2 days Ago By Jared Rubado
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – One night removed from a game where the Bemidji State men’s hockey team never tailed, the Beavers were the ones chasing a deficit on Saturday night against Augustana.
The Vikings jumped out to a 2-1 lead midway through the second period and never let up, pulling away to a 5-1 win over BSU to earn a series split and a four-point weekend at Midco Arena. Colton Friesen broke the ice midway through the first period to give Augie a 1-0 lead. He picked up a loose puck on a discombobulated zone entry and snuck one through the five hole of Mattias Sholl.
“They popped that first one, and we just had a hard time getting any traction tonight,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. “They were physical, they didn’t give us a lot of ice, they competed hard, they defended well. I thought they skated really well and broke the puck out well.
Overall, that was a really good team we played tonight.” BSU junior Reilly Funk entered the weekend with just three career goals. But after scoring his first as a Beaver on Friday night, the Northern Michigan transfer went back for seconds.
Eric Martin made a shifty move to evade a defender below the goal line before feeding Funk through traffic in the slot. Funk banked a backhand shot off the post to tie the game with six and a half minutes before the first intermission. “It was a hell of a play on Marty’s part right there,” Serratore said.
“He worked his tail off, he created some available ice for himself. It was a really good play to set up a really good goal.” By the midway point of the second period, Augustana already had three chances on the power play.
The Vikings’ first attempt was forgettable as they were held without a shot on goal or any sustained offensive-zone time. The second, which sandwiched the first intermission, was better, as AU threatened with two high-danger chances. The third Augustana power play was the charm.
Sholl made another save-of-the-year candidate, diving to cut down Joey DelGreco’s shot on the back door with his stick. However, the Beavers’ couldn’t thwart DelGreco’s rebound chance, giving the Vikings a 2-1 lead eight minutes into the second period. Augustana got a fortunate break to set the stage for the go-ahead tally.
Tony Follmer’s clearing attempt hit Brett Meerman in the stomach. Meerman found DelGreco all alone on the back door. “We cleared a puck right into their belly, you know what I mean?” Serratore said.
“Honestly, if we clear a puck, we’re not talking about (AU’s power play) right now.” Augustana didn’t score more than once in each of its first five periods this weekend. But its showing in the sixth put the game away.
Tyler Hennen buried a rebound shot midway through the third period to double the lead. It preceded Meerman’s third goal this season, which came on a shot from the high slot through a screen to put AU (5-5-0, 2-2-0 CCHA) ahead 4-1. "I thought their goalie made some outstanding saves,” Augie head coach Garrett Raboin said.
“Through the first half of the game, I thought we had some really good looks where he was making desperation saves and kept it close. Our guys stuck with it though. We have to encourage our guys to continue to make plays, have confidence and keep the puck.
If you don’t have a play, put it to a space where someone on your team can get it.” Meerman capped a three-point night with an empty-net goal with five seconds left. “They were putting two or three passes together on a lot of plays,” Serratore said.
“That was the biggest difference, honestly.” The road ahead doesn’t get any easier for the Beavers. BSU (4-5-0, 3-3-0 CCHA) travels to No.
3 Minnesota for a 7:07 p.m. game on Thursday for the first half of a split-site series against the Gophers.
“We have to move quick,” Serratore said. “It’s a short week, you know? We’re going to have a light skate on Monday, then we’ll get back into it on Tuesday. We have a challenge ahead of us, that’s for sure.
” BSU 1 0 0 – 1 AU 1 1 3 – 5 First period – AU GOAL: Friesen (DelGreco, H. Hennen) 10:05; BSU GOAL: Funk (Martin) 13:31. Second period – AU GOAL: DelGreco (Meerman) PPG, 11:20.
Third period – AU GOAL: T. Hennen (McIntyre) 11:46; AU GOAL: Meerman (Bischoff, Kotai) 13:05. AU GOAL: Meerman (Bohn) ENG, 19:55.
Saves – Sholl (BSU) 23; Kotai (AU) 22..
