MINNEAPOLIS — Bemidji State was 78 seconds away from its first WCHA win of the year.
Denied that by a Minnesota power-play goal to tie the score at 2-2, the Beavers took the shootout following a scoreless overtime to garner two league points.
“It’s an exciting time for our team, our program,” BSU first-year coach Jim Scanlan said.
The Beavers (4-4-1, 0-4-1-1 WCHA) combined goals by Rachael Kelly and Lauren Miller with 47 saves from Brittni Mowat to tie the nation’s No. 1 team. Ivana Billic and Stephanie Anderson converted in the four-round shootout.
“Tough to give up a goal late like that, but again, credit them,” Scanlan said. “They’re an awful good hockey team. They threw a lot of pucks on net. Brittni was outstanding for us, so that’s the bottom line.”
For the second time in four games, Minnesota (7-0-2, 5-0-2-0 WCHA) was facing defeat as the seconds dwindled on its power play. This time, Dani Cameranesi deflected a Rachel Ramsey shot past Mowat after coach Brad Frost elected to pull Sidney Peters for an offensive-zone faceoff with 16 seconds showing on the penalty time.
“The way Hannah [Brandt] was winning draws tonight, I felt pretty confident that she’d win that back,” Frost said.
BSU had taken a 2-1 lead with 7:40 left in regulation as Miller converted a three-on-two rush up the ice with an assist from freshman Alexis Joyce.
“Our second goal was just a real nice play by that line,” Scanlan said. “Lauren sniped it.”
A few minutes earlier, it appeared that the Gophers had taken the lead when Bemidji State defenseman Madison Hutchinson knocked Brandt into her goaltender and left the net unprotected, but the goal was disallowed upon review.
“They said that Hannah could have avoided their goaltender, which I thought she was pushed in, but I didn’t have replay to see that myself,” Frost said.
The momentum swung.
“Certainly, the disallowed goal helped,” Scanlan said. “When they waved that off, that was kind of a boost.”
The Gophers’ Kelly Pannek scored the game’s first goal 12:35 into the second period, carrying the puck from her own zone and beating Mowat upstairs.
“When you get an assist, it’s very fun; you get to celebrate with your teammates,” Pannek said of her first collegiate goal. “But there’s nothing like scoring a goal. You just feel like you’re contributing.”
Rachael Kelly tied it up 62 seconds before the second intermission, taking advantage of a bounce to get the puck to the net and behind Peters.
After seven conference games, Minnesota has gone to overtime three times, more than it did in the previous two seasons of WCHA play combined.
“That’s the way we’re going to be successful, if we play hard together as a group,” Scanlan said. “We just found a way to get her done.”
Frost was asked if his team has trouble getting off to fast starts versus lesser teams.
“I don’t think they’re a lesser team,” Frost said. “They’re a top-10 team and been receiving votes all year.”
Tomorrow, Minnesota looks for a better result minus Brandt, Cameranesi, and Lee Stecklein, who leave for the Four Nations Cup, as the puck drops at 4:07 p.m. EDT.
