SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Augustana hockey team (8-5-2, 5-4-2 CCHA) tied Bemidji State (9-8-3, 7-2-3 CCHA), 4-4, on Sunday afternoon inside Midco Arena before the Beavers earned the extra conference point with a shootout win. Augustana got goals from Joey DelGreco, Jacob Jastrzebski, Samo Meritähti and Landon Fandel, while Josh Kotai anchored the Vikings with 35 saves in regulation and overtime.

Augustana set the tone early and capitalized on its first-period push. At 11:40, DelGreco opened the scoring at even strength, finishing a play started by Brett Meerman and Owen Baumgartner to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead. Bemidji State carried play in stretches of the period, but Kotai turned aside chances to keep Augustana in front through 20 minutes.

The Beavers found their equalizer midway through the second. Jake McLean converted at 12:46 to tie the game 1-1, but Augustana answered with a flurry late in the frame. Jastrzebski snapped home his fourth of the season at 17:19 off feeds from Max Chakrabarti, restoring the Viking lead. Forty-one seconds later, Meritähti added to it, burying his first goal of the year at 18:00 with DelGreco and Nace Langus earning assists as Augustana surged ahead 3-1. Bemidji State trimmed the deficit before the intermission when Maxon Vig scored at 18:57, pulling the Beavers within 3-2.

Penalty trouble proved costly for Augustana early in the final stanza. After a sequence that included a brief 5-on-3 advantage, Bemidji State cashed in on the power play at 3:20 as Kasper Magnussen powered in a shot to knot the score 3-3. The Vikings regrouped and reclaimed the lead at 8:59 when Fandel finished from the slot for his first goal of the season, with Cole Burtch and Jastrzebski assisting to make it 4-3. Bemidji State forced overtime with its goalie pulled late. With the net empty, Oliver Peer scored at 17:57 to tie the game 4-4. Neither side found a winner in the 3-on-3 extra session, sending the contest to a shootout. Peer and Connor McClennon scored for the Beavers in the tiebreaker, while Hildebrand stopped all three Augustana attempts.

Game Moments

• Bemidji State outshot Augustana, 39-22.
• Kotai finished with 35 saves through overtime.
• DelGreco and Jastrzebski each posted multi-point nights.
• Fandel and Meritähti netted their first career goals. 

Goals

• DelGreco scored at 11:40 of the first from Meerman and Baumgartner to put Augustana ahead 1-0.
• McLean tied it at 12:46 of the second for Bemidji State.
• Jastrzebski made it 2-1 Vikings at 17:19 of the second.
• Meritähti pushed the lead to 3-1 at 18:00 of the second.
• Vig cut it to 3-2 late in the second
• Magnussen tied the game 3-3 on the power play at 3:20 of the third.
• Fandel gave Augustana a 4-3 lead at 8:59 of the third.
• Peer forced overtime with an empty-net goal at 17:57 of the third.

Up Next
Augustana continues CCHA play next weekend, returning to Midco Arena for a two-game series against Minnesota State. Puck drop is set for Friday at 7:07 p.m. and Saturday at 6:07 p.m.