Bemidji State defeated UAH 4-1 on Saturday, completing a series sweep as both teams are moving in opposite directions fast.
UAH (6-14-2 overall, 5-9-2 WCHA) has lost five straight games and is winless in their last six. Bemidji State (9-6-5 overall, 6-4-4 WCHA) has won four in a row and is unbeaten in its last seven.
The Chargers, sitting seventh in the WCHA standings, will head directly from Bemidji to Fairbanks, Alaska, where they will take on the Alaska Nanooks next weekend and continue their stretch of 12 straight road games.
UAH was able to get more scoring chances to start this game, a carryover from the third period Friday night, but still had trouble finding the net. The Chargers have only scored four goals in the last five games.
However, it was Bemidji State that got the first goal again with 7:08 left in the period. Myles Fitzgerald had a shot from the slot in front of Uhelski, who made the save. The rebound was short and right to Jay Dickman, who slid the puck between Uhelski’s legs before Uhelski got a chance to cover.
BSU asserted more puck possession the rest of the period, finishing with 15 shots on goal to UAH’s nine.
Bemidji pounced early in the second period, with Zach Whitecloud scoring just 18 seconds in for a 2-0 Beavers lead.
UAH got on the board at the 5:13 mark, when Josh Kestner tipped in a bouncing puck over BSU goaltender Michael Bitzer to cut BSU’s lead to 2-1. It was Kestner’s 14th goal of the season and second of the series (scoring UAH’s lone goal on Friday). Levi Wunder and Richard Buri got the assists.
The first power play of the game didn’t come until 4:22 left in the second, and Bemidji State didn’t waste time converting. Adam Brady, who scored twice on Friday, found the net just 19 seconds into the man advantage.
UAH got its first power play with 2:48 left in the second. The Chargers couldn’t score, and with Gerry Fitzgerald coming out of the penalty box, Bemidji State had a 3-on-1. Fitzgerald’s centering pass deflected off a UAH defender and past Uhelski for a 4-1 BSU lead.
The Chargers outshot the Beavers 9-7 in the third period, but no scoring occurred. BSU had the shots advantage for the game, 32-23.
Uhelski finished with 28 saves.