The Bemidji State Beavers made history Sunday, becoming the first team from outside NCAA Division I's 'Big Four' conferences to clinch a spot in the Frozen Four. And they pulled it off with a foursome of British Columbia Hockey League grads leading the way.
Former Vernon Vipers, Prince George Spruce Kings and Alberni Valley Bulldogs forward Tyler Scofield was named Tournament MVP after he scored two goals — including the game winner — and added an assist to lead the Beavers to a 4-1 upset win over Cornell in the Midwest Regional final.
Scofield was joined by Burnaby Express grad Brad Hunt, who scored 32 points in 36 games as a freshman, Matt Francis (Surrey Eagles) and Cody Bostock (Vernon Vipers) amongst Bemidji State's top six regular season scorers and foremost playoff performers.
The Beavers began their improbable weekend with a 5-1 win over Notre Dame, who came into the game as the #1 seed in their bracket and the second-ranked team in the nation. Bemidji, meanwhile, was the 16th ranked team in a tournament field of 16.
They will now face CCHA powerhouse Miami-Ohio for a spot in the National Championship game. Their semi-final match-up faces off at 2 PM Pacific on Thursday, April 9th.
