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MSU hockey continues to roll

Beavers beat DCB 5-2, start season 11-0-1

Garrick Hodge/MDN Minot State's Dylan Johnson (16) scrambles to control the puck while DCB goalie Connor Slipp (35) is out of position during a college hockey game Thursday at Maysa Arena in Minot.

Seven seconds.

That was all it took for the momentum to completely turn in the Minot State hockey team’s favor Thursday night.

After trailing 1-0 to Dakota College of Bottineau on the first shot of the game, the Beavers took the lead on two goals seven seconds apart and never looked back in a 5-2 win over the Lumberjacks at Maysa Arena. MSU held a 47-20 shot advantage in the win.

“We certainly executed right away,” Minot State coach Wade Regier said. “The first period and a half was great hockey, that’s when we played our style and dictated the flow. As the game went on, we went on to bad habits. It’s tough that when you outmatch a team on paper, you just can’t play down to someone’s level. I think some of our guys forgot about that a little later in the game.”

After DCB took advantage of a power play opportunity for an early 1-0 lead, the rest of the period was all Beavers. Lyndon Lipinski and Johl Swedlo scored goals for MSU seven seconds apart, then Morgen Martelle scored to put the Beavers up 3-1. MSU outshot the Lumberjacks 18-4 after the first period.

Garrick Hodge/MDN Minot State's Dylan Gejdos (37) and DCB's Josh Colleaux (91) engage in a scrum Thursday.

“After DCB got one on the power play, I just told our guys to take a deep breath,” Regier said. “Stuff like that is going to happen. The only thing you can do is come back with a good shift, and we did. Our energy was great and we responded the way we want our guys to every night.”

Midway through the second period, Dylan Johnson scored the Beavers’ fourth goal of the game by lifting a shot over the head of DCB goalie Connor Slipp. A minute later, Blake Fournier made a perfect pass to teammate Matt Flom for MSU’s fifth goal of the game and second score of the period. MSU held a 36-11 shot advantage after the second period.

“The energy was there and for a Thursday night I thought we had a great crowd,” Regier said. “We never expect to see such a thing on a weekday. But we had chances in that second period to make additional plays, we just would like to finish off a few of those. I think our weakness all season has been finishing plays and chances with open looks. Our guys need to keep working on different skillsets so we can keep pressing forward.”

Zach Garrett scored DCB’s second goal of the game with 11:30 left in the game.

Minot native Brey Effertz picked up the win in the net after stopping making 18 saves on 20 shots.

MSU (11-0-1) is back in action at 4:30 p.m. Saturday when it hosts the University of Utah at Maysa Arena.

Garrick Hodge covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @Garrick_Hodge.

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