Bemidji State overcame the Chargers coming out of their power-play slump, rallying in the third period to defeat UAH 4-3 at the Von Braun Center on Friday to complete a series sweep.

The Chargers (1-18-3 overall, 1-12-3-1 WCHA) had a prime opportunity to get back into the win column thanks in part to three power-play goals, two by freshman Josh Latta.

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Bemidji State’s Adam Brady scored the game-winner on a late power play, which came on a controversial boarding penalty called on UAH’s Bailey Newton with 5:24 left in the game.

UAH heads to Alaska Anchorage next weekend desperately needing points to get back into the WCHA playoff race. The Chargers are in 10th, six points behind UAA and seven behind Ferris State.

“It’s the same old song, and I hate saying it over and over and I want better for our players, but I liked our effort and I think we deserved something better,” UAH head coach Mike Corbett said.

Bemidji State (12-7-3, 12-3-1-0) struck first with 3:26 left in the first period. Sam Solensky, a freshman playing in just his fourth college game, scored on a one-timer in the slot following a centering pass from behind the net.

But UAH tied it up in the final seconds of the period after an Alex Ierullo cross-checking penalty for BSU. Latta poked the puck from underneath goaltender Zach Driscoll, who thought he was interferenced with, for his fifth goal of the season.

Austin Beaulieu and Dayne Finnson assisted on the goal, which ended a streak of 45 unsuccessful power plays. UAH had last scored with the advantage on November 9.

Bemidji State kept the Chargers in their own end for most of the second period, and really tested Mark Sinclair with bursts of shots on the junior.

The Beavers put 20 shots on goal in the frame, and Sinclair stopped all but one: a Charlie Combs deflection of a Tommy Muck centering pass with 39 seconds left to put Bemidji State up 2-1.

UAH had a critical chance about four mintues into the third period when Bemidji State’s Alex Adams elbowed Tyr Thompson high. Video review said contact to the head, ending Adams’s night.

The Chargers capitalized on the major power play with two goals to take the lead.

First, with 12:54 remaining, Austin Beaulieu put back Max Coyle’s shot to tie the game at 2-2. Dayne Finnson also assisted for his second of the game.

Second, about a minute later and two seconds left on the major power play, Latta notches his second goal of the night, putting in a centering pass from Bauer Neudecker on the right side to put the Chargers up 3-2.

“(Latta) is getting to the front of the net and scoring those goals,” Corbett said. “That’s what we need him to do, big goals in big times.”

“It’s all because of playing with (Rajic) and (Beaulieu),” Latta said. “I think we are all complementary of each other. The way we play, we each bring something a little bit unique. Raj is so good off the rush. Being able to pull up and create time and let plays develop. Beaulsy gets off the forecheck so well and he’s so good on the wall.

“We got three goals (on the power play), and being able to get two there (on the major power play) was a nice relief.”

With 9:43 remaining in regulation, the Beavers quickly tied it up as Nick Cardelli slipped the puck just inside the post on Sinclair’s right.

Then came Newton’s hit on Combs, which elicited a questionable boarding call. Combs looked to have hit the boards but not as a result of Newton’s hit.

The hit occurred against the wall and obstructed from the UAH bench. Corbett said he would have to take a look at it on video.

“It’s a tough play at the end,” Corbett. “You want big hits at that point in time of the game.”

UAH was shorthanded anyway, and it cost them.

Brady scored on a wicked shot from the left circle with 4:34 remaining to put BSU ahead 4-3.

The Chargers had one final press to tie the game, only able to pull Sinclair for the extra attacker with 17 seconds to go.

“(Christian) Rajic had the chance on the backdoor with the rebound, and they’re goalie came across and made the save,” Corbett said.

UAH finished with 32 shots on goal in the contest, tied for second most on the season.

“I thought we were better tonight than we were last night, especially just capitalizing on our chances,” Latta said. “I think we got over 30 shots tonight, which we haven’t done very often this season, which is encouraging.”

Sinclair finished with 36 saves as the Beavers finished with 40 shots on goal.

“(Sinclair) played well again,” Corbett said. “He’s another one of those guys you want better for, because he’s competing in the net and giving us a chance to win. We’ve got to pick him up one of these nights.”

