Power Play Clicks Late as No. 1-Ranked St. Norbert Trims Pointers

From Sports Information Director, November 13, 2009 | Men's Hockey
by Dan Lukes, dan.lukes@snc.edu, (920) 403-4077

GREEN BAY - Five power-play goals in the third period were more than enough to clinch St. Norbert College's 9-3 win over UW-Stevens Point in the first game of a two-game Northern Collegiate Hockey Association series at the Cornerstone Community Center.

The Green Knights (5-0-1, 3-0 NCHA), ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com Division III Poll, put up six power-play goals and one key shorthanded marker in the game. The six power-play goals is tied for the second most in a game in school history and tied a Cornerstone Community Center record.

St. Norbert led 2-0 after one period. Shane Wheeler scored on the power play just 4 minutes 22 seconds into the game, and Sam Tikka finished a 2-on-1 breakaway at 11:17 for the early advantage.

Stevens Point (2-4, 0-3) cashed in on a St. Norbert double minor to open the second period. The Pointers scored at 58 seconds of the second on Jon Bockmann's goal, followed by Alex Handy's score at 2:17. Stevens Point grabbed a 3-2 lead at 13:42, converting a turnover into a Nick Kenney goal.

St. Norbert would tie the game moments later when Scott Pulak cleaned up around a pile in front of the net at 15:08 for his first goal of the season. Late in the third period, St. Norbert was slapped with a penalty, but took the lead on Brandon Longley's shorthanded goal with 45 seconds left in the frame. Adam Hammerbeck took the puck from the St. Norbert defensive zone and skated into the offensive end and fired a pass to Longley in front of the net for a key score.

The floodgates opened in the third period, with the Green Knights scoring five times on six power-play chances. Matt Boyd scored twice, with Cody Keefer, Tyler Allen and Mike Bernardy all scoring goals in the period.

Boyd added an assist for a three-point night, while Allen had two assists to also earn a three-point game. Jason Nopper and Nick Tabisz each had two assists.

B.J. O'Brien made 14 saves for St. Norbert, while Thomas Speer made 17 saves in 43:47 of work for Stevens Point. Alan Armour made three saves on seven shots faced in 16:13 of relief for the Pointers.