Minnesota Duluth desperately needed a third-period goal Friday night to halt its longest losing streak of the season. Michael Gergen got it and the Bulldogs held on to defeat Bemidji State 3-2 in a nonconference college men's hockey game held before 3,418 spectators at the DECC.
UMD (10-7-6) had gone 1-5 against Bemidji State in the previous six meetings, including 1-3 in Duluth, and was coming off one of its worst weekends of the season in losing twice at St. Cloud State.
A victory was imperative.
"We competed harder and were better in the defensive zone, and had a good team effort," said Gergen, a senior left winger, who had two goals. "We got a win against a hard-working team."
Bemidji State (8-11) suffered a fourth straight loss, all by one or two goals, yet kept it close with the help of sophomore goalie Matt Dalton. UMD outshot the Beavers 38-15 as the Bulldogs allowed their second-fewest shots in a game this season.
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UMD led 2-0 early in the second period before Bemidji State, which leads College Hockey America, rallied for a 2-2 tie after 40 minutes.
"That was our worst game against a WCHA team this season," said Bemidji State coach Tom Serratore, who is 3-6 vs. the WCHA in 2008-09. "We had no legs, we didn't react very well and we had only one line moving.
"Matt Dalton gave us a chance, but it was a one-sided game. UMD earned it and deserved it. They were the better team."
After three straight losses, UMD came out to gain a 1-0 lead midway through the first period as Gergen crushed the puck from the right circle. It went to 2-0 at 6:15 of the second period on a power play. Freshman Jack Connolly found an open lane and shot, a point emphasized at practice by assistant coach Brett Larson, and got his third goal of the season.
But the Beavers, who will apply in the next two months to join the WCHA, rallied with goals less than six minutes apart from Tyler Scofield and Jamie MacQueen.
"We did make a few great plays that got us some goals and found some chemistry in our lines, but we still have to finish better," Connolly said. "We can play better."
The Bulldogs did in the third, outshooting Bemidji State 16-4. Gergen gained his fifth goal of the season and 30th of his career at 3:13 on a nice pass from the left boards from freshman center Travis Oleksuk, who earned his first collegiate point. It appeared the Beavers tied it 22 seconds later on a Matt Francis shot, but after a video review it was ruled a Bemidji State player interfered with UMD goalie Alex Stalock.
Dalton stopped UMD's Jordan Fulton on a short-handed breakaway with 2:05 left and Stalock stopped Francis on an arm save with 55 seconds left. Bemidji State twice won faceoffs in the offensive zone in the final minute, after Dalton was pulled, but the Bulldogs took the victory.
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"We regrouped and made our best period the third period," said UMD coach Scott Sandelin, whose team is 6-1-3 at home. "We were lucky to win it, but Michael got us a goal."
Bemidji State.............0-2-0--2
Minnesota Duluth.......1-1-1--3
First period -- 1. 1. UMD, Michael Gergen 4 (Mike Montgomery), 11:01. Penalties -- Dan MacIntyre, Bemidji State (slashing), 1:32; Darcy Findlay, Bemidji State (tripping), 11:45; Gergen, UMD (cross-checking), 14:00.
Second period -- 2. UMD, Jack Connolly 3 (Scott Kishel, Drew Akins), 6:15 (pp); 3. Bemidji State, Tyler Scofield 9 (Matt Read, Chris Peluso), 13:07 (pp); 4. Bemidji State, Jamie MacQueen 3 (Brandon Marino, Matt Dalton), 18:48. Penalties -- MacIntyre, Bemidji State (hooking), 4:24; Brad Hunt, Bemidji State (charging), 9:50; Jay Cascalenda, UMD (high-sticking), 12:47; Montgomery, UMD (cross-checking), 14:30.
Third period -- 5. UMD, Gergen 5 (Travis Oleksuk, Kyle Schmidt), 3:13. Penalties -- Nick Kemp, UMD (checking from behind), 16:18; Read, Bemidji State (roughing), 17:55.
Shots on goal -- Bemidji State 5-6-4--15, UMD 11-10-16--38. Goalies -- Matt Dalton (8-7), Bemidji State (38 shots-35 saves); Alex Stalock (10-7-6), UMD (15 shots-13 saves). Power plays - Bemidji State 1-of-4, UMD 1-of-5. Referees - Brad Albers, Max Battimo. Linesmen - Matt Ulwelling, Tom Lund. A - 3,418.
