[stats] Bemidji State’s 2001-02 season came to an end this afternoon in the second round of the 2002 College Hockey America Championship as the Alabama-Huntsville Chargers picked up a 5-2 win over the Beavers at Dwyer Arena.

Steve Charlebois’ hat trick sparked the Chargers, who posted their fourth consecutive win and fifth win in six starts to advance to tomorrow night’s CHA Championship game. Charlebois scored two goals in the second period, including a power-play goal at the 15:08 mark to put the Chargers ahead 2-0, then needed just 1:50 to net his second goal, the eventual game-winner on an even-strength opportunity at 16:58. He added an empty-net goal at 18:47 of the third to complete the hat-trick and cap off the 5-2 win for the Chargers.

Jessi Otis got the Chargers on the board first, scoring the only goal of the first period on a power-play opportunity. BSU’ s Anders Olsson was called for hooking at 3:55 of the period, and Otis took a pass from Jared Ross and Craig Bushey to put the Chargers up, 1-0.

The score remained 1-0 for the next 20 minutes, until Charlebois scored the first of his three goals five minutes into the second. BSU’s Donnie DeMars answered Charlebois just 15 seconds later, scoring his first career goal at the 15:23 mark of the second to cut the Charger lead to a single goal, 2-1.

But Huntsville would score two unanswered goals, Charlebois’ second goal of the second period and a second tally from Otis at the 6:39 mark of the third - to stretch its lead to 4-1 and put the game away.

BSU pulled starting goaltender Grady Hunt for an extra attacker at the 16:28 mark of the third period, and needed just 36 seconds to capitalize. Bill Methven took a pass from his brother Bryce and Jeff McGill to score for the Beavers at 17:04 of the third and cut the deficit to two goals, 4-2. It was as close as BSU would get.

Hunt returned to the net for 1:03 after Bill Methven’s goal, but was again pulled for an extra attacker at the 18:07 mark of the third. Charlebois completed his hat trick against the open net 40 seconds later, and Hunt returned to play the game’s final 1:13.

Hunt allowed four goals in 58:44 of work and took the loss, seeing his winless streak against CHA opposition reach eight games. After starting 8-0-2 against the CHA this year, Hunt finished 0-6-2 in his final eight starts. Hunt saved 24 of 28 shots shots faced and allowed four of the five Charger goals. The loss dropped Hunt to 11-13-4 on the year.

Mark Byrne started in net for Huntsville and saved 34 shots in a complete-game victory. He allowed two goals to improve his season record to 13-10-0.

The loss for Bemidji State extended its winless streak to close out the 2001-02 season to eight games. The eight-game winless streak (0-6-2) is tied for the third-longest in school history, even with an eight-game streak (0-7-1) from Oct. 23, 1999 at St. Cloud State to Nov. 20, 1999 at Niagara. BSU’s last win came on Friday, Feb. 8 against Air Force - a 5-1 victory in Bemidji.

With tonight’s loss, Bemidji State ends its 2001-02 campaign with a 12-18-5 overall record and an 8-7-4 record against College Hockey America foes. The Chargers improve to 18-17-1 and advance to tomorrow’s CHA Championship Game, where they will face the winner of tonight’s Air Force/Wayne State matchup. Opening face-off for the CHA Championship Game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Eastern time at Dwyer Arena.

POST-GAME NOTES
SCORING
1 5:42 UAH PP Jessi Otis (Jared Ross, Craig Bushey) 0-1
2 15:08 UAH PP Steve Charlebois (Tyler Butler, Jason Hawes) 0-2
2 15:23 BSU EV Donny DeMars (1) (John Haider/3, Jesse Balsimo/5) 1-2
2 16:58 UAH EV GW-Steve Charlebois (Joel Bresciani, David Halliwell) 1-3
3 6:39 UAH EV Jessi Otis (Gerald Overton, Tyler Butler) 1-4
3 17:04 BSU EX Bill Methven (4) (Bryce Methven/12, Jeff McGill/20) 2-4
3 18:47 UAH EN HT-Steve Charlebois (Joel Bresciani, Kevin Ridgeway) 2-5
L - BSU Grady Hunt (58:44; 11-7-6=24 saves; 4 goals against) // 11-13-4; BSU empty net (1:16; 1 goal against)
W - UAH Mark Byrne (60:00; 13-7-14=34 saves; 2 goals against) // 13-10-0

• Tonight’s loss drops Bemidji State to 1-2-0 all-time in CHA Tournament play. BSU is 0-2-0 in its opening game of the Tournament; it’s lone win came March 12, 2000 with a 5-4 overtime win over Air Force in a consolation game.

• Bemidji State falls to 6-17-0 all-time against Huntsville with tonight’s loss. BSU is 0-2-0 against Huntsville in the CHA Tournament.

• BSU’s two goals tonight are its fewest in three CHA Tournament games. Its previous low was four goals against Huntsville in the first round of the 2000 Tournament.

• Grady Hunt is winless in his last eight starts, his longest winless stretch of the season and longest of his career since a 14-game streak (0-12-2) from Dec. 2, 2000 against Colorado College to Feb. 2, 2001 vs Alabama-Huntsville. Hunt is 10-7-5 in his last 22 starts against College Hockey America foes, including 8-6-4 in 18 starts against the league this year. However, Hunt is now 0-6-2 in his last eight starts against CHA opposition.

• Brothers Bill and Bryce Methven each scored a point in tonight’s game - Bryce assisted Bill on his third-period extra-attacker goal. It is the third time this season and sixth time in their career that both Methven brothers have scored a point in the same game.

• Jeff McGill’s assist on Bill Methven’s third-period goal gives him 30 p oints for the season, tied for third on the team.

• Steve Charlebois’s hat-trick for the Chargers is the fifth hat-trick surrendered by BSU this season, and the second in its last two games as Jared Ross turned the trick for Huntsville in BSU’s regular-season finale on March 9. All five of the hat tricks BSU has allowed this year have come on the road. Previous hat tricks allowed this year:
- Tom Nelson at UM-Duluth (12/7/2001)
- Junior Lessard at UM-Duluth (12/8/2001)
- Jon Cullen at St. Cloud State (12/15/2001)
- Jared Ross at Alabama-Huntsville (3/9/2002)