St. Norbert's National Title Hopes Come Up Shy Against Pointers

From Sports Information Director, March 26, 2016 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

LAKE PLACID, N.Y. -- St. Norbert College's quest for a fifth NCAA Division III ice hockey championship came up just short with a 5-1 loss to UW-Stevens Point in the title game of the Frozen Four at Herb Brooks Arena.

The Green Knights, who finished their season 25-4-2, were searching for their fifth national title in the last nine seasons. St. Norbert, making its eighth overall national championship game appearance in the last 13 seasons, is now 4-4 in national championship games. Stevens Point (24-4-3) won its fifth national championship and its first since 1993.

The Pointers' power play proved to be the difference, with Stevens Point cashing in on three of five chances, including going 2-for-2 in the first period.

Stevens Point scored early in the game when Eliot Grauer finished off a scoring chance just 2 minutes 40 seconds in, with one second remaining on a man advantage. The Green Knights answered with a power-play goal at 9:25 when a Tanner Froese shot was redirected in off a Pointers' skate to tie the score 1-1.

St. Norbert then took a too-many-men penalty with 2:19 left in the period, leading to Alex Brooks hammering home a drive from out front for a power-play score at the 18:52 mark to give Stevens Point a 2-1 lead after one period.

Late in the second period, Stevens Point's Kyle Sharkey finished a wrister from up top at the 18:40 mark for a key goal and a 3-1 lead.

Stevens Point took firm control early in the third period when Lawrence Cornellier converted a 2-on-1 breakaway while on the power play at 4:44. The Pointers' Jacob Barber then scored the victors' fifth goal at 6:38.

St. Norbert senior forward Erik Cooper and junior defenseman Blake Thompson were named to the All-Tournament Team following the game.

Stevens Point outshot St. Norbert 39-22, including 18-7 in the first period. Tony Kujava made 34 saves, including several challenging stops to keep his team in the game. Max Milosek made 21 saves for the Pointers.

St. Norbert was 1-for-2 on the power play, both coming in the first period.