday, Oct. 28, at the Sanford Center, and Saturday, Oct. 29, in St. Cloud.
Bemidji State 2, Michigan Tech 2 (OT)
BSU 1 1 0 0 – 2
MTU 0 0 2 0 – 2
First period – 1, BSU GOAL, Martan (Vaisanen), 18:46.
Second period – 2, BSU GOAL, Roed (unassisted), 16:38.
ADVERTISEMENT
Third period – 3, MTU GOAL, Kukkonen (unassisted), 7:24, PP; 4, MTU GOAL, Kukkonen (Crespi, Nardella), 18:07, PP, EN.
Overtime – No scoring.
Shootout – BSU wins 2-1.
Saves – Sholl (BSU) 23; Väyrynen (MTU) 24.
