BEMIDJI – The Bemidji High School boys hockey team saw its third-period lead slip in a pivotal Section 8AA game against Brainerd on Saturday at the Bemidji Community Arena.
The Lumberjacks tied the Warriors 4-4 despite their 56-32 shots on goal advantage. The Warriors scored twice in the final 2:34 to send the game to overtime.
Trailing 4-2, Brainerd’s (9-11-3) Ryan Kennedy cut the deficit in half on the power play with under three minutes left. Kade Stengrim delivered the game-tying goal with 1:03 remaining in regulation. Neither team broke through in overtime.
Bemidji (10-12-1) scored twice in the second and third periods. Wyatt Mattfield and Hunter Brodina gave the Jacks a 2-1 lead heading into the second intermission. After Stengrim’s first goal of the game tied the contest 2-2 early in the third, Noah Mannausau and Max Fankhanel buried power-play goals to give BHS its largest lead.
Alex Schaefer stopped 28 shots in net for Bemidji. Ryan Gerlish made 52 saves for Brainerd.
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The Lumberjacks’ final regular season home game is at 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb 14, at the BCA against Fergus Falls.
Bemidji 4, Brainerd 4 (OT)
BRD 0 1 3 0 – 4
BHS 0 2 2 0 – 4
First period – No scoring.
Second period – 1, BRD GOAL, Wikoff (Johnson), 8:34; 1, BHS GOAL, Mattfield (Neadeau, Johnson), 10:21; 2, BHS GOAL, Brodina (Knott, Mannausau), 12:03.
Third period – 2, BRD GOAL, Stengrim (Johnson), PP, 3:00; 3, BHS GOAL, Mannausau (O’Leary, Mattfield), PP, 6:04; 4, BHS GOAL, Fankhanel (Neadeau), PP, 11:14; 3, BRD GOAL, Kennedy (unassisted), PP, 14:26; 4, BRD GOAL, Stengrim (Kennedy), 15:57.
Overtime – No scoring.
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Saves – Schaefer (BHS) 28; Gerlich (BRD) 52.
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