BEMIDJI, Minn. --- The Minnesota State women's hockey team prevailed 2-1 over Bemidji State after scoring a pair of goals in the final five minutes of a Western Collegiate Hockey Association game played Friday.
In the third matchup this season between the two in-state rivals, Minnesota State (3-7-1, 3-7-1 WCHA) and Bemidji State (1-5-1, 1-5-1 WCHA) never saw more than a one-goal deficit. After BSU scored the game's first goal in the middle period, the Mavericks rattled off a pair of goals in the final five minutes to secure their third win of the season.
After one period of play in Bemidji, the Mavericks and Beavers remained scoreless with MSU claiming a 14-8 advantage in shots on net.
Beavers' senior forward Lydia Passolt broke the scoreless tie 3:12 into the middle period. Passolt scored the game's first goal off a net-front feed from her linemate, sophomore Reece Hunt.
In the final five minutes, the Mavericks broke through with a pair of consecutive goals to take a 2-1 lead. Senior forward Brittyn Fleming tucked the first goal on a wrap-around opportunity 15:30 into the third to tie the game. Senior defenseman Tristen Truax broke the tie at the 17:26 mark on the power play with a shot from the top of the slot that clipped BSU netminder Kerigan Dowhy's trapper and trickled into the net. Truax's first goal of the season put the Mavericks in line for the win and sophomore goaltender Calla Frank shut the door in the waning minutes of Friday's game as MSU came out on top, 2-1.
Adding a second point, the game-clinching secondary assist, on Truax's goal was Fleming who now has a team-high four points vs. the Beavers this season with 2-2--4 in three games against the in-state rival.
MSU peppered BSU with a 41-19 advantage in shots on net. Frank, now 2-5-1, made 18 saves on 19 shots in the game. Opposing netminder Dowhy, now 1-4-1 this season, stopped 39-of-41 shots faced.
MSU had the upper hand in special teams play. While killing off both of BSU's power play chances, the Mavericks went 1-for-2 with the man advantage after Truax netted the game-winner on the power play in the final period.
Tomorrow, the Mavericks and Beavers square off again in Bemidji at 2:07 p.m.
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