UW-Stout Hands St. Norbert Historic Loss

From Sports Information Director, February 7, 2009 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GREEN BAY - UW-Stout handed St. Norbert College its first home loss when leading after two periods in almost 20 years with a 4-3 overtime decision in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association contest at the Cornerstone Community Center.

The Green Knights had never lost at home in the 16-year head coaching tenure of Tim Coghlin when leading after 40 minutes until Stout rallied from a 3-1 deficit. St. Norbert's last loss at home came in a 3-1 loss to Augsburg College on Nov. 18, 1989, snapping a 200-game unbeaten streak (197-0-3) at home in that situation. St. Norbert was 184-0-2 under Coghlin at home when up after two periods until the Blue Devils' rally.

St. Norbert (16-7-1, 7-5-1 NCHA) carried a 2-1 lead into the third period, and extended the lead to 3-1 when Steven Sleep put home a rebound while crashing the net just 1:55 into the third period. The Green Knights had a chance to extend their lead when Stout was whistled for a penalty at 5:55, but 20 seconds into the penalty Andy Sternberg scored on a shorthanded breakaway to halve the deficit.

The game stayed 3-2 until the game's final minute, when Stout pulled goaltender Matt Koenig for an extra attacker. With 30 seconds left, Joel Gaulrapp went top shelf past St. Norbert goaltender Blake Bashor for the equalizer.

In the overtime, St. Norbert had a chance early but Scott Pulak's poke to the net was barely stopped by a sliding Koenig. Scott Motz then scored unassisted on a breakaway at 2:16.

St. Norbert wasted a 2-0 lead built in the first period. Dustin Walz's drive off the pipe gave the Green Knights a 1-0 lead just 1:56 into the game. Shane Wheeler then put in another one off the post at 9:47 for a 2-0 advantage.

Sternberg cut the deficit to 2-1 when he scored a power-play goal at 6:32 of the second period, a score coming with just five seconds left on the penalty.

Stout outshot St. Norbert 34-32. The Blue Devils were 1-for-4 on the power play while St. Norbert was 0-for-2. Koenig made 29 saves for Stout, while Bashor made 30 saves for St. Norbert.