Stevens Point, Wis. (uwrfsports.com) – The UW-River Falls men's hockey team traveled to take on UW-Stevens Point game 1 of a WIAC tournament Semifinal series on Friday night. The Pointers got out to an early lead and held on to beat the Falcons in game 1, 5-1.
 
THE RUNDOWN
Final Score:  UW-River Falls 1, UW-Stevens Point 5. 
Location:  Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Records:  UW-River Falls (8-16-4), UW-Stevens Point (19-4-3)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED 

• The Falcons got off to a rough start when Eddie Matsushima was called for holding just 33 seconds into the game.
• The Pointers needed 9 seconds of power play time to take a 1-0 lead.
• The Pointers increased their lead to 2-0 just under 2 minutes later when Colin Raver found the back of the net.
• The Falcons looked primed to answer just seconds after going down 2-0, when Eddie Matsushima's shot rang off the post.  
• The action for the rest of the period went back and forth but the first period ended with the Falcons down 2-0.
• The second period began with the Falcons generating multiple shots on net but they could not cut into the Pointer lead.
• The physical play picked up in the period at the 13-minute mark when Charlie Singerhouse and the Pointers' Steven Quadliata were each called for facemasking.
• The Pointers ended up getting a power play out of the incident because Singerhouse was assessed an extra 5-minute penalty for slashing. The Pointers' Brennen Miller was called for roughing in the same altercation, as a result there was 4 on 4 hockey for two minutes then the Pointers went on the power play.
• During the 4 on 4 hockey Cayden Cahill got loose in the offensive end and fired a shot that beat the Pointer netminder but it hit the post and the Falcons still trailed 2-0.
• The Pointers took advantage of the man advantage again, when Brennen Miller found the back of the net to put Stevens Point up 3-0.
• The Pointers added to their lead late in the period to go up 4-0 with just under 2 minutes remaining.
• At the 18:26 mark of the period the Falcons went on their first power play of the game when Kelly O'Brien was called for hooking.
• The Falcons took advantage of the power play when Terry Leabo found the back of the net for his first goal of the season to cut the Pointer lead to 3 at 4-1. He was assisted on the goal by Eddie Matsushima and Christian Hausinger.
• The Falcons looked to come back in the third period but with two consecutive penalties called on Mitchell Vanderburg the Falcons had to concentrate on killing off Pointer power plays which they did to stay within 3.
• The Pointers put the game out of reach at the 16:06 mark of the period when Tanner Karty scored the last goal of the game to give the Pointers a 5-1 win.
• Zach Quinn made 40 saves in the loss for the Falcons.

  THE OPPOSITION

• 5 different players scored for UW-Stevens Point.
• Tanner Karty, Brennen Miller, and Kelly O'Brien tallied a goal and an assist for the Pointers.
• Max Milosek made 14 saves in the win.

 LOOKING AHEAD
The Falcons will look to even the series with UW-Stevens Point tomorrow night in Stevens Point, WI. Puck drop is set for 7:05pm. If the Falcons win tomorrow night they will force a mini game to decide the series.