Bemidji State beats Air Force, 4-3, in hockey overtime

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BEMIDJI, Minn. (AFPN) --  Jean Guy-Gervais scored the game-winning goal with 1:34 remaining in overtime as Bemidji State University beat Air Force, 4-3, in a College Hockey America game here Jan. 8.

Bemidji State improved to 11-7-0 overall and 6-2 in the league for second place. Air Force fell to 9-9-2 overall and 3-5 in the league for fourth place.

The game was the Falcons’ to win as they had a one-goal lead with one minute remaining in the third period, but they could not put the game away. Andrew Murray tied the game after the Beavers pulled the goalie with 59 seconds left.

The teams combined for just one goal in the first 40 minutes of the game and then combined for six goals in the final 23 minutes. The only lead BSU had in the game was the game-winner in overtime.

After a scoreless first period, the Falcons got on the board first at the 6:45 mark of the second period. Seth Pelletier tipped in a shot by Steve Mead on the power play. Eric Ehn won the faceoff, and Pelletier scored his fifth of the season. The lead held up until a wild third period.

The Beavers tied the game at 1-1 early in the third period as Myles Kuharski scored on a shot from the top of the circle. The Falcons took a 2-1 lead at the 10:40 mark as Ehn scored his fifth goal of the season. Matt Bader made a pass from behind the net to Ehn at the bottom of the circle. Just 40 seconds later, Bemidji State answered. On a nearly identical play to Kuharski’s goal, Jake Bluhm scored his second of the season. Bluhm skated down the right wing, and his shot from the top of the circle beat Ian Harper high, glove side, just inside the far post.

Again the Falcons answered with 2:14 remaining as Josh Print scored on an odd-man rush. Brian Gineo hit Brandon Merkosky in the neutral zone to create the rush. Merkosky skated the puck down the right wing and fed Print after the goaltender had committed to the short side. Print slid the puck past Matt Climie for his fifth of the season. The goal gave the Falcons a 3-2 lead. The Falcons outshot the Beavers, 14-8, in the final period, but the Beavers forced overtime.

With 1:20 remaining in the third period, the Beavers pulled Climie from the net in favor of an extra attacker. Air Force defenseman Brooks Turnquist tried to clear the puck from behind his own net, but the puck slid off his stick and into the faceoff circle. Gervais collected the puck and fired a shot that was saved, but Murray put in the rebound with 59 seconds remaining.

In overtime, the Falcons had one good scoring chance early as Matt Bader’s shot was saved. Midway through the extra frame, two Air Force players, Andrew Ramsey and Josh Print, collided in the neutral zone and the puck bounced right to a Bemidji State player for a 3-on-1 rush. Brendan Cook’s shot was saved by Harper, but Gervais put back the rebound near the right post for the victory.

Bemidji State outshot Air Force, 28-25, in the game. Air Force was 1-for-5 on the power play while BSU was 0-for-5. Harper made his third start of the season in net. He made 24 saves, including 11 in the first period when the Beavers had six minutes of power plays. Climie made 22 saves for the Beavers, including 12 in the third period.

“This is as painful as it gets,” said head coach Frank Serratore. “We out-played them in the third period. We played hard, and we executed, but just didn’t get it done. They stole this one from us. We proved that we can skate up and down the ice with them, but this is a very, very painful loss -- gut-wrenching. We just have to bury this one and move on.”

Air Force returns home for a two-game nonconference series against service academy rival Army Jan. 14 and 15. The faceoff is at 6:05 p.m. MST on Jan. 14. The game is nationally-televised on College Sports Television.