BEMIDJI — Five minutes in into the first period, Morgan Smith believed she gave the Bemidji State women’s hockey team a 1-0 lead.

Then St. Thomas challenged.

Smith caught a pass from Kate Johnson just inside the blue line, then beat goaltender Julia Minotti for the game’s first goal. However, after a lengthy review, the officials determined Johnson was offside carrying the puck into the zone.

“The way the rule reads, if you don’t have possession coming over the blue line, it’s (offsides), and the St. Thomas defender had her stick there and (Johnson) lost possession for a split second there,” Fryklund said. “That was the explanation.”

The NCAA Ice Hockey 2025-26 rulebook, rule 86.1, states: “A player controlling the puck who crosses the line ahead of the puck shall not be considered off

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