Bemidji State broke a streak of eight consecutive losses t Minnesota, skating to a 2-2 draw with the current WCHA leader and earning its first-ever point in the series between the programs.
Bemidji State was outshot 14-2 in the first period but was able to come out of the period with the game in a scoreless tie.
“It took us a while to adjust to the speed of the game and their bigger ice,” BSU head coach Jason Lesteberg said. “We came out in the second period and were more determined and were tenacious in getting to the puck.”
The game evened up in the second, with shots falling in a narrow 8-6 advantage to the Gophers, but the game stood tied at two goals each. Minnesota got on the board first at the 5:12 mark on an even-strength tally from Kelly Stephens. Bemidji State evened the score on a power-play goal from Guylaine Hache just 55 seconds later.
Ronda Curtin once again gave the Gophers the lead with a power-play goal at 11:47 of the second, but again BSU would answer quickly. Caesare Stimson netted what would be the game-tying goal 1:43 later, and the teams skated to scoreless third and overtime periods for the draw.
Amber Fryklund assisted on Stimson’s game-tying goal, keeping alive her school-record streak of consecutive games with at least one point. Fryklund, the defending WCHA Player of the Week, has now scored in each of BSU’s last 10 games.
Bre Dedrickson earned the tie for BSU, stopping 33 of 35 Gopher shots. She is unbeaten in her last seven starts, posting a 2-1-3 record in that span.
“Bre played very well tonight,” Lesteberg said. “We gave up a lot of shots, but we kept most of them on the perimeter and Bre made some big saves to keep us in the game.”
BSU remained impressive this year when allowing the first goal of the game, going to 4-1-2 with the tie.
Bemidji State moved to 5-1-3 with the draw, 3-1-3 in WCHA play, while Minnesota’s record for the season moves to 5-2-2, 4-1-2 in the WCHA. The tie keeps alive BSU’s school-record unbeaten streak, which has now reached eight games. BSU’s only defeat of the season came in the opener to then-No. 10 Ohio State.
BSU and Minnesota wrap up their series Sunday afternoon at Mariucci Arena. Opening faceoff is slated for 2:05 p.m.
