The Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs used a school-record-tying three power-play goals from senior Tom Nelson to skate past the Bemidji State Beavers, 5-1, in a nonconference game this evening before 3,102 fans at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.
The Bulldogs got off to a quick start, picking up two goals in the first 6:36 of the first period. Jon Francisco netted the game’s first goal, his 10th of the season at the 4:41 mark. Nick Anderson then picked up the eventual game-winner less than two minutes later, at the 6:36 mark.
Bemidji State held Duluth off the scoreboard for the next 23 minutes, but Nelson earned his first goal at 9:35 of the second period on a five-on-three power-play following a slashing penalty on Jared Hanowski (8:00) and a Clay Simmons hook (9:26).
Nelson notched two more power-play goals, the second coming in the first 30 seconds of the third period and his third at the 9:43 mark of the third, to complete his all-power-play hat trick. It was the first hat trick of Nelson’s career, and his three power-play goals tied the UMD single-game record.
Nelson finished with four points (three goals, assist). Andy Reierson had three assists for UMD, and Judd Medak added two assists.
Bemidji State broke up the shutout with eight seconds to play in regulation. After a Beau Geisler interference penalty at 18:10 of the frame, freshman Wade Chiodo netted his second career goal at 19:52 of the third to pull BSU to the game’s final 5-1 margin.
The two teams combined for 28 penalties for 56 minutes in the game (14 for 28 minutes per team), boosted by a melee at 5:31 of the second in which 10 two-minute penalties were issued (nine for roughing) to five different players. UMD’s Neil Petruic drew three two-minute minors for the incident, and two other BSU players and a UMD player drew two penalties each. It was Chiodo’s first career power-play goal.
The win keeps the Bulldogs perfect against BSU in the all-time series, 10-0-0.
Bemidji State falls to 6-7-2 while Minnesota-Duluth snaps a nine-game losing streak in improving to 5-11-1 overall. The teams wrap up their two-game nonconference series Saturday evening in Duluth; opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. Central time.
