While the end result at AMSOIL Arena Saturday night for the No. 18 University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team wasn't what the Bulldogs wanted, the glimpse of what's ahead for the young UMD squad was undeniable.

 

Bemidji State University defeated UMD 4-3 in overtime in a non conference offensive slugfest that opened the 2024-25 season for both teams. The Bulldogs had three players record two or more points – all freshmen on the same line, in fact – in their collegiate debut, led by Warroad, Minn. native Jayson Shaugabay's two goals and an assist for a three point effort on the night. Hermantown product Zam Plante turned in a one goal, one assist performance, while his brother Max Plante added two assists.

 

The Beavers struck just 1:41 into the first period, but it was Shaugabay that buried the equalizer in the closing seconds of the frame. After Zam Plante dug the puck out of the corner and found Max Plante in the slot, the younger Plante slid the puck over to Shaugabay all alone on the back door to send the game knotted up at 1-1 at the first intermission.

 

"It felt good," said Shaugabay about his first goal as a Bulldog. "To tie it up at the end, especially since our line got scored on first, get that back and get a little momentum going in the second, it  felt good."

 

BSU grabbed the lead back 3:21 into the second frame, but again Shaugabay pulled UMD even with a power play goal at 7:50 that awarded another first point to a Bulldog freshman – this time Ty Hanson had the first assist and Max Plante was on the other helper, his second of the skate. 

 

"On that goal, we were working really hard, supporting each other and Max got it up to Ty and Ty got it up to me and I had the whole net," said Shaugabay. "It was just a lot of hard work and a little bit of skill added to it."

 

A late goal in the second period by the Beavers gave them a 3-2 advantage after 40 minutes, but UMD rallied late in the third, and the result was Zam Plante's first-ever goal in a Bulldog sweater. After senior center Dominic James skated into the BSU zone and unloaded a shot on Beaver goaltender Raythan Robbins, Plante shoveled the puck through traffic to draw UMD even at 3-3 with just 2:42 left in regulation.

 

The Bulldogs, who outshot BSU in every period, including 14-4 in the third, did so again in overtime (5-1), but it was Beaver Jackson Jutting that netted the game-winner 3:47 into extra time that subsequently handed UMD both its first loss of the season and broke its seven-game unbeaten streak against BSU.

 

Junior netminder Zach Sandy had 19 saves for UMD, who outshot BSU 40-23 in the outing. Two goaltenders played for the Beavers – Mattias Sholl started and made 26 saves but allowed two goals in 49:14 of work, while Robbins manned the pipes for 14:33 and made 11 saves.

 

Overall, five players recorded points in the outing for the Bulldogs, who went 1-of-4 on the power play and held BSU scoreless in its lone extra skater attempt.

 

UMD will hit the ice again Sunday when it hosts the University of Manitoba in an exhibition game.  The puck is scheduled to drop at 2:00 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES: At first glance, Jayson Shaugabay's two goals is the first double tally effort by a UMD freshman in their Bulldog regular season debut since at least the 1998-99 season … in all, four UMD rookies got on the scoresheet, with three picking up two or more points (Shaugabay 2g, 1a, Zam Planted 1g, 1a and Max Plante 2a).