Sam Hentges, power play key SCSU in series sweep of Bemidji State

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Sam Hentges had missed nine games with upper and lower body injuries for the St. Cloud State men's hockey team.

The senior forward from New Brighton and Minnesota Wild draft pick has gotten back into the lineup with some style.

Hentges had a goal and an assist Saturday and the seventh-ranked Huskies went 4-for-9 on the power play in a 5-2 nonconference win over Bemidji State at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The win completes a series sweep for SCSU (12-6), which got two goals from Hentges in Friday's 4-1 win in Bemidji.

St. Cloud State went into the game leading NCAA Division I on the power play at 33.8%. The Beavers took 10 penalties for 20 minutes.

Jaxon Castor, a junior from Phoenix, Arizona, made his third start of the season in goal for the Huskies and made 23 saves to pick up the win.

The game was tied 1-1 going into the second period, but the Huskies scored the first four goals of the second period to pull away. In the second period, sophomore Veeti Miettinen, a Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick, had two goals and juniors Zach Okabe and Jami Krannila added goals for the Huskies (12-6).

Owen Sillinger, a senior forward from Regina, Saskatchewan, scored 52 seconds into the game for the Beavers (10-10). Senior defenseman Brad Johnson added his first goal of the season for Bemidji State, which has lost four straight.

The Huskies return to NCHC play with a series against Minnesota Duluth (11-8-1) at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. The rivals play at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 7 and 6 p.m. Jan. 8. Top-ranked Minnesota State University-Mankato finished off a series sweep over the Bulldogs with a 3-0 win Saturday at Amsoil Arena.

SCSU 5, Bemidji State 2

BSU 1-1-0—2

SCSU 1-4-0—5

First period scoring — 1. BSU, Owen Sillinger 10 (unassisted) :52; 2. SCSU, Sam Hentges 4 (Veeti Miettinen 8, Nick Perbix 11) 3:52 (pp). Penalties — BSU, Tyler Jubenvill (tripping) 2:07; SCSU, Bench (too many men) 8:50; BSU, Jubenvill (tripping) 11:22

Second period scoring — 3. SCSU, Zach Okabe 6 (Spencer Meier 8, Jami Krannila 6) 2:59 (pp); 4. SCSU, Miettinen 4 (Easton Brodzinski 7, Jack Peart 9) 9:31; 5. SCSU, Krannila 8 (Kevin Fitzgerald 14, Okabe 7) 13:43 (pp); 8. SCSU, Miettinen 5 (Hentges 5, Nolan Walker 6) 15:14 (pp); 7. BSU, Brad Johnson 1 (Jere Vaisanen 1, Eric Martin 8) 16:45. Penalties — BSU, Tyler Kirkup (high-sticking) 2:37; BSU, Johnson (interference) 7:27; BSU, O. Sillinger (cross-checking) 13:35; BSU, Jubenvill (slashing) 13:35; SCSU, Seamus Donohue (charging) 18:22.

Third period scoring — None. Penalties — SCSU, Hentges (interference) :51; SCSU, Brodzinski (roughing) :51; BSU, Will Zmolek (roughing) :51; BSU, Aaron Myers (high-sticking) 16:54.

Goalie saves — BSU, Gavin Enright 10-8-8—26 (5 GA). SCSU, Jaxon Castor 4-7-12—23 (2 GA).

Penalties-minutes — BSU 10-20; SCSU 4-8.

Power plays (shots) — BSU 0-2; SCSU 4-9.

Faceoffs — 31-24.

Referees — Joe Sullivan and Brandon Schmitt.

Linesemen — Elliott Bucholz and Eric Standke.

Attendance — 4,634.