The UW-River Falls men's hockey team was defeated in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss at UW-Stevens Point as the Pointers were able to capitalize on a late third period with just 43 second left in the contest.
In a game that featured only three power plays, the Pointers earned one at an opportune time of the contest: with 2:21 left in the third. The Pointers outshot UWRF 10-4 in the third period, three of which came on the late power play that won the game for Stevens Point.
UWRF and Stevens Point traded close calls in the first period as Falcons freshman forward
Kyle Gattelaro and Pointers junior forward Alex Kromm both rang a shot off the pipe midway through the period. UWRF outshot Stevens Point 9-6 in the scoreless first period. Neither team earned a power play. Sophomore forward
Cory Lushanko and sophomore forward
Danny Hamburg led UWRF with two shots each in the first period. Falcons junior goaltender
Tanner Milliron (13-2-1) made six saves in the first, while Pointers senior goaltender Brandon Jaeger (12-2) stopped all nine.
UWRF and Stevens Point traded mid-second period power plays but neither squad could find twine. The Falcons fired one shot on net on its extra-man opportunity, while the Pointers did get two shots on Milliron, but the goalies continued their dominance. Shots in the scoreless second period were 7-7. Hamburg led UWRF with three shots on goal through two periods.
The Pointers earned a power play with 2:21 left in the third period with the score knotted at zero as Falcons sophomore forward
Ryan Doner was whistled for slashing. Pointers senior defenseman Kyle Brodie scored the game's only goal with 43 seconds left in regulation on a backhand shot that beat Milliron upstairs. The goal was Brodie's fourth of the season. The assists were credited to junior forward Logan Lemirande and junior forward Joe Kalisz.
Stevens Point outshot UWRF 23-20 on the night, going 1-2 on the power play. Jaeger earned his third shutout of the year, making all 20 saves. Milliron was strong, making 22 saves. Hamburg and senior captain forward
Blake Huppert led UWRF with three shots on goal.
UWRF drops to 13-2-1 overall, 2-1 in the WIAC, and 5-2 on the road. Stevens Point improves to 12-3 overall, 3-0 in the WIAC, and 7-1 at home. UWRF is still 65-50-8 all-time against Stevens Point.
The Falcons face-off against the Pointers at 7 p.m. tomorrow in Stevens Point to finish off the two-game series.
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