BEMIDJI, Minn. - Michigan Tech led by as many as two goals and trailed by as many as three before finally coming up just short 6-5 in WCHA hockey at Bemidji State tonight. The Huskies' had a scramble in front of the net in the game's final seconds and were inches from tying the game. In the end, the host Beavers improved to 2-3-0 overall and 1-2-0 in league play while the Huskies fell to 4-1-0, 2-1-0.

Bemidji scored the game's first goal just 2:51 into the action as Ben Kinne skated in and beat Josh Robinson with a short shot.

The Huskies responded in a big way, tallying three goals in the next 10 minutes. Junior defenseman Carl Nielsen sniped a shot through traffic at the 6:17 mark for his first goal of the season. Five minutes later, David Johnstone registered his first goal as a Husky off an assist from his brother, Jacob. Blake Pietila gave Tech a 3-1 lead after he picked up a loose puck in front of the next and buried a shot into the upper right corner past BSU netminder Dan Bakala.

The Beavers made a change in net, replacing Bakala (who had given up three goals on four shots) with freshman Andrew Walsh.

A flurry of penalties led to BSU regaining the lead. The Beavers scored twice while 4-on-4 late in the first period. At the 17:11 mark, Tech defenseman Jimmy Davis was penalized five minutes for contact to the head and also given a game misconduct. The hosts converted on the power play to go up 4-3 at the end of 20 minutes.

Bemidji State went on to tally two more goals for a 6-3 lead. Only one was officially a power-play tally, although two others including the eventual game winner came within seconds of a power play expiring.

Tech did not give up. The Huskies closed the gap to 6-4 on Alex MacLeod's rebound goal 8:43 to play. The Black and Gold continued to apply pressure late. Steven Seigo wristed one home from the right circle with 33 seconds left.

Robinson was pulled for the final 25 seconds, and the Huskies were able to get the puck to the front of the net. Ryan Furne's swipe with three seconds remaining hit the crossbar, allowing BSU to escape with the victory.

"We were right in the game," said head coach Mel Pearson. "It got away from us in the first period. Any time you give up six goals, you're not giving yourself a good chance for success.

"Bemidji State's a good team. They play with a lot of speed. We've got to do a better job of staying on the ice and not taking penalties. The pace of the game really caught up to us playing with five defensemen for the final two periods."

Despite giving up six goals, Robinson played a solid game in net. The senior made 28 saves on the night-several of those were big saves to keep the Huskies in the game.

Walsh tallied 17 saves in his relief effort for Bemidji. Two of those saves came on shorthanded breakaways-one by Brett Olson and another by Jacob Johnstone.

Olson finished with three assists in the game. Seigo and David Johnstone also had multi-point nights with a goal and an assist each.

Michigan Tech and Bemidji State will wrap up their two game series tomorrow night (Oct. 22) at 8:07 p.m. ET.