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BEMIDJI — Oliver Peer’s tying goal sent a horde of teddy bears over the glass and onto the ice.
His team-leading 15th tally tied the game for the Bemidji State men’s hockey team midway through the first period. The stuffed toys were part of the Beavers’ annual Teddy Bear Toss and are donated to the Family Advocacy Center of Northern Minnesota.
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That was the last true celebratory moment for the BSU faithful on Friday night.
Ferris State, which entered the weekend series without a win in CCHA play in 2026 and had lost its last 12 games, beat Bemidji State 6-3 at the Sanford Center.
Cater Rapalje and Gavin Best scored twice, Max Itagaki and Connor McGrath each had one goal for the Bulldogs.
FSU was one of three teams in the country that hadn’t had a conference win in the new year.
“It was not a good game for the Beavers,” BSU coach Tom Serratore said. “We took a step back tonight. We had a great game on Saturday, but we took a step back. (Ferris State) played with a lot of desperation, and we didn’t play with the desperation Ferris State did.”
Best put home a rebound early in the first period after a neutral-zone turnover spurred Ferris State on a rush into the Beavers’ zone.
Itagaki sliced through a host of Bemidji State defenders before finishing near the net front to make it 2-1 in the first.
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Rapalje finished off an odd-man rush 29 seconds into the third period before scoring his second goal on another rush six minutes later.
McGrath’s breakaway goal came between Rapalje’s two scores, which was just his second of the season and increased the Bulldogs’ lead to 5-1.
And after all that, on a night when the hits kept coming, Bemidji State was delivered one more. Senior forward Hobey Baker Award nominee and Adam Flammang suffered a lower-body injury in the third period near the BSU bench. He crawled off the ice and limped down the tunnel. Serratore did not have an update on Flammang’s status.
The Beavers trailed 2-1 after two periods. Then Ferris State scored its first three goals in the third in 6:52, pinning Bemidji State in a four-goal hole.
Freshman goaltender Max Hildebrand was pulled for the second time in four games after surrendering five goals on 16 shots. He was replaced by Trent Wiemken, who finished with four saves.
“We were pressing a little bit,” Serratore said. “Sometimes, again, when you get down, that’s what happens. Guys want to take the game in their own hands, but I have to look at some tape, too. I didn’t see everything, but the bottom line is I don’t want to see odd-numbered rushes when we’re down right there. I want us to press a little — I want us to pinch on the puck — but you also have to be smart with our pinches.”
BSU found a pulse when Kasper Magnussen scored a power-play goal midway through the third period. Tory Lund made it a two-goal game on a 2-on-1 rush with 6:09 left in regulation.
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“We got the opportunity to pull our goalie,” Serratore said. “Hopefully, you get the fourth one. But again, it was a tough hill to climb.
“The bottom line is we have to be better 5-on-5. We have to be a little heavier, a little grittier and a little more sandpaper.”
Despite losing for the seventh time in their last eight games, BSU (10-16-3, 8-10-3 CCHA) generated numerous high-danger looks offensively. However, the pass-happy Beavers opted not to take shots when they had open looks time and time again.
“Shoot when you can shoot. . . and we were saying the same thing on the bench,” Serratore said. “I wish we had a little more shoot-itis instead of pass-itis. A team like that, they defend hard, they have long defensemen, they contested a lot of shots. When you have the ability to get a shot through, you have to do it.”
Ferris State (5-28-0, 4-17-0 CCHA) sophomore goalie Martin Lunberg picked up his third win in goal this season, making 19 saves.
“We all know if it’s a layup,” Serratore continued. “If it’s a back-door play, you have to make a play. But if it’s a 50-50 play and you’re still in a grad-A scoring area, you have to shoot the puck. You have to have a little faith in yourself that when you’re in a scoring area and have a scoring chance, you have to take it.”
Ferris State 6, Bemidji State 3
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FSU 2 0 3 — 6
BSU 1 0 1 — 3
First period — FSU GOAL: Best (Schleppe) 6:29; BSU GOAL: Peer (Magnussen, Flammang) PPG, 8:09; FSU GOAL: Itagaki (Best Heroux) 16:04.
Second period — No scoring.
Third period — FSU GOAL: Rapalje (unassisted) 0:29; FSU GOAL: McGrath (unassisted) 2:30; FSU GOAL: Rapalje (unassisted) 6:52; BSU GOAL: Magnussen (Peer, McClennon) PPG, 9:26; FSU GOAL: Best (unassisted) ENG.
Saves — Hildebrand (BSU) 11; Wiemken (BSU) 4; Lundberg (FSU) 19.
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