After missing the first eight games of the regular season with a separated shoulder, Bemidji State senior forward Matt Francis spent three games getting his game legs back and he’s been a fixture on one of the Beavers’ top two lines since.

Currently teamed with senior Tyler Scofield and sophomore Matt Read on BSU’s top line, the trio accounted for six of the team’s nine goals scored in the NCAA Midwest Regional; in the Beavers’ last six games, the trio has accounted for 37 points.

Francis transferred to Bemidji State after playing two seasons at St. Cloud State. This season, he’s reached career highs in both goals (12) and assists (12), and is tied with Scofield for the team lead in game-winning goals (three).

Warren Kozireski: Your line has had a lot to do with Bemidji State winning their first NCAA playoff games and being the first College Hockey America team in the Frozen Four.

Matt Francis: It’s definitely a special feeling. We just try to keep it simple. We know each other real well and complement each other. I just try to find openings on the ice and provide a little grit.

INCH: What was the feeling in the locker room after you upset Notre Dame?

MF: We played North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth during the regular season, so we had already seen that kind of team and felt we had a shot. There’s been some crazy stuff happening in this tourney, so it added to our confidence.

INCH: There are some hockey fans who think of the CHA as a weak-sister conference. Does BSU’s success this season help change that mindset?

MF: Hopefully it helps the program and the conference. We’re a small-town school and hopefully this helps us with [getting membership in] the WCHA. We kind of felt we had nothing to lose, so we were loose and stayed that way.

INCH: Defenseman Graham McManamin missed the conference playoffs due to the passing of his mother and the team had his jersey hanging up on the bench. He returned for the regional tournament, but is the team rallying around his loss?

MF: It’s kind of cool for him to be able to come back and experience this. We’re obviously happy for him to be back and that we could win the CHA for him so his season didn’t end that way.

INCH: Have you ever been to D.C. before?

MF: No, it’s my first time and I’m excited. We’re getting there on Tuesday, but I don’t think there will be much time for sightseeing. It’s impossible to play at this level without some jitters, but after the first couple of shifts we just need to not put any added pressure on — just go about our business and play our game.