“As good as Mark is, he’s good for us every night, sometimes they find a way to score because we give them too much time,” Latta said. “We’ve got to be better defensively and not have these five-minute lapses we tend to have.”

Photo by Kelsey Lee / Violet Turtle Photography. Post-game video by Seamore Sports.

Once again, the Chargers were close entering the third period against the No. 1 team in the country, but North Dakota showed why it’s No. 1 and eventually denied UAH the chance of an upset.

The Fighting Hawks won 5-2 for the second straight night in Grand Forks on Saturday.

Still, considering the struggles the Chargers have had this season, UAH head coach Mike Corbett found the experience beneficial for his club.

“It was a one-goal game pretty much for both nights,” Corbett said. “I think that’s against the legit No. 1 team in the country. It’s a confidence booster. It’s not the end result, but our process was pretty good.”

“We want to go after the top guys. It’s a great opportunity for our program. Read the box score it’s supposed to be read. We were in it and our guys played their butts off.”

UAH goaltender Mark Sinclair did all he could again, stopping 33 of 37 shots.

“Sinclair’s been good since Thanksgiving,” Corbett said. “He’s seeing about 75 shots this weekend, he’s hanging in there and giving us a chance to win.”

“It’s always tough coming in and playing the No. 1 team in the country,” Sinclair said. “Our guys competed right through. Our penalty kill was great, guys blocking shots, battling for pucks.”

The Chargers resume league action at home this Thursday and Friday against Bemidji State.

“I think it shows that we can compete with anyone,” Charger forward Josh Latta said. “North Dakota is like the pinnacle of most programs that you want to strive towards. Playing against Bemidji, we have to play the exact same way with the same intensity.”

North Dakota (16-1-2) opened the scoring when Sinclair could not pick up a Matt Kierstad blast up the middle that was tipped by Westin Michaud. The goal came at the 4:54 mark.

UND made it 2-0 with 10:52 left in the first period on a power play goal. Collin Adams beat Sinclair stick side from the right circle.

The Chargers cut the lead in half about four minutes later on a similar goal by Connor Merkley. His third goal of the season was over Adam Scheel (11 saves) after a nifty cross-ice pass from Jack Jeffers, who notched his fifth assist of the season. Peyton Francis got his second assist.

UAH tied the game early in the second period. Latta was robbed by Scheel from the slot, but Austin Beaulieu back-handed the rebound in for his second goal of the season.

Latta had his team-leading ninth assist of the season and third of the series.

“It was our whole line,” Latta said. “Christian Rajic and Austin Beaulieu are great guys to play with and go to open ice really well. They support the puck and put forth a lot of energy, so it makes my job easy.

“We capitalized on the chances we got for the most part. We could have had a few more.”

“We’ve got a freshman (in Latta) who’s starting to be able to put up some points for us,” Corbett said. “We’re not a scoring juggernaut by any means, so more guys chipping in for us, the better.”

UND regained the lead at 3-2 at the 3:51 mark of the second with a highlight-reel goal. A shot off Sinclair trickled to the right post, and Jordan Kawaguchi put it in from behind the goal line and his stick between his legs.

In the handshake line following the game, Sinclair, who played with Kawaguchi at Chilliwack of the BCHL, said to Kawaguchi, “You had to do that, hey?”

“I played with him in Chilliwack so I got to see it a lot in practice,” Sinclair said. “His work ethic is unbelieveable. He’s very tough to knock off the puck.”

Three minutes into the third period, the Hawks extended their lead to 4-2 when Ethan Frisch blasted one up the middle from inside the blue line.

Shane Pinto, just back with North Dakota after playing for Team USA in the World Junior Championships, put in an empty-net goal with 20 second remaining.

Perhaps indicative of the number of close losses the Chargers have had, it was the eighth empty-net goal UAH has allowed this season.

North Dakota won its 13th straight game at home, a Ralph Engelstad Arena record. The Fighting Hawks are unbeaten in their last 15 games overall.

One battle the Chargers did win was in faceoffs, 30-29.

UAH scored twice in the first period, then relied on Mark Sinclair to hold on for a 2-2 tie against Ferris State on Friday.

The Chargers (1-13-3 overall, 1-9-3-1 WCHA) got two points in the WCHA contest after Liam Izyk scored in the 3-on-3 second overtime period. UAH has ties in its last two games.

