The first period between Cyclone Hockey and Minot State saw lots of action, with great chances early for both teams. Minot State was able to find the back of the net with 9:19 left in the period. Davis Sheldon of Minot State got one past Nikita Kozak with under a minute left in the period on the power play.

Kozak, as well as Minot State’s goalie, Joshua Bykowski, made a couple of great saves early to keep their teams in the game, but a wide-open shot coming off a wraparound opportunity and a dart into traffic were the difference.

The Cyclones went 1-2 on the penalty kill, with a boarding call on Dylan Goggin costing Iowa State another goal in the first.

In the second period, Cyclone Hockey showed a little pushback early, with CJ Banser tipping in a goal from a Max Olson shot with just three and a half minutes gone in the period.

Minot State enacted its revenge off a deflection of their own, this time with Connor Navrat being the benefactor. With a goal apiece, the deficit remained at two going into the third.

Freshman defenseman Cameron Barto got called for holding with just seconds left in the middle frame, and the Cyclones killed the majority of it to start the third.

It was a quiet final 20 minutes, which meant a defeat for Iowa State. An interference penalty called on the Beavers was almost immediately reciprocated by Ray Zimmermann getting called for one of his own halfway through the period.

Bykowski was dominant for Minot State, with a handful of nice saves that never really allowed the Cyclones to get back in the game. Kozak was solid once again, but the Beavers strong offensive attack proved to be too much.

The two teams meet again on Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.