STEVENS POINT, Wis. – The Gustavus men’s hockey team took on No. 1 UW-Stevens Point and played the Pointers down to the wire Friday night, as UW-Stevens Point scored the go ahead goal with less than a minute and a half to play, followed by an empty netter to take a 4-2 win. With the loss the Gusties fall to 2-1, while the Pointers move to 2-1.
“Really pleased with our effort,” said Head Coach Brett Peterson. “Our guys battled hard and stood up against some major adversity. At the end of the day, we can’t take nine penalties. It just takes too much out of you and we got tied late in the third period.”
The Pointers got the scoring started 5:48 into the first period, sneaking a shot past Robbie Goor (Jr., Anoka) to take a 1-0 lead. Goor though, stood tall the remainder of the period, making 13 saves to keep the deficit to one.
The Gusties were able to even things up early in the second period when Caleb Anderson (Jr., Sioux Falls, S.D) scored his first goal of the year assisted by Connor Clemons (So., Savage). Midway through the second period, things were starting to get interesting. Peter Johnson (So., Dalton) was called for a 5-minute major for elbowing and received a game misconduct and was kicked out of the contest for contact to the head. Goor continued to be strong in net though, as the goaltender saved four goals during the five minute power play before a scrum broke out on his fourth save. During the tussle, more penalties were given out and soon thereafter Goor was then escorted from the rink as he too was called for a game misconduct penalty.
Justin Damon (Fy., St. Michael) checked in at goal for the Gusties and just 18 seconds after the second game misconduct and with the Pointers on a 5-on-3, the home team was able to find the back of the net. Damon settled in though, and the Gusties fed off the adversity and battled back. Clemons and Anderson would connect again with less than two minutes to play in the second period, this time with Clemons getting the goal to even things at two.
The teams went to the third period tied at 2-2 and after a scoreless first 18 minutes it looked as though the teams may head to an extra period, but the Pointers would get a break when two Gusties collided in the offensive one, giving them a 5-on-3 advantage that they would use to score with 1:23 remaining in the game. The Pointers would add an empty net goal with 46 seconds remaining to take the 4-2 victory.
Goor made 24 saves while allowing one goal in 31:10 of time in net, while Damon made 17 saves while allowing two goals in his collegiate debut.
The Gusties are back at it tomorrow at 7 p.m. in Menomonie, Wis. against UW-Stout