Sinclair made 38 saves for the second straight game. He has made 32 or more saves in his last four starts.

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Ferris State fell to 5-9-2 overall and 3-6-2-0 in WCHA play. Game two of the series is Saturday at 6:37 p.m. Central Time.

Josh Latta put the Chargers up 1-0 at the 2:24 mark by putting in a rebound around FSU goaltender Austin Shaw (25 saves) for his third goal of the season.

Drew Lennon got his first point of the season with primary assist, and Christian Rajic also got a helper.

Connor Wood was grimacing in pain from the bench after FSU’s Hunter Wendt checked him from behind, but was able to stay in the game. Wendt was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

During the major power play, UAH had two shots on goal, but so did the Bulldogs on two shorthanded breakaways. Mark Sinclair made the big saves to keep FSU off the board.

Ferris State survived the penalty, but went down 2-0 after Connor Merkley fired a goal in from the high slot. Lennon got his second assist of the game.

The second period belonged to the Bulldogs, who outshot the Chargers 19-5. Sinclair was still solid, but it felt like Ferris State would eventually break through, which it did with 35 seconds remaining.

Marshall Moise slipped one past Sinclair right in front of the crease to cut UAH’s lead to 2-1 at the second intermission.

The first half of the third period was relatively quiet, but the Chargers finally started generating more opportunities in the second half.

However, Moise, scoring twice in his first game after being out for six weeks, would tie the game at 2-2 for the Bulldogs with a high floater from the left point with 4:45 left in regulation.

No scoring in overtime, but not before Sinclair made a couple of critical saves in the final 10 seconds to seal the tie.

With 1:48 left in the 3-on-3 overtime, Jack Jeffers appeared to score just inside the right goal post, but the official waved it off. Shaw didn’t react quick enough, and Izyk followed up and scored in the open net to give UAH the second WCHA point.

After possibly the worst loss of a trying season, the Chargers showed some fight and refused to leave Ohio empty handed.

UAH and 13th-ranked Bowling Green battled to a 2-2 tie, with the Falcons taking two of the three WCHA points by scoring in the second overtime.

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It’s a significant yet modest bounce-back for the Chargers (1-13-2 overall, 1-9-2-0 WCHA), who were drubbed 9-3 in the first game of the series.

It was perhaps a bigger turnaround for UAH goaltender Mark Sinclair, who played the entirety of Friday’s loss and allowed all nine goals. This time, he stopped 38 of 40 shots to get back to the form he showed last weekend.

The tie might bring repercussions to Bowling Green (11-5-1 overall, 6-3-1-1 WCHA) down the road when NCAA tournament selections come around. The Falcons sit in fifth place in the WCHA standings.

UAH finishes the calendar year with a trip to Ferris State next weekend.

Bowling Green took a 1-0 lead with 2:17 left in the first period, when Max Johnson’s one-timer from the left circle beat Sinclair.

UAH got the equalizer with 1:00 remaining, as Jack Jeffers scored his fourth goal of the season on a one-timer of his own. Tyr Thompson provided the feed to Jeffers for the primary assist, with Liam Izyk getting the secondary.

The Chargers got the lead at 6:20 of the second period. Christian Rajic’s slapshot rips past Falcon goalie Zack Rose (18 saves) for his fourth goal of the season. Josh Latta and Austin Beaulieu got the assists.

UAH committed back-to-back too many men on the ice penalties, and the Falcons converted on the second one. Connor Ford’s blast from the left point with 2:08 left in the second tied the game at 2-2.

The Chargers had outshot the Falcons 7-1 for the second period at one point, but BG had the last 11 shots on goal for the frame.

Bowling Green finished off UAH Friday night with six goals in the third period, but there would be no scoring in the final period Saturday. Sinclair made 12 saves in the third to keep the game tied at the end of regulation.

In overtime, the Chargers had a power play in the final 1:55 after Daneel Lategan was hauled down while driving to the Bowling Green net.

UAH didn’t convert, officially making the game a tie to give both teams a WCHA point.

In the second, 3-on-3 overtime, Max Johnson scored with 1:17 to go to give the Falcons five of six league points on the weekend.

