Speed was part of the difference for the Bevers
MARQUETTE, Mich. — The NMU hockey team dropped game two of the weekend series against the Bemidji State Beavers by a score of 7-1.
The Beavers came out of the gate with a lot of jump and capitalized using their speed, as Bemidji scored three goals on the rush in quick succession. Former Wildcat Reilly Funk scored back-to-back tallies, Vann Yuhas added the Beavers’ third, and a stunning minute and a half stretch saw Bemidji take a late 3-0 lead into the first period intermission.
It was the ‘Cats who came out with speed in the second, and this time it was goalie Max Hildebrand who was forced to make key saves for his team. The ‘Cats would break through with a goal from Caiden Gault on the power play, but Bemidji scored twice in the final ten minutes to carry a 5-1 lead into the locker room. Bemidji’s Peer had two five-minute major penalties, along with receiving a game misconduct infraction in the dying seconds of the middle frame, and the Wildcats would have 4:35 of power play time left to start the third period.
The ‘Cats failed to convert on the man advantage to start the final frame, and goals from Luke Roelofs and Adam Flammang would serve as the final tallies.
‘Cat Nips
- Gault (13-0–13) extended his team lead in goals, notching his first tally in four games.
- Burchill (4-2–6) added the primary assist on the Gault tally, his first point in seven games.
- Schiller (2-4–6) registered his second assist in the last three games.
How It Happened
The Beavers corralled a rebound in its own end and jumped on a quick counterattack, as Tory Lund sprung Alexi Sylvestre down the left sideboards. The speedy winger beat a defender and played a centering pass to Funk, who just had to redirect the pass past the netminder.
Sylvestre connected with Funk shortly after, as the sophomore broke up a play at his own blueline and sent Funk down the right-wing boards. Funk used his speed to beat the defender wide, cut to the crease, made a move to the forehand, and scored.
An errant Wildcat pass on an odd-man rush allowed Yuhas and Vincent Labelle to have a two-on-one from center ice in. The duo gained the blueline, Labelle played a pass to Yuhas, and the right-hand shot fired a wicked wrister past the stick side of Auyeung-Ashton.
The first man-advantage opportunity of the game went to the Wildcats, and the ‘Cats were able to convert. After a passing play from Burchill and Schiller, Gault corralled the puck in the right circle and fired a wrist shot through traffic to beat Hildebrand.
Bemidji continued to forecheck hard, and the first line earned a goal from it. Peer forced a turnover in the Wildcat zone before playing catch with Flammang. Peer, from the corner, slid a pass through sticks to Flammang, who beat Auyeung-Ashton to the far side.
The Beavers scored after forcing a turnover and on the counterattack again, this time while shorthanded. Hudson Thornton disrupted a pass at his blueline, and the loose puck landed on the stick of Peer, who used speed to beat the defender and score on Auyeung-Ashton from in tight.
The counterattack served BSU for its sixth goal, as Flammang played a pass to Luke Roelofs in tight.
A one-timer on a Bemidji man-advantage was initially saved, but the rebound landed to Flammang, who had an open net to shovel the puck into.
