Cameron Berg, No. 1 North Dakota erases 2-goal lead to beat Bemidji State

Nov. 24—GRAND FORKS, N.D. — In the program's 48 games against North Dakota, the Bemidji State men's hockey team has won five of them. And on a night where neither team had their best, the Beavers had a strong push to win No. 6.

BSU's 2-0 first-period lead slowly evaporated throughout the course of Friday night, leading to Jackson Blake's overtime winner 50 seconds into the 3-on-3 session at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. Blake was all alone in front of the goal, receiving a pass from Jake Livanavage and shelving the winner over a sprawling Gavin Enright.

"I just got on the ice, and I saw it pop out, and I had a lane to the net," Livanavage said. "The D-man was actually with Blake, and he left off with me. I saw Blake on the back door and gave it to him. Obviously, a great finish by him."

UND tied the game early in the third period. A neutral-zone turnover preceded a one-timer from Cameron Berg right in front of the blue line on a zone entry.

"It's a 60-minute hockey game," BSU head coach Tom Serratore said. "There are always going to be mistakes, and there are always going to be breakdowns throughout a hockey game. That's just the way hockey games are."

Berg centered a line with Hunter Johannes and Jayden Perron, who tormented BSU every time they touched the ice. Berg also scored North Dakota's first goal late in the first period to cut into the Beavers' 2-0 lead.

"We have a work-first mindset to us," Berg said. "We want to make sure that we're skating fast and getting pucks to the net. That's kind of our identity, too. We have three shooters. When we're doing those three things, we're a pretty good line.

Kasper Magnussen gave the Beavers their first lead on a Friday night in four weeks, dating back to Oct. 27 against St. Thomas. Lleyton Roed led an offensive rush and got to the net for BSU's first shot. Magnussen trailed Roed to clean up the rebound left by UND goalie Ludvig Persson for a 1-0 lead 1:19 into the game.

North Dakota had ample chances to tie the game at 1-1 during a stretch where it hemmed Bemidji State's top line in its own zone for nearly three minutes. The Fighting Hawks had several close calls, including one that had Enright on his back with the puck trickling past the side of the net.

Eventually, BSU cleared the zone, and after a line change, Jackson Jutting cashed in on a little luck. He got a shot to squeak through under Perrson's arm to make it 2-0 with 2:30 left in the first period.

But just 35 seconds later, Berg gave the Fighting Hawks some life heading into the locker room. North Dakota head coach Brad Berry called Berg's line "simple and direct" when assessing why they were so effective against Bemidji State on Friday night.

"They put pressure on their D, and they made plays," Berry continued. "Berg had two great shots on net, but Johannes and Perron made some great plays to get him that puck as well. When things aren't going the greatest, you have to simplify your game — put pucks behind defenders and pressure them. Get shots to the net."

The Fighting Hawks peppered Enright for 12 shots in each of the first two periods. He finished with 32 saves coming off of a 16-save performance in relief of Raythan Robbins last Saturday on the road against Minnesota State.

"I thought he played well," Serratore said. "I thought Gavin played well. I'm really happy for him. There were a lot of screened shots, a lot of pucks coming after him off the end wall. (There are) very active boards here. I thought he stood tall."

The Beavers (5-8-0) fell to 1-3 in their four 3-on-3 overtime games this season. However, they could've bought themselves a little more life. UND's (10-2-1) Garrett Pyke was offside entering the offensive before Blake scored the game-winner. BSU did not challenge the play.

Despite an empty nonconference outcome, Serratore said he needs his team to play the same way to get a better result in Saturday's series finale. Berry, on the other hand, is looking for a little more out of North Dakota.

"That was a sloppy game," Berry said. "Wasn't the sharpest on execution, probably on both sides. We believed this kind of game would come into effect. This style presents itself when Bemidji plays North Dakota. I thought they got a couple of goals early on us. We mismanaged pucks, and they were opportunistic on a couple of plays.

"At the end of the day, we have a high bar here. In order to win games, you have to be playing your best hockey. Tonight wasn't that for us."

Friday night was a change in Bemidji State's recent status quo. The Beavers came into the contest

struggling in first periods

and had the nation's lowest penalty-kill percentage (67.5%). BSU killed off both Fighting Hawks power-play chances.

"Our attention to detail was a lot better," Serratore said. "Our attention to detail was very good tonight, and when your attention to detail is good, when you're managing the puck better, that's what happens. You're going to have a game like that."

North Dakota 3, Bemidji State 2

BSU 2 0 0 — 2

UND 1 0 1 — 3

First period — BSU GOAL: Magnussen (Roed, Jones) 1:19; BSU GOAL: Jutting (Lundman, Looft) 17:30; UND GOAL: Berg (unassisted) 18:05.

Second period — No scoring.

Third period — UND GOAL: Berg (Johannes) 5:18.

Overtime — UND GOAL: Blake (Livanavage, McLaughlin) 0:50.

Saves — Enright (BSU) 29; Persson (UND) 19.