Mavericks men and women’s hockey split series
Mel Stramm
Staff Writer
Both the Mavericks hockey teams split their series against the Bemidji State Beavers last weekend.
The Mavericks men’s team hosted BSU and generated the fifth largest crowd in MSU men’s hockey history but ended their eight-game winning streak Saturday, Jan. 25, with a 4-2 loss.
MSU was looking strong on the ice in the opening match Friday.
After the first BSU goal of the series slid past MSU goalie Dryden McKay, Maverick defenseman Andy Carroll went for the tie and scored his first goal of the season 10 minutes into the second period.
Shooting straight from the high slot, freshman Nathan Smith then made it a Mavericks lead at the end of the period.
Going into the third, it was junior Dallas Gerads who extended that lead to 3-1 at the 5:10 minute mark.
Bemidji answered with a goal of their own and despite taking out goalie Zach Driscoll with three minutes left in the game, they were unable to score any further, with their last shot getting blocked by junior Jack McNeely.
McKay was able to make 18 saves and Gerad’s goal was the seventh game-winning tally of his career.
The Mavericks struggled on Saturday, but still put up a fight against the Beavers.
MSU was unable to score until the third period, while Bemidji managed to get three pucks past McKay.
Trailing 3-0 with four minutes left in the third, Gerards scored an extra attacker goal after McKay was pulled out of the goal.
Just two minutes later, senior winger Charlie Gerard shot at the BSU net to cut the Beavers lead short 3-2.
Despite the effort, MSU was ultimately unable to go for the tie and force the game into overtime after the Beavers took advantage of the empty net to extend their lead 4-2.
The Mavericks outshot the Beavers by a 50-18 margin but ended up taking their fourth loss of the season
The women’s team won its first game on Jan. 24, defeating the Beavers in the 3-on-3 overtime period, but then took a loss the next day.
The beavers left MSU trailing early, getting the first score of the day on the board at the 1:44 minute mark.
Senior captain Emily Antony then scored on a power play right at the end of the last period, forcing the game into overtime.
The overtime period went scoreless, which lead to the fifth 3-on-3 period for MSU this season.
Freshman Kelsey King then scored the goal that would allow for the Mavericks to earn the extra conference point and win the match.
Goaltender Abigail Levy stopped 30 of the 31 shots made by BSU.
On Saturday, Sophomore Claire Butorac put MSU on the board first with the only maverick goal of the day.
The Beavers were able to score in the following period and then twice in the last, finishing the match with a 3-1 win for BSU.
This week the men’s team will be on the road, as they take on Alaska. The women will host Lindenwood here in Mankato.
Header photo: Minnesota State forward Parker Toumie (6) shoots the puck against Bemidji State at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 in Mankato, Minn. (Kjerstin Hall/MSU Reporter)