Northern Michigan University senior Brock Maschmeyer skates the puck from behind his net in front of Wildcats’ goalie Atte Tolvanen against Bemidji State on Sunday during Game 3 of their best-of-3 WCHA first-round playoff series at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn. (Bemidji Pioneer photo by Maggi Stivers)

Final numbers:

• Overall record: 13-22-4

• WCHA record: 10-15-3, 8th place (out of 10 teams)

• Goals for-against: 93-108 overall, 69-75 WCHA

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BEMIDJI, Minnesota — The Northern Michigan University hockey team put forth a valiant effort Sunday night, but it couldn’t find a way to extend its season.

The Wildcats fell to Bemidji State 3-1 in the third and deciding game of their WCHA first-round series. Senior defenseman Brock Maschmeyer scored NMU’s only goal, while goalie Atte Tolvanen finished with 25 saves.

NMU was the only one of four road teams — the Nos. 5 through 8 seeds — to win a game in their series over the weekend.

The Beavers (22-14-3) got on the board first Sunday at the 5:18 mark of the opening period when Myles Fitzgerald scored after the puck went off the skate of NMU’s Connor Frantti. Bemidji struck again just 34 seconds later on a goal by Brendan Harms. Harms was later given a five-minute major penalty for checking from behind, but the Wildcats couldn’t score on the long power play.

Bemidji almost went up by three goals midway through the second period as Charlie O’Connor’s shot hit a post and appeared to have gone in, but the officials disallowed the goal.

Northern (13-22-4) pulled within one of the Beavers late in the second frame when Maschmeyer connected on a power play.

They also had some good chances to tie it up in the third, but Shane Sooth’s tip of a Gerard Hanson shot went wide of the net with four minutes left and Dominik Shine was robbed three times by Beavers goalie Michael Bitzer, one with Tolvanen on the bench for an extra skater in the game’s waning seconds.

Bemidji clinched the victory on an empty-net goal by Philip Marinaccio with 18 seconds left.

The Beavers host Bowling Green State next weekend in the WCHA semifinals. In addition, Michigan Tech will play Minnesota State in Houghton.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Writer Ryan Stieg. His email address is rstieg@miningjournal.net.