The No. 6-ranked Minot State men’s club hockey team rebounded emphatically after a shaky start Thursday evening to wallop Williston State, 8-1, at Maysa Arena.

“We got into our old habits and looked rusty,” MSU head coach Wade Regier said. “Mistakes we have made have dogged us in the last couple of games, but that second period we looked like a whole new team.”

More pucks ended up flying into the stands than the goal in the opening period, as Williston State goaltender Angus Laing bailed the Tetons out time and time again.

Supporting the stellar effort from its goalie, Williston State (0-4-3) scored first. The puck got tangled up in the skates of MSU defender Cody Longie and found the stick of Jake Rudloff.

Alex Eisen/MDN MSU forward Austin Kilian (18) skates by his bench after scoring his first goal of the game in the second period Thursday against the Williston State Tetons.

Rudloff snapped a shot over the shoulder of MSU goaltender Joshua Bykowski to give Williston State an early lead. Bykowski settled in, didn’t allow another goal and made 19 saves in the contest. Meanwhile, MSU kept peppering Laing with 51 shots in the game.

Pushing for the equalizer, the Beavers (5-3-1) finally snuck a puck under Laing after Alex Bechtold performed a flashy deke from a tight angle to get to the front of the net.

Bechtold’s first goal of the season had the two teams leveled at 1-1 going into the first intermission.

“We talked about taking the puck wide and taking pucks to the net,” Regier said. “Good things were going to happen. Either the defender would make a mistake or they would open up another lane for something else.”

MSU started the second frame with a 5-on-4 advantage for a minute and 35 seconds, but it only needed 15 seconds to seize the lead and take control of the game.

Austin Kilian rushed the net and pounded the puck in for a power play goal. Then, four minutes later, Kilian struck again on a breakaway to increase MSU’s lead to 3-1.

“I think it’s just me doing the little things,” Kilian said. “A couple games ago I was trying to do too much, now I’ve simplified my game. I’m taking pucks to the net and good things happen when you do that.”

Setting the cruise control after Kilian’s first two goals of the season, MSU’s Dylan Johnson and Jordan Robertson decided to get in on the scoring fun as well with power play tallies.

A five-goal second period for MSU was capped with another Beaver, Drew Carter, scoring his first goal of the season.

“We had a couple guys get their first goals and had a couple guys who had endless amount of chances – (Justin) Metcalf probably had like 10 shots on goal,” Regier said. “Getting guys like Kilian, Robertson and Bechtold going, who usually play third and fourth line minutes, that’s big for us.”

The Beavers weren’t finished just yet. In a formality of a third period, a pair of bar-down goals were scored by Rhett Lough and Kilian to conclude the scoring.

One lonely baseball cap landed on the ice surface at Maysa Arena to honor Kilian’s hat trick.

“I finally got the monkey off my back,” Kilian said. “I have been waiting for this night and it all came together. So, I’m leaving the rink a happy camper.”

Next up, the Beavers have a road rematch against Williston State on Saturday at 7 p.m.

“They are right down the road from us, so I think it’s big to set the tone early,” Kilian said. “We play them a few more times, including Saturday, so I think this was a statement win for sure.”

Alex Eisen covers Minot State athletics, the Minot Minotauros and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.