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Beavers hockey stomps Briercrest in an exhibition, 7-2

Justin Martinez/MDN Minot State junior Dylan Johnson splits a trio of Briercrest defenders in Beaver's 7-2 win over the Clippers Saturday afternoon at Maysa Arena.

Johl Swedlo had payback on his mind.

After defeating Briercrest on Friday, 4-0, the Minot State men’s hockey club displayed its dominance once again in Saturday’s 7-2 exhibition win over the Clippers. The home crowd got plenty to cheer about in the first period, watching its team score two unanswered goals thanks to freshmen Jordan Metcalf and Jordan Robertson.

“We wanted to give our younger guys a chance to get a feel for the college game today,” MSU head coach Wade Regier said. “Scoring early was big, and it was especially encouraging to see our freshman step up and make plays.”

The Beavers went on to take a commanding 3-0 lead with 18:52 left in the second period thanks to a bullet of a shot by sophomore Austin Kilian that froze the Briercrest goaltender.

The fans erupted once again, enjoying their Beavers’ blowout performance. But that’s when the Clippers went on the attack.

Briercrest’s Joshua Mitton found an opening in the Minot State defense. He broke free and sent a shot past the outstretched glove of sophomore goalkeeper Bret Effertz for the goal with 15:12 left in the second period.

The home crowd quickly fell silent, as the Clippers celebrated on the ice. It didn’t take long for them to cheer once again, though, as Swedlo went on a solo mission.

The junior forward gathered the puck from center ice and raced toward the left side of the goal. Swedlo got within arm’s reach of the Briercrest goalkeeper and faked a shot.

The Clippers’ last line of defense took the bait and laid out for the save, exposing a clear opening. Swedlo glided to the right side and promptly placed the puck into the corner of the net, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

“We didn’t really want to get into a lull after (Briercrest) scored,” Swedlo said. “I saw the puck was just sitting there, so I took it, made a move on the goalie and managed to put it in.”

The quick response ignited a Beavers run as freshman Adam Wowryk scored less than one minute later off an assist from freshman Connor Navrot and Robertson, giving Minot State a 5-1 lead entering the third period.

Minot State put the game on ice in the final period, cruising to a 7-2 victory. Navrot, Robertson and Swedlo led the way for the Beavers in the win, each finishing the day with one goal and two assists.

The pair of blowout victories in two days is an encouraging sign for a Minot State team that’s searching for its first ACHA Division I Championship since 2013. It’ll be a tough feat after the Beavers lost a number of key players from last season, but Swedlo and company aren’t shying away from the challenge.

“We’re just keeping a level head,” Swedlo said. “We want to prove that we can do this with a new group of guys, and we definitely want to be the top team when it’s all said and done.”

The road to the national title kicks off for Minot State on Sept. 27 when the Beavers travel to take on the University of Colorado. The road match serves as an early test for a team that Regier claims is the youngest group he’s coached since he joined the program in 2010.

“We’re expecting adversity throughout this season as we figure out roles,” Regier said. “It’ll be tough when we go to Colorado, but I’m looking to forward to seeing how we handle it.”

Justin Martinez covers Minot High School and Class B high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @JTheSportsDude.

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