U power play emerges as Beavers finally fall

Janet Hostetter, Associated Press

Bemidji State goalie Dan Bakala let a puck through in the second period, on a shot by Mike Hoeffel of the Gophers at Mariucci Arena on Saturday. It was the first of two power-play goals by the Gophers.

The Gophers scored twice with the advantage, killing four penalties.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: November 15, 2009 - 12:12 AM

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The Gophers scored two power-play goals on Saturday, doubling their season total, and were perfect on four penalty kills in defeating No. 7 Bemidji State 4-1 on Saturday. The Beavers (7-1-1) were the last unbeaten team in Division I hockey.

Mike Hoeffel's power-play goal early in the second period was the game-winner in the Gophers' nonconference victory at Mariucci Arena before an announced crowd of 10,198.

Minnesota (4-4-1) has won four of its past five games. This game, though, was still quite in doubt until Jordan Schroeder's first goal of the season, on another power play, at 13 minutes, 35 seconds of the third period. It put Minnesota ahead 3-1. Teammate Mike Carman got the fourth goal 54 seconds later.

Bemidji State, which joins the WCHA in 2010-11, had been riding high since the end of last season's Cinderella run to the Frozen Four. Minnesota is now 7-0-0 all-time against BSU, but their last meeting was in 2004.

"[The Gophers] won the special team battles and typically who wins the special teams battles, is going to win the hockey game," BSU coach Tom Serratore said. "Their big guns were good tonight."

Trailing 2-1, the Beavers had the best power-play chance of the game, one that lasted four loooong minutes starting at 6:20 of the second period. BSU had a 4-on-3 at the start and then a 5-on-3 for 2:12.

"When you can't convert on a 5-3, that makes things difficult for us," Serratore said. "But it was a pretty competitive game. There was not a lot of easy ice out there for both teams."

The Beavers scored first on Jordan George's unassisted goal at three minutes. The Gophers' Nico Sacchetti answered 86 seconds later. Aaron Ness fired a long shot at the net, Hoeffel got the rebound underneath Beavers goalie Dan Bakala, and Sacchetti poked the puck the final 6 inches.

Hoeffel broke the 1-1 tie on a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 4:37 of the second period, scoring from the edge of the crease.

Shortly after that, the parade of Gophers to the penalty box started. But Alex Kangas, who finished with 21 saves, stopped five shots with his team short.

"That was the game right there," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "You have a 5-on-3 that long, you can put it away with two or three goals with the amount of time they had. But we did a great job there."

Fortunately for Minnesota, its penalty-killers have been solid lately. The Gophers have killed off 23 power plays in a row.

Sacchetti, Schroeder and Carman all scored their first goals of the season. "There was a lot of relief," Sacchetti said. "You could feel it in the locker room, just getting it out of the way. Everything is coming together right now."

Note: Gophers co-captain Ryan Flynn injured his leg in the first period and did not return.

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