Mark Sinclair stood on his head for two periods to keep Northern Michigan from routing the Chargers. However, when UAH got energized in the third period, they couldn’t tie the game.

Such was the case in the Chargers’ 3-1 loss to the Wildcats on Saturday. After UAH finally got its first win on Friday, NMU snapped a four-game losing streak to split the series.

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The Chargers (1-12-1 overall, 1-8-1 WCHA) were fortunate to only being down 2-1 through two periods, as the Wildcats (8-6-2, 6-4-0) dominated to the tune of a 29-8 shots advantage.

Sinclair stopped 32 of 34 NMU shots on goal.

“Mark Sinclair was fantastic and he was able to keep us in the game,” UAH head coach Mike Corbett said. “He made more than the saves he needed to make tonight. I feel bad for him, because I think his teammates led him down tonight.”

Lategan’s line and Connor Wood and Brandon Salerno, those guys played their butts off but the rest of the guys, we were very average. Very vanilla.

From the start, Northern Michigan wasn’t messing around like Friday’s first period, when the Wildcats sloppily allowed three goals.

NMU got on the board first with a shorthanded goal. Garrett Klee drove almost the length of the ice, got around a UAH defender in front of the Charger net and beat Sinclair to put NMU up 1-0 at the 5:03 mark.

Despite having two power plays, UAH was outshot 5-3 in the first half of the opening period. NMU had a 14-5 shots on goal advantage at the first intermission.

The Wildcats continued the put Sinclair to work early in the second period, but the Chargers tied the game at the 7:22 mark. Brandon Salerno ripped a one-timer from the left circle on a pass from Daneel Lategan at the halfwall for his second goal of the season.

Lategan and Connor Wood, with his third point of the series, got the assists. Corbett said that fourth line of Salerno, Lategan, and Wood had the best energy.

“Lategan’s line and Connor Wood and Brandon Salerno, those guys played their butts off but the rest of the guys, we were very average,” Corbett said. “Very vanilla.”

NMU got the lead right back at 2-1 less than a minute later. Jarrett Lee’s drive from the slot was stopped by Sinclair and deflected off the crossbar, and Luke Voltin put in the rebound.

The Chargers played much better in the third period, holding the Wildcats shotless through the first 10 minutes. UAH outshot NMU 9-6 in the third period.

However, NMU goaltender Nolan Kent (16 saves), who got the start after coming into Friday’s game in relief, would not allow the equalizer.

UAH had a golden chance late with a power play after Darien Craighead was called for a cross-checking penalty, but the Chargers would finish 0-for-6 with the advantage for the game and 0-for-9 for the series.

“We’ve got to move the puck quicker,” Corbett said of the power play. “We play too slow, and they’re able to get in the lanes and block shots. Our decision making on it isn’t very good.”

Vincent de Mey finished the NMU victory with an empty-net goal with 15 seconds to go. All three of NMU’s wins over UAH this season were by two goals, each with an empty-netter at the end. (The Chargers won Friday the same way.)

UAH heads to Bowling Green next weekend. The Chargers won’t be home again until January 9 and 10 against Bemidji State.

Finally, the Chargers are in the win column.

Powered by three first-period goals, UAH defeated Northern Michigan 4-2 at the Von Braun Center on Friday night to earn its first victory of the season. The Chargers snapped a 15-game winless streak going back to last season.

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The Chargers (1-11-1 overall, 1-7-1 WCHA) also got a strong performance in net by Mark Sinclair, who made 27 saves and kept the Wildcats at bay while they tried to rally.

“Mark Sinclair was good,” UAH head coach Mike Corbett said. “Our goaltending’s been average, and we talked with those guys this week about really stepping up and Mark did.”

UAH will go for two in a row Saturday night at Propst Arena. Game time is at 7:07 p.m.

Meanwhile, NMU (7-6-2 overall, 5-4-0 WCHA) has lost four straight games, all in conference play.

“Don’t relax. Don’t be satisfied,” Corbett said about the message to his team for Saturday. “You’ve got to win one before you can win two. You can think about a sweep because you won Friday night, but we also know that their backs are against the wall and they’re going to come out fighting, and we have to come out better than we were tonight.”

Seemingly out of nowhere, the Chargers busted out to a 3-0 lead, scoring the three goals in a span of 4:09.

