Minnesota Duluth turned an early two-goal deficit into a rout Friday night, exploding for seven unanswered goals to roll past Bemidji State 7-3 in a nonconference men’s college hockey game in Bemidji.
The Beavers jumped out fast when Noah Quinn and Vincent Labelle scored less than five minutes apart, staking Bemidji State to a 2-0 lead just 4:50 into the opening frame.
But the Bulldogs answered in waves. Jayson Shaugabay scored at 5:59, Max Plante tied it at 12:00, and defenseman Joey Pierce gave Duluth its first lead late in the first.
The onslaught continued in the second. Plante struck again short-handed at 7:58, Daniel Shlaine followed 37 seconds later, and Zam Plante scored on the power play at 10:08 to make it 6-2. Bemidji State’s Hudson Thornton got one back on a late power play, but the damage was done.
Zam Plante added another power-play goal early in the third to finish the scoring, assisted by Shaugabay, who recorded four helpers on the night.
UMD goalie Adam Gajan stopped 17 shots. Bemidji State used two goaltenders — starter Max Hildebrand made nine saves, and Trent Wiemken added nine in relief.
The Bulldogs went 2-for-4 on the power play; Bemidji State was 1-for-5.
The teams will wrap up their home-and-home series at 6 p.m. Saturday at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.