2/20/2010 - MEN'S ICE HOCKEY Beavers say goodbye to “The Glas” with a 6-1 victory over Niagara

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BEMIDJI, Minn. (John S. Glas Fieldhouse) -- After 43 years of calling the John S. Glas Fieldhouse home, the Bemidji State University men’s ice hockey team skated off its ice for the final time Saturday, but not before adding another win to one of the finest legacies of hockey history ever assembled.

Since Bemidji State opened the doors to its most recent hockey home Nov. 17, 1967, its men’s hockey program has won 13 national championships, captured 22 conference crowns, and posted 880 wins, 502 of which have come at The Glas. With hundreds of alumni, nearly 30 members of the Glas family and a capacity crowd of 2,414 in attendance, Bemidji State celebrated the dedication, history and tradition of Beaver hockey and turned down the lights for one last time with a 6-1 victory over Niagara University.

The Beavers came out of the gates buzzing and would not look back.  After a goal was disallowed just 35 seconds into the game, BSU got on the board at the 5:56 mark when Darcy Findlay (So., F, Bristol, Quebec) potted his fourth goal of the season and the first of a career-high two on the evening.

Less than two minutes later (7:16), Matt Read (Jr., F, Ilderton, Ontario) won an offensive zone face off and Ian Lowe (Jr., F, Bradwardine, Manitoba) put the Beavers up 2-0.  Lowe wound up for a one-timer from the top of the right face off circle for his team-leading 16th goal of the season.  

Ben Kinne (So., F, St. Paul, Minn.) gave the Beavers a 3-0 cushion before time would expire on the first period, taking passes from defenders Brad Hunt  (So., D, Ridge Meadows, British Columbia) and Jake Areshenko (Fr., D, Port Coquitlan, British Columbia) to set up his goal (18:15).

Niagara opted to switch goaltenders to begin the second period, replacing freshman Andrew Hare with Adam Avramenko, but the Beavers didn’t skip a beat.  In one of its most dominating 20-minute segments of the season, BSU out shot the Purple Eagles 24-5 and increased its lead to 5-0 along the way.  Findlay potted a Aaron McLeod (Fr., F, Ottawa, Ontario) rebound at the 8:18 mark and Read would follow that up by snapping a shot into the back of the net from the high slot to join Lowe atop BSU’s 2009-10 goal scoring list with 16.

Niagara bounced back in the third period taking advantage of BSU’s conservative approach to light the lamp.  NU’s C.J. Chartrain spoiled Dan Bakala’s (So., G, Calgary, Alberta) shutout 47 minutes into the contest.  Chartrain intercepted a failed attempt to clear the puck and fired a shot past the screened Beaver goaltender for the Purple Eagles’ only goal of the night.

Junior forward Ryan Cramer (International Falls, Minn.) closed the book on BSU’s scoring at The Glas netting his 10th goal of the season at the 10:59 mark of the third frame.  The goal gave the Beavers a 6-1 lead, marking the sixth time this season that BSU, owner of the nation’s fifth-best goals-per-game average at 3.67, has netted at least six goals in a outing.

Despite the teams combining for 34 minutes worth of penalties, not a single power-play goal was scored in the game.  BSU finished 0-for-5 on the man advantage, while NU came up dry on its only opportunity of the contest.

Bakala was nothing less than sharp, denying 32 Niagara shots, while allowing just one goal in 59:56 between the pipes.  He finished the weekend 2-0-0 recording a .950 save percentage and 1.50 goals against average.

NU’s Hare was pegged with the loss allowing the Beavers’ first thee goals and posting just six saves in the first 20 minutes of play.  Avramenko added 27 saves in 40 minutes, surrendering three goals.

So ends another chapter in one of the most tradition-rich programs in all of sport.  BSU hockey bids farewell to the John S. Glas Fieldhouse after posting a 502-145-41 overall record and winning nearly 76 percent of this games there over the last 43 years.  Seldom will you find a venue that is more treasured by those who have called it home and more revered by those who have visited it.  Never was that more evident than by the ceremonies held there on this final night.  From the introduction of Elfrida Glas, widow of the building’s namesake, to the recognition of the program’s national prominence and to the ceremonial puck drop by legendary head coach R.H. “Bob” Peters in the pregame ceremony, to Vance’s last tour around the rink behind the wheel of the Zamboni, to the post game program honoring the first and last Beaver goals in the building and a passing of the torch through several generations of Beaver hockey, the hallowed hockey barn was flooded with memories.

In 2010-11, the BSU begins a new era in Beaver hockey, leaving the CHA and John S. Glas Fieldhouse for the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) and the state-of-the-art Bemidji Regional Event Center.  

The Beavers (21-7-2; 13-3-0 CHA) are back in action next weekend.  BSU hits the road for its final nonconference affair of the 2009-10 regular-season.  BSU travels to Omaha, Neb. for a two-game set with fellow Western Collegiate Hockey Association newcomer University of Nebraska-Omaha.  The series is set to get underway at 7:05 p.m. Friday and will wrap up with an 8:05 start Saturday.  Both games will be played at the Quest Center.

--bsu--