Bemidji girls hockey blanks Warroad 2-0, completes season sweep

Bemidji High School’s girls hockey team parked another win in the standings when the Lumberjacks shut out Warroad 2-0 at the Bemidji Community Arena on Jan. 8, completing a season sweep of the Warriors. The victory offered a clear example of depth and defensive structure when the lineup was altered for international absences.

Megan Berg opened the scoring with a first-period breakaway, giving Bemidji an early lead that the Lumberjacks were able to protect. Millie Knott added insurance in the second period with a coast-to-coast effort that extended the advantage and deflated Warroad’s comeback hopes. Goaltender Lily Lauer finished the night with a shutout, stopping every shot that reached her and anchoring a stout Bemidji defensive effort.

The contest came with a notable roster adjustment: Bailey Rupp was absent for international duty, forcing the Lumberjacks to reassign roles and test secondary scoring options. The team’s ability to adapt without Rupp underlines roster depth and gives coaches more confidence in bench contributions as the season progresses.

The Bemidji-Warroad matchup is one of the northland’s traditional rivalries, and this game carried extra weight for local fans who track bragging rights as closely as records. For Bemidji, the sweep of Warroad not only adds two wins to the ledger but also builds momentum and home-ice narrative at the Bemidji Community Arena, where consistent defensive performances and timely scoring have become a throughline for the Lumberjacks this year.

For Warroad, the shutout loss highlights goaltending and finishing issues that the Warriors will need to address if they are to reverse course in rematches. For Bemidji, Lauer’s reliability in net and the contributions from players like Berg and Knott offer tangible positives for coaches evaluating lines and special teams going forward.

Local implications run beyond the scoreboard. High school hockey nights are community events in Beltrami County, and results in rivalry games shape turnout and youth interest. The Lumberjacks’ win underlines a program capable of handling absences and still producing key moments—breakaways, coast-to-coast rushes, and a netminder who can close the door.

The takeaway? Come support the Lumberjacks at the next home tilt and keep an eye on goaltending and secondary scoring as true indicators of this team’s postseason prospects. Our two cents? Bring the noise for the kids who stepped up when lined up differently — depth wins championships.