Mavericks 5, Beavers 2 -- final

Redshirt freshman Mike Louwerse scored two goals as No. 18 Minnesota State, Mankato, defeated Bemidji State 5-2 in the season-opening game for both teams.

Louwerse sat out all but four games last season with a sports hernia and was given an extra year of eligibility for medical reasons. He scored the game's opening goal during a 5-on-3 power play at 4:16 of the first period and added an even-strength goal in the second period.

Geoff Irwin, Justin Jokinen and Trevor Bruess also scored goals for the Mavericks (1-0-0). Jokinen, a true freshman, netted the game-winning goal at 11:41 of the second period. Kurt Davis and Ben Youds each had two assists for Mankato. Goalie Mike Zacharias made 16 saves in the win.

Bemidji State got power-play goals from Travis Winter and Brad Hunt. The game was filled with penalties (26 minors in all), as the NCAA has gone to a two-referee system and is emphasizing rules to limit obstruction. Goalie Matt Dalton finished with 24 saves.

The win was the first season-opening win for Mavericks coach Troy Jutting, who is beginning his ninth season.

***

The penalties didn't stop in the second period, with nine more calls. And the teams made each other pay for their mistakes. Scoring went like this:

3:44, BSU-Winter (Marino, Bostock) 5x4 ppg ... rebound goal, Winter was open at the right post

7:01, MSU-Irwin (Wiley, Youds) 4x4 ... a pretty play in which Irwin turned as he crashed the net and backhanded Wiley's rebound in

9:38, BSU-Hunt (Marino) 4x3 ppg ... off a faceoff

11:41, MSU-Jokinen (Mueller) 5x5 ... yes, this was an even-strength goal!

18:53, MSU-Louwerse (unasssted) 5x5 ... second goal of the game; this guy looks good

***

Redshirt freshman Mike Louwerse got things started with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 4:16, getting assists from Mick Berge and Kurt Davis. The score easily could have been 3-0 or 4-0, but Beavers goalie Matt Dalton made several outstanding saves.

Anyone predicting that the two-referee system and some rule changes would increase penalties was right on the money. The first period featured nine penalties, including four on the Mavericks.

Shots were 12-6 in favor of MSU.