The first goal came at 11:26, when Daneel Lategan, just out of the penalty box following a charging penalty, scored on a two-on-none with Brandon Salerno.

At 13:59, Connor Merkley found Tyr Thompson in the slot, who made it 2-0 with his third goal of the season.

“That’s the forecheck we want,” Corbett said. “(Merkley) came in hard on the forecheck, took the body, happened to get the puck, and made a nice play to Tyr right in front. That’s the one you work on in practice all the time. It usually doesn’t work but it worked tonight.”

Then at 15:35, Christian Rajic in the right circle found Josh Latta in the slot. Latta fired his second goal past NMU goaltender John Hawthorne, whose night was done early after allowing three goals on five shots.

Northern Michigan cut UAH’s lead to 3-1 at the 6:22 mark of the second period. Griffin Loughran’s deflection of a blast from the point on the power play resulted in his WCHA-leading 12th goal of the season.

The Wildcats would make a push throughout much of the third period. Replacement goaltender Nolan Kent stopped all 15 shots he faced the rest of the way.

UAH would seal the deal with a minute to go after Kent was pulled for the extra attacker. Connor Wood, who also assisted on Lategan’s goal, fought off a defender and found the open net to put the Chargers up 4-1.

Grant Loven scored for NMU with 32 seconds remaining for the final 4-2 score, but it was too little, too late.

“We had to earn it,” Corbett said. “We earned it tonight. We knew they were coming off a long trip, and we started out fast.

“I’m just happy for (the team). It’s not about me. These guys were beat up after last Saturday’s game against Bemidji (a 7-0 loss) and it’s nice to see them come back. It’s nice to see them earn a victory and they deserved it.”

Three stars of the game:
1. Tyr Thompson, UAH (goal)
2. Mark Sinclair, UAH (27 saves)
3. Daneel Lategan, UAH (goal)

File photo of Connor Wood by Todd Thompson/RiverCat Photography.

The Chargers scored on their first shot of the game, but a sequence of misplays in the second period was the difference in Friday’s 5-3 loss to Bemidji State in northern Minnesota.

UAH remains winless at 0-10-1 overall and 0-6-1 in WCHA play. Bemidji State improved to 5-4-2 and 5-2-0. Game two of the series is Saturday at 6:07 p.m.

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UAH took the lead at the 2:50 mark when Connor Merkley, back in the lineup after missing five games due to injury, fired a one-timer from the right slot to beat BSU goaltender Zach Driscoll.

Ben Allen, making his season debut, made the cross-ice pass for the primary assist. Max Coyle got the other assist for his first collegiate point.

Bemidji State tied the game on the power play after UAH was caught having too many men on the ice. Tommy Muck scored from the high slot as UAH goalie Mark Sinclair had a Beaver on top of him. Video review determined a Charger pushed the Beaver into the crease, and the goal was confirmed with 13:40 left in the first.

The Beavers scored their second power play goal in two opportunities with 5:48 left in the period. After four quick consecutive Charger blocks, an Adam Brady shot was deflected by a skate and in.

Bad mistakes allowed BSU to up its lead to 4-1. First was a misplay right in front of Sinclair, allowing Alex Adams to pounce with a backhander with 15:22 left in the second.

Adams scored again just 24 seconds later on another turnover and another backhander in the slot.

Sinclair, who couldn’t have done much to stop the onslaught, was pulled at that point for David Fessenden. Sinclair had made 15 saves on 19 shots.

UAH cut Bemidji’s lead to 4-2 when Austin Beaulieu redirected a Tanner Hickey shot from the left point over Driscoll with 2:26 remaining in the second. It was the senior captain’s first goal of the season.

The second intermission came early with 1:52 left on the clock. Ice issues around the UAH net forced the teams to the locker room early.

The last 1:52 was played followed immediately by the start of the third period.

Tyler Kirkup scored with 6:56 to go to put BSU up 5-2.

UAH answered right back with 6:00 left as Liam Izyk scored his first college goal, a point-blank rebound after another Hickey shot. Hickey and Christian Rajic with the assists.

After BSU outshot UAH 27-7 in the first two periods, the Chargers had a 10-6 shots advantage in the third as they tried to mount a comeback.

Fessenden finished with 14 saves on 15 shots faced.