Cause: After scoring just two goals in its first three Western Collegiate Hockey Association road games, UAA racked four goals Saturday night.
Effect: The Seawolves gained their first WCHA road point of the season.
Buoyed by Scott Allen's first career hat trick on a see-saw evening in Minnesota, UAA rebounded from a two-goal deficit midway through the game and generated a 4-4 tie with Bemidji State.
The Seawolves bounced back strong after falling 4-1 to the Beavers on Friday.
"We stayed mentally strong tonight, which is a great characteristic of a winning team,'' UAA coach Matt Thomas said by text. "We couldn't be more proud of the guys or their effort.
"This was an important game in our quest to be a winning program.''
The only downside for the Seawolves (5-4-1, 2-3-1 WCHA) was that the two leads they earned -- 1-0 and 4-3 -- each lasted less than three minutes before the Beavers (4-6-2, 4-3-1 WCHA) forged the equalizer.
Still, the Seawolves won the battle of special teams by going 1 for 2 on the power play and killing all three Bemidji power plays. They generated 34 shots, their most in a WCHA game this season. And they started strong with 16 first-period shots, their most in a period this season.
UAA's two biggest guns unloaded the most damaging ammunition. Allen, a junior left wing, parlayed his team-high five shots into three goals, giving him seven already this season. Senior center Matt Bailey scored UAA's other goal, tying him with Allen for the team lead.
Senior winger Jordan Kwas delivered two assists.
"Our top two lines were phenomenal, and Scotty Allen led the way,'' Thomas said.
Referees twice conducted lengthy review of goals -- both decisions went against UAA, wiping out an apparent Kwas goal and confirming one of Phillip Marinaccio's two goals for Bemidji. Those delays -- it felt like you could have watched an episode of "Breaking Bad'' during the combined reviews -- coupled with overtime to drag the match out to 2 hours, 40 minutes.
Kwas' apparent goal off his own rebound in the final minute of the first period was waved off upon review because UAA freshman winger Hudson Friesen made heavy contact with Bemidji goaltender Andrew Walsh (30 saves).
Marinaccio's goal early in the second period, when he drove the net and the puck went in off his skate, was confirmed -- officials ruled he did not intentionally direct the puck past UAA goalie Michael Matyas (27 saves) with his right skate.
"We didn't get the favorable calls on the reviews, but unfortunately we have no control over that,'' Thomas said. "It's disappointing because we deserved a win.''
UAA trailed 3-1 before Allen scored his second goal of the game with about two minutes left in the second period and the Seawolves on the power play. He blew in off the right wing and backhanded a shot past Walsh as he was knocked to the ice.
Allen evened the game 3-3 early in the third period when he carried the puck into the Beavers' zone 2 on 1 with Blake Tatchell. Allen snapped a wrist shot past Walsh for a 4-3 lead.
Bailey followed just 41 seconds later when Walsh and defenseman Ruslan Pedan shared a cluster-puck moment behind the net. That allowed Bailey to swoop in, collect the puck and sweep it into the net before Walsh could get back to his crease.
UAA's lead lasted just 2:45 before Marinaccio scored his second goal of the night for a 4-4 deadlock that marked the third tie of the game at the Sanford Center. That also marked Bemidji's second quick response -- the Beavers answered 2:21 after Allen's first-period goal.
The Beavers cranked it up in the third period, outshooting the Seawolves 17-6. The Seawolves carried play in the five-minute overtime.
Seawolves notes
Allen's hat trick marked the fourth multiple-goal game and ninth multiple-point game of his career.
Pretty sweet senior season for Bailey so far. After scoring seven goals in 36 games last season, he owns seven goals in just 10 games this season. He's easily on track for a career-high in goals -- he scored 10 as a freshman and 10 as a sophomore.
Allen leads UAA scorers with 7-4--11 totals in 10 games. Bailey (7-3--10) and Kwas (3-7--10) are tied for second on the club in points.
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UAA 1 1 2 0 -- 4
Bemidji 1 2 1 0 -- 4
First Period -- 1, UAA, Allen 5 (Pettitt), 12:40; 2, Bemidji, Hansen 1 (Jubinville), 15:01. Penalties -- Sevalrud, UAA (cross-checking), 16:51; Pedan, Bemidji (holding), 17:12.
Second Period -- 3, Bemidji, Marinaccio 2 (Brewer, Prapavessis), 2:39; 4, Bemidji, Cain 2 (Marinaccio, Hansen), 7:22; 5, UAA, Allen 6 (Kwas, Coldwell), 17:50 (pp). Penalties -- Sevalrud, UAA (kneeing), 3:12; Hartman, Bemidji (charging), 17:01; Sevalrud, UAA (roughing), 19:34.
Third Period -- 6, UAA, Allen 7 (Kwas), 3:52; 7, UAA, Bailey 7, 4:33; 8, Bemidji, Marinaccio 3 (Cain), 7:18. Penalties -- None.
Overtime -- None. Penalties -- None.
Shots on goal -- UAA 16-10-6-2--34. Bemidji 7-6-17-1--31.
Power-play Opportunities -- UAA 1 of 2. Bemidji 0 of 3.
Goalies -- UAA, Matyas, 2-1-1 (31 shots-27 saves). Bemidji, Walsh, 4-6-2 (34 shots-30 saves).
A -- 3,132 (4,373). T -- 2:40.
Referees -- Brad Albers, Justin Brown. Assistant referees -- Andy Dokken, Matt Ulwelling.
By DOYLE WOODY