Green Knights Rally to Spoil UW-Stevens Point Streaks

From Asst. AD/Athletics Communications, November 1, 2019 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

STEVENS POINT - St. Norbert College charged back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 overtime win over UW-Stevens Point in a season-opening non-conference win in the first game of a two-game home-and-home series between nationally ranked teams at a sold-out K.B. Willett Arena.

Peter Bates' wraparound goal at 1:11 of overtime ended Stevens Point's 23-game winning streak and 31-game unbeaten streak. The loss was the first for the Pointers in 588 days, with their last loss coming in the 2018 NCAA Division III Frozen Four semifinals to Salve Regina University in Lake Placid, N.Y.

No. 1-ranked Stevens Point and No. 4-ranked St. Norbert battled to a scoreless first period, but the Pointers pulled ahead on an Austin Kelly breakaway goal at the 9:07 mark of the second frame. The Pointers' Luke McElhenie then doubled the lead with a shorthanded goal at 16:59 of the second. St. Norbert would cut into its deficit just before second intermission, when Dominick Sacco finished off a 2-on-1 rush with a goal at 19:05.

Sacco would bring the Green Knights even at the 10:59 mark of the third period, scoring off a centering feed to sneak the puck past Stevens Point goaltender Eli Billing.

In overtime, Bates scored on the only shot of overtime when he picked up a loose puck below the goal line and surprised Billing with a wraparound chance.

Stevens Point outshot St. Norbert 30-25, while each team was 0-for-4 on the power play.

Bates assisted on Sacco's first goal, giving him a two-point night along with Sacco.

Ryan Bontorin made 28 saves to get the win for the Green Knights, while Billing turned away 22 shots for the Pointers.