Bemidji State’s late-season struggles continued Friday as the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers blew open a tight game with a four-goal third period en route to a 5-3 win over the Beavers at the Van Braun Center.
The Chargers’ win gives them 19 points in College Hockey America play, even with Niagara for third place in the league standings. But the win guarantees Huntsville a higher winning percentage in conference games and a tiebreaker advantage for the No. 3 seed in the Tournament.
The loss for Bemidji State extends its winless streak to six games (0-4-2), the fifth-longest in school history.
Karlis Zirnis drew first blood for the Chargers, scoring his ninth goal of the season at 12:20 of the first period.
It took BSU until 9:46 of the second to even the score, when Marty Goulet netted his 16th goal of the year with helpers from Anders Olsson and Mark Phenow to pull the Beavers even. Goulet’s goal was his career-high sixth power-play tally of the season.
The game went into the second intermission tied 1-1, but once the third period began it took the Chargers just over five minutes to take control. Jason Tinwick put the Chargers ahead for good with his sixth goal of the year at 3:29, and Jared Ross scored the eventual game-winner at the 5:06 mark of the third.
Says Phrakonkham scored his fourth goal of the season at the 6:46 mark of the third, again with an assist from Phenow, to pull BSU within a goal at 3-2, but the Beavers could get no closer.
Steve Charlebois iced the game for the Chargers with a pair of insurance goals, his first coming at 7:02 of the third and the final nail at 19:17, his 13th and 14th goals of the year. Jason Hawes assisted on both tallies.
Grady Hunt (31 saves) got the start in net for BSU and saw his winless streak against CHA opposition reach six games. After starting the season 8-0-2 against the CHA this year, Hunt is 0-4-2 during his current skid.
With the loss, Bemidji State falls to 12-16-5 overall and remains in second place in College Hockey America with 22 points (8-6-4). Alabama-Huntsville improves to 15-17-1 overall, 9-9-1 against College Hockey America foes.
The two teams wrap up their two-game series, and the 2001-02 regular season, Saturday at the Von Braun Center. Opening faceoff is slated for 7:05 p.m. Eastern time.
