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BEL Major: Sunday Live Blog

By YHH Staff, 08/02/20, 10:30AM CDT

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The weekend closes with three games in Mendota Heights, capping the league's first slate of games since 2019.


Caden Michael scores for Wisconsin during Sunday morning's 3-2 shootout win over North Dakota.

FINAL: Wisconsin 3, North Dakota 2

Wisconsin coach Brian Rafalski starred on the collegiate, professional, and international stages throughout a storied hockey career, capturing a bronze medal and two silvers for the United States in Olympic play. However, he's still the one his players rely on to carry their sticks back to the locker room after a game. 

The dozen or so extra sticks the Wisconsin players have on the bench must have felt a little lighter on Sunday morning, as Rafalski's boys from the Badger State edged North Dakota 3-2 in a shootout their second win of the opening weekend of the Bantam Elite League Major season. 

Goaltdner Aiden Gariepy picked up Player of the Game honors after stopping 16 shots on regulation and two more in the shootout portion of the contest, while Caden Michael and Jordan Geike notched goals in the one-on-one session. Nick Madsen and Connor Sessa scored once each for Wisconsin in the first half, taking a 2-1 lead into the second with a Colton Getzlaff goal sandwiched between them for the North Dakota. 

North Dakota's Mason Ray tied the game with 6:11 to play in the second half, and with Wisconsin unable to capitalize on a power-play chance, the game went into its shootout where Wisconsin emerged in victory. 


Jordan Geike scored the second goal of the shootout for Wisconsin on Sunday.


North Dakota's Mason Ray (middle) scored in the second half to tie Sunday's game at 2-2.

Final: North Stars 7, Penguins 3

After losing a heartbreaker on Saturday night to the Bolts 5-4, the North Stars rebounded with a 7-3 thumping of the Penguins, moving their record to 2-2 after Sunday's contest. 

The North Stars jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first half, with four players tallying goals in Thomas Herman, Brayden Berg, Evan Gunderson, and Thomas Gunderson. In goal, Dane Callaway stopped 15 of 16 shots in the first frame, with the lone goal for the Penguins coming from Danny Nelson.

Nelson's first goal was assisted by Luke Giuliani and Matt Pavek, who earned helpers on Nelson's second of the game, notched early in the second half. Unfortunately for the Penguins, Nelson's second score was followed by North Stars' goals from Noah Urness and Evan Gunderson, stretching the North Stars' lead to 6-2.

Cayden Monson popped in the third goal for the Penguins but had his goal answered by North Stars' Brock Schultz for a 7-3 final. 


Joel Hanson, Penguins.


Evan Gunderson scored two goals and added an assist for the North Stars in Sunday's win over the Penguins.

Final: Sharks 6, Bruins 5 (SO)

No lead is safe in the Bantam Elite League.

Even five-goal leads with 25 minutes to add to that advantage. 
Ben Norris continued his strong weekend with a hat trick in the first half, netting three of the Bruins' five first-half tallies with Hagen Burrows and Drew Stewart scoring the other two goals.

Down 5-0 entering the second half, in what would have been a running-time second stanza, the Sharks found their scoring touch, rattling off five scores to force a shootout. 

Michael Risteau scored twice in the first 15 minutes of the half, assisted on the third goal scored by Connor Crowley, and assisted again on the game-tying goal with 19 seconds remaining in regulation, when Will Emerson backhanded in a loose puck. Brayden Coppin pulled the Bruins within one with a goal at the 17:53 mark of the second half. 

Bruins forward Brittan Altead scored the game-winner in the shootout, and goaltender Jack Mlodozyniec shut down all three Sharks shooters to cement the win. 


Ben Norris netted a hat trick for the Bruins in Sunday's 6-5 (SO) win over the Sharks.


Sharks forward Michael Risteau recorded two goals and two assists in the loss.

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