Bulldogs Fall in Opener

NSO – NEWS RELEASE

Charlie Conner’s goal with 22.7 seconds to go in regulation propelled host Bemidji State University to a 3-2 victory over the University of Minnesota Duluth Saturday night in a season opener for both clubs that began 24 hours later than was originally scheduled. The front end of the home-and-home series, set to take place on Friday evening at AMSOIL Arena, was postponed due to a power outage at the downtown Duluth facility.

Following a scoreless first period in which UMD outshot its intrastate rivals 12-5, senior defenseman and team captain Andy Welinski pocketed the Bulldogs’ first goal of the new season at 15:34 of the second period when he beat Beaver goaltender Michael Bitzer with five-hole wrister from the right face off dot. That shorthanded score, the second of Welinski’s career, came while junior left winger Kyle Osterberg was off serving a five-minute slashing major.

  Andy Welinski

The Beavers struck a little under two minutes later on that same power play and then grabbed their first lead of the night 5:28 into the third on Gerry Fitzgerald’s goal off a rebound. It took UMD just 28 seconds to answer, however, as senior right winger Austyn Young pumped in a shot from down low after Osterberg had forced a turnover in the Beaver zone.

Sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo, making his 13 consecutive start — and 37 in the past 41 outings — finished with 30 saves while Bitzer made 28 stops for Bemidji State, which extended its unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1).

Sophomore defenseman Carson Soucy was assessed a five-minute major and game disqualification penalty for contact to the head, marking the first time since Feb. 8, 2014 (against Colorado College) that two Bulldogs received five-minute major in the same game.

UMD will be in Minneapolis, Minn., this Friday night (Oct. 16) to take on the University of Minnesota (0-1-0 overall) before returning to AMSOIL Arena the following evening to host those same Gophers in its 2015-16 home debut.