MEN’S HOCKEY: Beavers rally on Make-A-Wish Night, but late goals come up short

BEMIDJI -- The Bemidji State men’s hockey team wanted to give its fans something to cheer about on Saturday at the Sanford Center.

Celebrating Make-A-Wish Night, the Beavers struggled to score against Michigan Tech goaltender Blake Pietila, who was in elite form. Jere Vaisanen finally got BSU’s first goal of the weekend in the third period, unleashing over 800 teddy bears onto the ice as part of a special Teddy Bear Toss.

The ending wasn’t warm and fuzzy for Bemidji State, though. Lleyton Roed got an extra-attacker goal to bring the Beavers within one, but the Huskies held the line from there and beat BSU 3-2.

Saturday’s loss ensured that Bemidji State picked up zero points in the CCHA standings over the course of the weekend.

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

“In that third period, we had a different energy level,” Roed said. “We all knew something was going to happen, and we kept getting our (defensemen) up there to maintain pressure. The energy level changed throughout the whole building, and we fed off of that and just came up one short.”

BSU trailed 2-0 entering the third period after goals from Michigan Tech’s Logan Pietila and Parker Saretsky. The Beavers fell further behind on Marcus Pedersen’s goal at 7:35 in the third for the Huskies (20-7-4, 13-5-4 CCHA).

But Bemidji State (11-12-5, 9-8-3 CCHA) responded with Vaisanen’s goal at 8:18, summoning scores of stuffed furry friends from the stands and temporarily halting the game. The buzz generated from that flurry seemed to lift the Beavers, and Roed scored at 16:21 to bring them within one.

“It was awesome,” BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. “It was a great night. It was great togetherness with the university and the community. It was just an awesome night, and it was great to see the building rocking. That’s what we told our guys between the second and third period: ‘Let's get one and get 3,000 people just rocking right now.’ We did, and that was good energy. It was good energy for us.”

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Down a goal, Bemidji State once again pulled goalie Mattias Sholl, but this time, there was no magic to be found.

Make-A-Wish Night was headlined by Isla Moran, a 9-year-old Bemidji native and passionate Beaver hockey fan. Isla, who is battling Shone’s Syndrome, a rare congenital heart disease, dropped the puck prior to the contest and rode the Zamboni around the rink during the first intermission.

The Teddy Bear Toss was sponsored by Lueken’s Village Foods, and the bears tossed onto the ice after Vaisanen’s goal will be given to the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota. Chuck-A-Puck, a staple of this year’s BSU hockey games, occurred as usual during the second intermission, with all proceeds benefiting the local Make-A-Wish Minnesota chapter.

Saturday’s game proved to be a tantalizing yet ultimately disappointing affair for the Beavers. But the night was about much more than just the matchup on the ice.

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

“The crowd was great,” Roed said. “That's a big boost for us guys. And the teddy bears were pretty cool. Great turnout and for a good cause as well. We all fed off that first (goal), and we knew something was going to come. We just kept going and going and then unfortunately (came up) one too short. But yeah, we feed off the crowd a lot.”

Michigan Tech’s entire team signed a hockey stick and gave it to Isla as well, extending the goodwill of the night across both benches.

Blake Pietila finished with 37 saves in his excellent effort for MTU, while Sholl stopped 18 shots for the Beavers.

Bemidji State returns to the ice against Ferris State on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10-11, in Big Rapids, Mich.

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Michigan Tech 3, Bemidji State 2

MTU 1 1 1 -- 3

BSU 0 0 2 -- 2

First period -- 1, MTU GOAL, L. Pietila (Saretsky, Nardella), 9:53, 5v3.

Second period -- 2, MTU GOAL, Saretsky (Ashbrook, Works), 16:05, DP.

Third period -- 3, MTU GOAL, Pedersen (unassisted), 7:35; 4, BSU GOAL, Vaisanen (Roed, Zmolek), 8:18; 5, BSU GOAL, Roed (Pickering, Zmolek), 16:21, EA.

Saves -- Sholl (BSU) 18; B. Pietila (MTU) 37.

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer