Box Score

RIVER FALLS, Wis. – The UW-Stevens Point men's hockey team was deadlocked 1-1 entering the third period but a UW-River Falls short-handed goal was the difference maker as the fifth-ranked Falcons prevailed with a 2-1 victory Saturday evening at Hunt Arena.

Coming off a 2-2 tie on Friday night, freshman Kevin Gibson (Grosse Pointe, MI/North) put UWSP on the board with 1:51 remaining in the first period with his second goal of the season. Jerry Freismuth (Grosse Pointe, MI/North) and Nick Kenney (Wixom, MI/Walled Lake Western) were credited with assists on the play.

UWRF took advantage of a power play in the second period as Jake Calleja scored just over three minutes into the period to even the game at one.

Pointers goalie Brandon Jaeger (Champlin, MN/Champlin Park) held the Falcons in check the rest of the period as UWRF outshot UWSP 18-12 in the second period.

In the final period, the Falcons committed a penalty, resulting in a Pointer power play. River Falls shifted the momentum its way as Justin Brossman intercepted a pass and scored short-handed on a breakaway, giving the Falcons a 2-1 advantage midway through the third.

UWSP had an opportunity late in the third but could not take advantage of another power play as Falcons goalie Scott Lewin stopped all 10 shots fired on him to seal the victory for River Falls.

“We competed hard, but we have to start learning how to win,” said UWSP head coach Chris Brooks. “We have lost a lot of close games that we didn't play so strong and if we didn't make those mistakes we probably could have had a few more points”

The Pointers were unable to take advantage of power play opportunities all evening, going 0-for-5 on the evening while the Falcons were successful on 1-of-5 chances. For the weekend, UWRF converted 2-of-12 power play chances while UWSP was 0-for-7.

Jaeger (1-1-1) recorded a season-high 43 saves in his third career start, taking the loss while Lewin (6-0-2) stopped 30 in the victory.

The one goal loss was the third this season for the Pointers and the fifth time in six games the final was decided by one goal or less.

“We have to continue to look at the positives and there are a lot of positives that are going on right now,” said Brooks. “At the same point there are some negatives that we have to be accountable for.”

The Pointers will take a week off for the Thanksgiving holiday before they return to action on December 2-3 for a weekend series against UW-Eau Claire in a Northern Collegiate Hockey Association (NCHA) series. Game time for both nights is set for 7 p.m. in Stevens Point.

Saturday evening the Pointers will be having their first-ever Teddy Bear Toss night. Fans are encouraged to bring a new teddy bear and, when the Pointers score their first goal, throw the teddy bear onto the ice. All the bears will be collected and donated to several local charities.