Box Score | Mini-game Box | Coach Nichol Postgame

MENOMONIE – Travis Erstad (Stevens Point, WI/SPASH) broke a 1-1 tie with just 1:58 remaining in overtime giving the Pointers a 2-1 victory and force a mini game on Saturday evening, that also when to overtime tied at 1-1, with UW-Stevens Point's Johnny Meo (Vernon Hills, IL/Ursuline) scoring unassisted in the sudden death period, giving the Pointers the series win and kept their season alive.

The win snaps a 13-game losing streak by the Pointers in the playoffs and sends the Pointers to Ashwaubenon to face the top-seeded Green Knights of St. Norbert in the semifinal round of the NCHA Tournament.

The Pointers, who lost the opening round game of the two-game quarterfinal series on Friday evening 5-1, skated to a 1-1 tie in regulation Saturday evening , forcing overtime. With a tie knocking the Pointers out of the tournament, Erstad scored with just under two minutes left in the overtime period, giving the Pointers the win and the series split.

Erstad OT Winner


In the mini-game, used to determine the team that advances in the tournament, the Pointers and Blue Devils again skated to a tie after the 20 minute period, as Jon Madden (Brighton, MI/Howell) struck just 23 seconds in but Stout answered midway through the mini.

In sudden death overtime, it was perhaps the Pointers smallest player that came up the biggest, as Meo scored unassisted, giving the Pointers the victory.

Johnny Meo (Vernon Hills, IL/Ursuline) OT Mini Game Goal


The Pointers improve to 8-2 all-time in NCHA mini-games.

Nick Graves (Hewitt, WI/Ashwaubenon) tallied 32 saves for the Pointers in the 2-1 overtime victory. The stats from the mini game do not count toward the Pointers season totals.

More information on the Pointers match-up with the Green Knights to follow.