Box Score

The 11th nationally ranked UW-River Falls men's hockey team overwhelmed the visiting UW-Stout Blue Devils Friday evening with a 9-3 conference win, thanks to Alec Hagaman and Blake Huppert's career evening.
 
Hagaman entered tonight's game with a disappointing eight points in his senior season. He averaged 18 points per year entering his senior campaign, but is peaking at the perfect time as made evident by his three goal and two assist evening. Tonight was Hagaman's first five point game, and first hat-trick in a Falcon uniform.
 
Hagaman and Huppert were not the only Falcons to score at least two points, as Willie Hess (two assists), Ryan Doner (one goal, one assist), Zach Schrotenboer (one goal, two assists), Mitch Kontny (one goal, one assist) and Christian George (four assists) also had big nights.
 
Huppert's five points were also a career high, Schrotenboer's three points ties a career high, and George's four points were a career high, as well. The Huppert-Hagaman-George line tallied an astonishing 14 combined points.
 
The Falcons entered the game in second place in the top-heavy WIAC, behind only UW-Eau Claire. However, after tonight's win over UW-Stout, the Falcons have taken over first place, due to UW-Stevens Point's 6-1 thrashing of UW-Eau Claire. The final three conferences games of the season are gigantic for the first place Falcons.

Schrotenboer blasted a one-timer past Blue Devils freshman goaltender Chase Hollander (1-2) on an early first period power play at 8:27. Huppert found Schrotenboer at the top of the circle, and the one-timer soared by Hollander's blocker. The second assist was credited to Hagaman, giving him six assists on the season. Schrotenboer's power play goal was his sixth of the season. Huppert's helper was his eighth of the season.
 
Hagaman, recently promoted from the fourth line, wristed a shot over Hollander's glove to double the Falcon lead at 12:31 of the first period. The shorthanded goal came on the tail end of a quality Falcons penalty kill. Huppert dropped a pass to a streaking Hagaman, whose shot came from just below the top of the circle. Hagaman's goal was his fourth of the season, and Huppert's assist gave him a temporary tie for the team lead with nine.

Kontny rocketed a one-timer behind Hollander after a fantastic cycle by the Falcon forwards. Hess earned his sixth assist of the year on the even-strength goal. The goal was Kontny's eighth of the season, good for second on the team. The time of the goal was 14:07. Doner earned the secondary assist, giving him 10 on the year.
 
Hagaman scored yet again, 47 seconds later, to make it 4-0 on a beautiful setup from George. The goal was scored on a power play rush, led by George, and Hagaman slammed a quick snap-shot past the blocker of Hollander. The power play tally gave UW-River Falls three goals in 2:23. Hagaman's second goal of the game was his fifth of the season. George's assist gave him 10 on the season; Huppert also earned his third assist of the game, giving him 10 on the year as well.
 
First period shots on goal were 9-7, in favor of UW-River Falls, meaning the Falcons scored on four of their nine shots. Falcons senior goaltender Scott Lewan (9-4) was not busy by any means, but made two very strong saves on Riley Colvard and Kevin O'Donnell. Hollander was replaced by freshman goaltender Corey Koop after the fourth goal.
 
4:01 into the second period Blue Devils speedy junior forward Zach Vierling cut the Falcon lead to three on a wraparound power play goal. After a scrum behind the net (to the right of Lewan) junior forward Matt Millis fed Vierling and he wrapped around the back of the net and lifted a shot over Lewan's catching glove. The goal was Vierling's eighth of the season. The Blue Devils opened the period with a lot of energy and a 3-1 shot edge.
 
After a lackluster first 13 minutes of the second for UW-River Falls, Doner walked around a Blue Devils defenseman and wristed a shot by the glove of Koop. The goal came after another very strong cycle by Doner, Kontny and Hess. Doner's even-strength goal was his sixth of the season, Kontny and Hess upped their assist totals to five and seven respectively. The time of the goal was 13:40.
 
Hagaman completed his hat-trick on a 1-on-1 rush in transition at the 15:53 mark of the second period. He rushed down the right side of the ice, wound up and fired a wicked wrister over Koop's glove. Hear WRFW's Bryan Tester on the call. George and freshman defenseman Andrew Paras earned assists on the goal. Hagaman entered the game with three goals on the season, and exited with six. George took over the team lead with 11 assists, while Paras' helper was his first career point.
 
Second period shots on goal were 11-7, in favor of UW-River Falls. Lewan, while beaten once, had a strong period; he refused to let the Blue Devils back into the contest. Hagaman led the Falcons with four shots on goal through two periods, scoring on three of them.
 
The Blue Devils opened the third period by scoring on their first shot just 32 seconds into the frame. Junior forward Jordan Tredinnick found a loose puck in front of Lewan and slipped it underneath his pads. Tredinnick's seventh goal of the season was assisted by freshman defenseman Nolan Kirley.
 
UW-Stout made it 6-3 on an early third period power play goal by Millis. The goal was scored on a 4-on-1 rush following a turnover at the Blue Devil blue line. O'Donnell patiently waited to find an open teammate on the odd-man rush, and wisely chose Millis. The goal was Millis' fifth of the season. The time of the goal was 5:46 of the third period.
 
Falcons freshman forward Mike Fazio put the nail in the coffin at 13:01 of third period with a wrist shot goal that sneaked by Koop's blocker. Fazio's second career goal came on a 2-on-1 rush with Schrotenboer. It was a 4-on-4 goal as both teams had players in the penalty box. Senior captain defenseman Jon Schreiner was also credited with an assist, his third of the year. Schrotenboer's helper was his seventh.
 
Huppert wasn't done, however. He walked around a defender and scored on a breakaway deke at 15:10 of the third period. Huppert's goal was his eighth, and he also drew a penalty on the play. Hagaman was credited with the lone assist.
 
Huppert still wasn't finished, as he scored his ninth goal of the year, 2:10 later, on a wrist shot through traffic that beat Koop high blocker side. The goal came shortly after a Falcons power play. Schrotenboer and George earned assists on the goal.
 
Final shots on goal were 37-28, in favor of UW-River Falls. Fazio, Schrotenboer, Hagaman and George all finished with five shots on goal.

Huppert's five point night puts him solely in first place with 19 points. George, a freshman, now has 13 assists, three more than any other Falcon. Eights Falcons exited the game with double digit point totals, including Huppert (19), Hess (17), Doner (16), George (16), Kontny (13), Schrotenboer (13), Hagaman (13) and senior defenseman Jeff Burke (12).
 
Both teams scored two power play goals. UWRF now leads the all-time series 68-21-1.
 
The Falcons improved to 13-6-3 overall, 6-3 in the WIAC and 5-2-3 at home. UW-Stout fell to 7-15, 3-6 in the WIAC and 3-6 on the road.
 
The Falcons battle the Blue Devils tomorrow evening at Hunt Arena. The puck drops at 7 p.m.

Box Score