Dan Bakala might’ve been the sole reason Bemidji State even had a prayer in Friday’s game at Minnesota State. The junior goaltender was equally as impressive Saturday night with a 40-save performance.
BSU won its first game since Jan. 15, beating MSU, 4-1, Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Center.
“Bakala played well this weekend; last night was a situation where it could’ve gotten out of hand,” said Beavers coach Tom Serratorre. “He made the saves he had to, he was very calm in net, he was square and he controlled his rebounds.”
The Mavericks jumped on the board first with a Michael Dorr goal off a turnover deep in the BSU zone 5:54 into the game, but Bakala held MSU scoreless the rest of the way.
“We kept all of their pressure to the outside and took away a lot of quality chances,” Bakala said. “You have to make saves in a game, but our D-men kept them on the outside and it’s hard to score from outside the circles.”
Bakala completed a weekend in which he stopped 81 of 84 shots. He didn’t have to make many spectacular saves in the series, but he was solid in both games. He made 41 saves in Friday’s 2-1 overtime loss.
Brad Hunt got the Beavers on the board 8:16 into the second period when his shot from the point found its way through traffic and past MSU goalie Phil Cook. Matt Read had the first of three assists on the goal.
The Beavers added another goal to take the lead 1:26 later when Read intercepted Cameron Cooper’s outlet pass from behind the MSU net and fed Jordan George streaking down the right side, who tipped the pass past Cook.
The pair hooked up again early in the third period when Read’s pass from the high slot found George through on the goalmouth at 1:23 of the third period.
“We needed a win,” Serratorre said. “It’s been a grind for us. We always say ‘we need a little sugar,’ and we got that.”
Hunt’s goal and George’s second goal both came on the man-advantage, the only two power-play goals for the Beavers on the weekend. BSU’s penalty kill stole the show on special teams over the weekend, killing off all 10 MSU power plays.
Cook finished with 16 saves for MSU.
“When you win like we did last night, you have to know they’re going to come back hard tonight,” said MSU captain Rylan Galiardi. “Those were two big points.”
MSU travels to Colorado Springs next week to take on Colorado College and the Beavers go to Houghton, Mich. to face Michigan Tech next weekend.
