Mankato, Minn. ---  #1-rated Minnesota State downed Bemidji State 3-1 in Central Collegiate Hockey Association action Saturday in Bemidji.

With tonight's victory, the visiting Mavericks have now won their last five games. Minnesota State is 16-4-0 overall and stands atop the CCHA with a 12-2-0 record for the year.

Following a scoreless opening 20 minutes of action in which the Beavers held a 7-6 advantage in shots, junior winger Ryan Sandelin corralled the puck at the top of the crease and lifted a backhand into the net just 34 seconds into the second period with his 12^th goal of the season giving the Mavericks a 1-0 lead. Freshman defenseman Bennett Zmolek tallied his first career goal when his shot from the left point beat BSU netminder Mattias Sholl high on the gloveside at 17:48 and at the end of 40 minutes the score stood 2-0.

BSU pulled within one when Alex Ierullo capitalized on a shorthanded breakaway chance at 6:28 of the third period, but that was as close as the Beavers would get with Minnesota State junior center Brendan Furry's empty-net tally at 19:45 sealing the win. The Mavericks outshot BSU by a 17-2 margin in the final frame.

Minnesota State senior netminder Dryden McKay, who stopped 16 shots in the game, now stands 16-3-0 for 2021-22.  Senior defenseman Wyatt Aamodt was credited with two assists in the win.

Next action for Minnesota State, which has won 10 of its last 11 outings, is Dec. 30 (home) and Jan. 1 (away) when it takes on Minnesota Duluth in a pair of nonconference games.

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