Bemidji State scored three third-period goals for a 5-3 win over Air Force in a College Hockey America game Saturday at the John Glas Fieldhouse.
The Beavers swept the Falcons by coming from behind in both games. BSU improved to 13-8-3 overall and 8-3-1 for first place in the CHA. Air Force fell to 5-14-1 overall and 3-7 in the league.
Bemidji State drew first blood with a power-play goal less than three minutes into the game. Ryan Huddy took a feed from Luke Erickson across the slot and beat Ian Harper for a 1-0 Beaver lead.
The Falcons battled back to not only tie the game, but take a 2-1 after one period. Mike Phllipich’s power-play goal tied the game at the 12:21 mark. Eric Ehn won a face off in the offensive end, and Josh Frider fired a shot from the top of the right circle. His shot was saved by Layne Sedevie, but Phillipich put back the rebound for his sixth of the season. Two minutes later, the Falcons took a 2-1 lead with another power-play goal. With the Falcons cycling the puck behind the net, Josh Schaffer scored his sixth of the season from Billy Devoney and Brent Olson. Air Force outshot BSU 14-10 in the period and was 2-for-3 on the power play.
Each team scored once on the power play in the second period and the Falcons held a one-goal lead after two periods. The Beavers tied the game at 2-2 with a power-play goal at the 11:04 mark. On a two-on-two rush during a line change, Matt Pope scored from Ryan Huddy and Rob Sirianni. Later in the period, the Falcons took a 3-2 lead with 11 seconds left. AFA had 23 seconds of a five-on-three advantage and kept the pressure on BSU. After one penalty expired, the Falcons found the back of the net. With the Falcons passing behind the net, Josh Print scored on a rebound from Andrew Ramsey and Olson.
The Falcons held the one-goal lead until midway through the third period. Air Force winger Blake Turnquist was called for a five-minute checking from behind penalty at the 3:03 mark. AFA killed off the five-minute power play, but just four seconds after it ended, BSU tied the game. Just as the Falcon player came out of the penalty box, the Beavers moved the puck through the neutral zone and created a 2-on-1 rush. Sirianni scored the goal from Huddy and Garrett Roth and tied the game at 3-3. With just over five minutes left in the third period, BSU collected a loose puck in the neutral zone and created another odd-man rush. Blaine Jarvis fed Brandon Marino who skated down the slot on Harper. He made two moves and scored on the short side for a 4-3 Beaver lead.
After a penalty on AFA’s Brooks Turnquist, the Beavers struck for the third time in the third period. Just seven seconds into the power play, BSU won the face off and Shane Holman scored for a 5-3 lead. AFA pulled Harper from the net with 2:02 remaining and created a couple flurries in front of the net, but could not make the game any closer.
For the second straight night, Air Force outshot BSU, this time by a 29-26 margin. Air Force was 3-for-5 on the power play while BSU was 3-for-7. The three power-play goals were a season-high for the Falcons and the most since three last season against Army.
Harper made 21 saves for the Falcons while Sedevie made 26 for the Beavers.
