Box Score

FOND DU LAC, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team battled back from two two-goal deficits on Friday night but was unable to overcome five Sabre goals as the Pointers fell to Marian University 5-4 in the 2011-12 season opener for both teams.

Marion built a two-goal lead in the first period on goals by Brian Berger and Aaron Leonard.

Jon Madden (Brighton, MI/Howell) scored the first goal of the season for the Pointers, assisted by Kevin Gibson (Grosse Pointe, MI/North) and Jon Bockmann (Wind Lake, WI/Muskego). Harrison Niemann (Canton, MI/Novi) evened the game back at two on a third period goal, assisted by Luke Nesper (Eagle River, WI/Northland Pines).

The Sabres answered back quickly as they scored two goals in under 30 seconds to regain their two goal lead.

Kyle Heck (Plover, WI/SPASH) brought Point back within one, but Brian Berger notched his second goal of game to push the lead once again back to two.

Point narrowed the gap on a Jerry Freismuth (Grosse Pointe, MI/North) goal with 5:35 remaining but could not manage another goal resulting in a 5-4 victory for Marian.

UW-Stevens Point (0-1) will return to action on Friday and Saturday when it takes on the Green Knights of St. Norbert College in a home-and-home matchup to open Northern Collegiate Hockey Association conference play. Faceoff is set for 7 p.m.