Bemidji State's Turnaround in the CCHA Speeding Up

Minnesota State dominated the Central Collegiate Hockey Association last year, with 26 more points in the conference than anyone else, ultimately leading to a 4-2 Mason Cup victory on home ice in Mankato to claim the CCHA. 

But this year, the recently dominant Mavericks have been met with stronger tests from Augustana, Michigan Tech, Bowling Green, and even the Beavers of Bemidji State, jumping up from 7th in conference standings last year.

In the 25th season of the Tom Serratore era, a school of under 5,000 in small-town Minnesota, the Beavers have sprung their way up into 2nd with still conference games in hand on Minnesota State, the dominant team above.

It isn’t improbable to jump five spots in a conference’s standings from one year to the next. The more unlikely from this Beavers squadron is the departures they faced and the adversity they have overcome up to this holiday break. 

With three departures for the ECHL from last year Beavers, shoes were left to be filled in not only starting roles but leadership roles as well. 

Starting netminder for the last four years, Mattias Sholl has seen quality time with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, while skaters like Eric Martin and past captain Jackson Jutting have seen time over in the Western Conference with the Indy Fuel and Kansas City Mavericks, respectively.

Bemidji State currently holds an overall record of 9-8-3 and a conference record of 7-2-3, both incredibly impressive when you consider their 2-4 start, where they swept Alaska Anchorage on the road, but then proceeded to be on the rude end of sweeps from St. Cloud State and Minnesota Duluth, being outscored 19-8 over those two weekends. 

A three-headed dragon on the offensive front has been a key piece to the puzzle. Two returners in senior Adam Flammang and junior Kasper Magnussen alongside new addition Oliver Peer, are the ones leading the way for the Beavers.

Flammang has made a massive jump from the past season. In his junior year, he had 18 points in 38 games. Not bad at all, but demolished by the explosive numbers this year, with 24 points in just 18 games, making a name to be another Beaver headed to the professional level.

The Norwegian Kasper Magnussen, another Beaver who has passed last year’s point total in nearly half the games, has been a gem even while juggling international duty for the Norwegian World Juniors team.

And junior Oliver Peer, in his first year attending an American university, has 5 goals in the last 5 games amidst a recent struggle for wins for Bemidji State. The scoring leader with 12 goals on the year hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down.

The only worry for Bemidji State is down the road. Facing only one top 20-ranked opponent twice, #6 North Dakota, and losing twice, nonetheless, outshooting the Fighting Hawks in the most recent matchup. They can clearly hang, the offense just needs to find ways to bury against big-time teams. 

On the bright side, the Beavers are winning the games they are expected to, and they’ll look to make a statement when they return to the ice on January 2nd, hosting a close friend in the Golden Gophers of Minnesota.