BEMIDJI, Minn. - Between Bemidji State's inaugural game in the WCHA and the opening of the beautiful Bemidji Regional Event Center, a school-record 4,373 Beaver fans were ready for a party.

However, the second-ranked Fighting Sioux spoiled the fun with their own Fratt party.

North Dakota senior Matt Frattin scored three goals, one in each period, to carry the Sioux (2-0-1) to a 5-2 win in the conference opener for both teams.

Frattin scored power-play goals in the first and second periods, then iced the game with an empty-netter with 1:47 remaining to douse the BSU festivities. Frattin, an Edmonton, Alberta, native, now has 14 goals in his last 16 games dating back to last February.

Early on, however, it appeared opening night at the BREC would go the Beavers' way. After a pre-game ceremony that included a torch passing between BSU captains and an honoring of legendary BSU (and UND) head coach Bob Peters, Jamie MacQueen ignited the hometown crowd less than two minutes into the game. The junior forward took advantage of a 3-on-1 rush and beat UND goalie Brad Eidsness (Jr., Chestermere, Alberta) from the slot on the game's first shot just 1:52 in.

From that point on, it was all Sioux.

In a first period dominated territorially by UND, Frattin got the visitors on the board with a power-play tally with just 39 seconds left in the period when his blue line shot found its way through traffic.

The Sioux took the lead early in the second period on the first of two Jason Gregoire (Jr., Winnipeg, Manitoba) goals. Center Corban Knight (So., High River, Alberta) won a faceoff to the left of BSU goalie Dan Bakala, and Gregoire quickly unloaded a wrist shot to put the Sioux up 2-1 at 5:06.

Frattin struck again on the power-play midway through the second period, and Gregoire added his second of the night on a rebound effort at 14:37, sending the Sioux into the locker room up 4-1.

BSU's Jordan George cut the Sioux lead in half at 9:40 of the third period, taking an Ian Lowe feed inside the Sioux zone and beating Eidsness with an impressive backhander from the hash marks.

That was as close as the Beavers would draw, however. Much like they did following the early MacQueen goal, the Sioux quickly regained their composure and halted the BSU momentum. Frattin put the game away with his empty netter, earning his second career hat trick.

UND out-shot the Beavers 38-14, including a 29-10 edge through the first two periods.

Eidsnsess, steady when called upon, stopped 12 of 14 shots for his first win of the season.

Bakala stopped 33 shots in a losing cause.

The two teams will square off again Saturday night to wrap up the series. The puck drops at 7:37 p.m. Central.

Notes: Frattin's hat trick was the first by a Sioux since Chris VandeVelde on Feb. 21, 2009 at Alaska Anchorage ... Freshman defenseman Derek Forbort had two assists and now has five in his last two games ... UND's power-play is clicking at 30.3 percent (20-for-66) in 11 games against BSU since 2004-05 under the direction of associate head coach Cary Eades.